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Below Average

#7372 of 9,539 schools in CA

Walter Stiern Middle

Middle School · Bakersfield City · Bakersfield, CA

A Bakersfield City middle school where students score 6 points below what's typical for similar communities.

2551 Morning Dr., Bakersfield, CA 93306

  • Math 10% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 23% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 21.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.4Below Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.93 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics3.9Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency9.9% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency23.9% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-24.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-22 pts
Overall Proficiency17% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)23% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-5.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile20th
Resources & Environment7.2Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio21.8:1
District spending per student$19,155
Chronic Absenteeism28.6%

Students at Walter Stiern Middle score 17% 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 Proficiency10%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency23%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 9 points since 2018, to 16% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
38%
ELA
31%
2010
Math
35%
ELA
32%
2011
Math
39%
ELA
35%
2012
Math
40%
ELA
33%
2013
Math
90%
ELA
90%
2014
Math
17%
ELA
29%
2015
Math
18%
ELA
27%
2016
Math
20%
ELA
34%
2017
Math
18%
ELA
33%
2018
Math
18%
ELA
32%
2019
Math
18%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
8%
ELA
24%
2024
Math
10%
ELA
23%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 25% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 33% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

91.7%

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 Walter Stiern Middle 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 25Car-Dependent
  • Transit 24Minimal Transit
  • Bike 16Somewhat 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

$66,988

Median home value

$290,700

Median rent

$1,219/mo

College educated

18.2%

Homeownership

63.3%

Poverty rate

20.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93306; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Paul L. Cato MiddleEnrollment path unverified8.06–81.2 mi654Compare →
Chipman Junior HighEnrollment path unverified5.87–81.9 mi719Compare →
Nigritian AcademyPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–121.9 mi8Compare →
Compton Junior HighEnrollment path unverified4.67–82.2 mi575Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Bakersfield City

Schools in district
45
Rank in district
#25 of 44
District spending per student
$19,155NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
33.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

Walter Stiern Middle is listed in Bakersfield City; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Walter Stiern Middle

Walter Stiern Middle is a public middle school in Bakersfield, CA, part of Bakersfield City, serving approximately 783 students in grades 6th-8th with a 21.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.9 out of 10 and ranks #7,372 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 25% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 33% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Walter Stiern Middle

What grades does Walter Stiern Middle serve?

Walter Stiern Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Walter Stiern Middle?

Walter Stiern Middle has an enrollment of approximately 783 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Walter Stiern Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Walter Stiern Middle is 21.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Walter Stiern Middle rank in CA?

Walter Stiern Middle ranks #7,372 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Walter Stiern Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Walter Stiern Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.9 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 Walter Stiern Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Walter Stiern Middle has 25% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 33% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Walter Stiern Middle a charter school?

No, Walter Stiern Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Walter Stiern Middle a Title I school?

No, Walter Stiern Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Walter Stiern Middle?

91.7% of students at Walter Stiern Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
783
Student-Teacher Ratio
21.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
36
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Kern County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
28.6%
Area population (ZIP 93306)
73,370
Area average commute
24.6 min
Area median age
32.4
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 93306; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

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

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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