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Buchser Middle · Santa Clara

Buchser Middle: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Buchser posts 48% meeting the standard against 39% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

1111 Bellomy Street, 95050 (opens in new tab)·Santa Clara Unified·Santa Clara·Grades 6-8·711 students·32% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(408) 423-3000·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4843
% Exceeded25%17%
% Met+48%39%
Growth+0.3+1.5
Absence15.2%18.5%
Suspension4.6%3.7%
Scope Score
48
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #715 statewide · #3 of 5 in Santa Clara Unified

Buchser Middle scores 48 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 68th percentile of 2,238 California middle schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “48% proficient” and call it done. Buchser deserves a closer read. The school sits in Santa Clara, where one in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: 29.3% of English learners reached the top ELPAC level, versus 18.0% statewide.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

Climbed from the 49th to the 68th percentile since 2019 — past roughly 300 middle schools.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 48% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 659%53%55%63%51%
Grade 756%46%53%54%60%
Grade 854%46%48%53%54%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 642%36%35%42%40%
Grade 744%30%40%36%46%
Grade 830%23%30%32%38%

The story this school is actually telling

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

27%
24%
49%
Grade 6 · 51% proficient
25%
36%
39%
Grade 7 · 61% proficient
22%
33%
45%
Grade 8 · 55% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 5.1pp across grades; the floor rises 3.0pp. The state average falls 0.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
24.5%
State 16.8%
7.7pp above state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
+0.3pp
State +1.5pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
48.3%
State 39.3%
9.0pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
15.2%
State 18.5%
3.4pp below state avg
Suspension rate
4.6%
State 3.7%
0.9pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
29.3%
State 18.0%
11.3pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Buchser Middle in Santa Clara, 37.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 37.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Buchser Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (23.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (37.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 54.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 259 students tested.

All students at this school: 48% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 48%, district —, state 39%48%
MaleMale: this school 45%, district 53%, state 42%45% · −3 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 29%, district 30%, state 32%29% · −19 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 52%, district 57%, state 44%52% · +4 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 30%, district 31%, state 32%30% · −18 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 65%, district 69%, state 56%65% · +16 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 2%, district 13%, state 11%2% · −46 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 18%, district 20%, state 15%18% · −30 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 72%, district 77%, state 72%72% · +24 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 80%, district 69%, state 56%80% · +32 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 70%, district 60%, state 65%70% · +22 vs school

5 of 16 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group
Subgroup growth by grade

Change in proficiency from the lowest tested grade — which groups gain ground the longer they stay. Groups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Low-income student ELA proficiency rises by 15.7pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: +0.9pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 15.2%, district 17.3%, state 18.5%15.2% · −3.4pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 4.6%, district —, state 3.7%4.6% · +0.9pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–612.7%
Grades 7–816.5%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path

Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 18:1, district 20:118:1
Teaching staff41 teachers
Avg. experience14.5 years
Fully credentialed90%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$95,734 – $171,568
Principal salary$219,111 – $234,952
Superintendent salary$338,130

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $32,669, CA average $14,815$32,669 · spent at this school
District current expense · FY 2024–25$32,023 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction62%
Instruction support14%
Student services7%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance9%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$20,344 per pupil
2019$18,925 per pupil
2018$19,279 per pupil
2017$17,223 per pupil
2016$15,125 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic50.1%
District 38.1% · CA 56.1%
White20.3%
District 15.9% · CA 19.9%
Other14.1%
District 12.4% · CA 9.0%
Asian12.7%
District 31.1% · CA 10.2%
Black3.0%
District 2.4% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 32.2% (32pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$138K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.46M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+57% · CA 35%
ZIP population39,834
Median age36 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 36% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Buchser Middle a good middle school?

Buchser Middle has a Scope Score of 48 out of 100, placing it in the 68th percentile of California middle schools and ranked #715 statewide. 24.5% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 7.7 percentage points above the California average of 16.8%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for middle schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 6-to-8 growth (27%), met or exceeded (proficient) (20%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Buchser Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 48.3% of students at Buchser Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 24.5% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 23.8% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 24.5% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 1,360 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Buchser Middle rank in California?

Buchser Middle ranks #715 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 68th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 6 to grade 8 growth), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.

Is Buchser Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Buchser Middle increases by 0.3 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth. This upward trajectory suggests the school is adding measurable value — students leave with higher proficiency rates than they entered with. Growth trajectory is weighted at 15% in the middle Scope Score because it measures what the school does, not just who walks in the door.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Buchser Middle?

15.2% of students at Buchser Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 4.6%. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.

How does Buchser Middle compare to other schools in Santa Clara?

Buchser Middle scores 48/100 (68th percentile) among California middle schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 711 students. Use the schools in Santa Clara page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Buchser Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Buchser Middle in Santa Clara, 37.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 37.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Buchser Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (23.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (37.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 54.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 259 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

All schools in Santa Clara →

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.

For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Exceeded standard · 38%
24.5%
↑ vs CA 16.8% · 58th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
+0.3pp
↓ vs CA +1.5pp · 46th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
48.3%
↑ vs CA 39.3% · 57th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
15.2%
↑ vs CA 18.5% · 55th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
4.6%
↓ vs CA 3.7% · 46th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
29.3%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 61th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 624127%24%21%28%51%+5
Grade 721225%36%23%17%60%+13
Grade 822422%33%22%23%54%+8
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 624326%14%21%40%40%+5
Grade 721426%20%28%26%46%+12
Grade 822622%16%22%41%38%+5
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1122514%22%49%14%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged25937.2%+0−1
Hispanic/Latino33837.7%+0−1
White13770.6%−3+9
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Buchser Middle ←—4824.5%48.3%+0.34.6%
Juan Cabrillo Middle1.8 mi5831.7%52.8%+6.28.6%
Herbert Hoover Middle1.5 mi2610.1%29.4%−0.99.1%
Monroe Middle2.4 mi196.5%20.4%−2.211.7%
California average—4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193849#101821.1%47.5%10.2%10.5%-9.0pp
20223443#123616.4%39.2%19.0%2.4%-10.1pp
20234357#94517.8%43.4%18.7%4.1%-6.1pp
20244363#82721.1%46.7%15.9%2.2%-10.0pp
20254868#71524.5%48.3%15.2%4.6%+0.3pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female8.3%16.2%+7.9pp
Male11.9%14.2%+2.3pp
Asian6.5%9.7%+3.2pp
Black/African American8.1%13.6%+5.5pp
White5.4%3.1%-2.3pp
Hispanic/Latino14.2%18.4%+4.2pp
Two or More Races10.9%14.0%+3.1pp
Students with Disabilities16.9%17.0%+0.1pp
English Learners14.0%18.9%+4.9pp
Homeless37.5%——
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged14.9%21.4%+6.5pp
All Students10.2%15.1%+4.9pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,238 middle schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction

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