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#4843 of 9,539 schools in CA

Fred L. Thompson Junior High

Middle School · Panama-buena Vista Union · Bakersfield, CA

A Panama-buena Vista Union middle school where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

4200 Planz Rd., Bakersfield, CA 93309

  • Math 9% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 29% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 18.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.8Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-0.85 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics4.3Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency9.2% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency28.4% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-24.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-18.8 pts
Overall Proficiency19% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)23% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-3.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile24th
Resources & Environment6.9Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio18.6:1
District spending per student$15,644
Chronic Absenteeism39.5%

Students at Fred L. Thompson Junior High score 19% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 23%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency9%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency29%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 10 points since 2018, to 19% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
25%
ELA
39%
2010
Math
28%
ELA
43%
2011
Math
27%
ELA
46%
2012
Math
22%
ELA
41%
2014
Math
15%
ELA
25%
2015
Math
15%
ELA
31%
2016
Math
16%
ELA
36%
2017
Math
15%
ELA
42%
2018
Math
17%
ELA
40%
2019
Math
17%
ELA
40%
2022
Math
10%
ELA
37%
2024
Math
9%
ELA
29%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 17% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 36% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 28 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

91.9%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Fred L. Thompson Junior High sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 42Car-Dependent
  • Transit 26Some Transit
  • Bike 43Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,028/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Bakersfield), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$62,143

Median home value

$286,600

Median rent

$1,268/mo

College educated

19.9%

Homeownership

48.3%

Poverty rate

17%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93309; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
O. J. Actis Junior HighEnrollment path unverified6.17–80.9 mi700Compare →
Curran MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.06–81.3 mi1,043Compare →
Greenfield MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.16–82.3 mi884Compare →
Sequoia Jr. HighEnrollment path unverified4.87–82.6 mi744Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Panama-buena Vista Union

Schools in district
25
Rank in district
#13 of 25
District spending per student
$15,644NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Fred L. Thompson Junior High is listed in Panama-Buena Vista Union; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Fred L. Thompson Junior High

Fred L. Thompson Junior High is a public middle school in Bakersfield, CA, part of Panama-buena Vista Union, serving approximately 762 students in grades 7th-8th with a 18.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 out of 10 and ranks #4,843 of 9,539 schools in CA.

State assessment records show 17% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Fred L. Thompson Junior High

What grades does Fred L. Thompson Junior High serve?

Fred L. Thompson Junior High serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend Fred L. Thompson Junior High?

Fred L. Thompson Junior High has an enrollment of approximately 762 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Fred L. Thompson Junior High?

The student-teacher ratio at Fred L. Thompson Junior High is 18.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Fred L. Thompson Junior High rank in CA?

Fred L. Thompson Junior High ranks #4,843 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Fred L. Thompson Junior High's MySchoolScout rating?

Fred L. Thompson Junior High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Fred L. Thompson Junior High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Fred L. Thompson Junior High has 17% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Fred L. Thompson Junior High a charter school?

No, Fred L. Thompson Junior High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Fred L. Thompson Junior High a Title I school?

No, Fred L. Thompson Junior High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Fred L. Thompson Junior High?

91.9% of students at Fred L. Thompson Junior High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
7th – 8th
Enrollment
762
Student-Teacher Ratio
18.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
41
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Kern County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
39.5%
Area population (ZIP 93309)
63,989
Area average commute
22.2 min
Area median age
31.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 93309; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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