Math
16%Grades 6 & 8 · Proficient or Advanced
Public middle school
Jack G. Desmond Middle
A closer look at learning, opportunity and fit.
34% of tested students are Proficient or Advanced in English and 16% in math. Explore the evidence alongside the opportunities your child would use.
Data sources · Methodology · State tests: 2025
Contact
English
34%Grades 6 & 8 · Proficient or Advanced
Students
838Total enrollment
Chronic absence
—Students absent 10% or more of school days
What are you trying to decide?
The overall score is a starting point.
Look at subject results, trends and student groups, then consider the opportunities your child would use.
View school performance →Start with your child’s daily experience.
Explore teaching, coursework and student-group results. A schoolwide average cannot predict an individual experience.
Explore student experience →Confirm the enrollment route.
Check the address, grade and enrollment requirements directly with the district or school.
Check attendance and enrollment →Compare the options you can access.
Use comparable evidence alongside entry requirements, cost and location.
Compare nearby schools →Academic performance
What do the results tell us?
2025 results · Grades 6 & 8 · weighted by students tested within each subject.
Proficient or Advanced combines Levels 3 and 4, formerly Standard Met and Standard Exceeded. California changed the names for 2025–26; the cut scores did not. About the labels →
Share at Proficient or Advanced
● Math┄ English
Gaps in the lines mark years without annual results.
Exact annual results
| Year | Math | English |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 16% | 34% |
| 2022 | 12% | 39% |
| 2023 | 9% | 30% |
| 2024 | 12% | 32% |
| 2025 | 16% | 34% |
Each year describes that year’s tested students. Changes between years do not follow the same children over time. Cohort-growth evidence, when available, is labeled separately below.
How achievement is distributed
AdvancedStandard Exceeded
6%ProficientStandard Met
10%DevelopingStandard Nearly Met
26%MinimalStandard Not Met
58%AdvancedStandard Exceeded
7%ProficientStandard Met
27%DevelopingStandard Nearly Met
27%MinimalStandard Not Met
39%Achievement-level percentages are not percentiles. “Developing” here is a test achievement level, separate from the SchoolScope performance band with the same name.
Annual results and the full academic record
Where students land · CAASPP 2024–25
Where its students land
ELA31% met or exceeded
Exceeded 6%Met 26%Nearly Met 29%Not Met 40%
Math14% met or exceeded
Exceeded 5%Met 9%Nearly Met 25%Not Met 61%
Exceeded Met Nearly Met Not Met
California middle schools · average17% exceeded · 40% met or exceeded
California’s growth results and student groups
State growth model · CDE growth model 2024–25
California's own growth model places it near the 10th percentile of middle schools.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
California runs its own growth model — it follows individual children in grades 4 through 8 and compares each one against a prediction from their own prior scores. On that measure this school sits well below the middle of California middle schools in reading and math together. We show it; we don't score it.
— pts vs expected is scale-score points above or below what California's model predicted for these same children from their own prior-year scores. It is not a percentage and not a percent of anything. A typical California middle school lands at −1 in reading, and the middle half of them fall between −8 and +6 — the spread is wide, so read the rank, not the sign. CDE blends two consecutive years into each published figure, so adjacent years share input data and no year-over-year trend can honestly be drawn from them. It covers grades 4-8 only, and it is not part of the Scope Score — we assessed it and left it out: it tracks school demographics roughly three times as strongly as our own growth measure does, and one published year is not enough to test how stable it is.
California's growth model, ranked against the schools it scores
State model · readingmatched students, grades 4-8California growth model, reading: −10 scale-score points versus the state's expectation, 17th percentile of 7,519 reported schools.17th pctile · −10 pts
State model · mathmatched students, grades 4-8California growth model, math: −22 scale-score points versus the state's expectation, 4th percentile of 7,518 reported schools.4th pctile · −22 pts
this school| the tick is the middle of the California field
Students & opportunity
Who shares in the school’s results?
Who it works for · CAASPP 2024–25
Low-income students here meet the ELA standard behind the same group statewide.
At Jack G. Desmond Middle in Madera, 30.1% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 31.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Jack G. Desmond Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 1.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (13.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (31.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 28.8 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 777 students tested.
Met or exceeded · reading and math combined
All students at this school: 23% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 23%, district —, state 40%23%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 23%, district 26%, state 32%23% · +0 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 22%, district 25%, state 32%22% · −1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 19%, district 26%, state 42%19% · −3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 26%, district 28%, state 44%26% · +4 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 2%, district 9%, state 11%2% · −21 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 2%, district 6%, state 15%2% · −20 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 23%, district 36%, state 56%23% · +0 vs school
8 of 16 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.
this school district, same group California, same group
ShowHide Student-group results by grade
Student-group results by grade
Results compare different grade groups in the same year, relative to the lowest tested grade. They do not track the same children over time. Groups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
ShowHide California's growth model by student group
The state's growth model, by student group
California follows these children individually and predicts each one's score from their own prior year. Each row is read against the same group at a typical California middle school — not against zero, and not against this school's all-students figure, because the state's expectation already differs by group.
Reading
Hispanic or Latino students755 studentsHispanic or Latino students, reading: −10 scale-score points versus expectation, against −2 for the same group at a typical California middle school, 755 students.−10 pts · −8 vs typical
Low-income students737 studentsLow-income students, reading: −11 scale-score points versus expectation, against −3 for the same group at a typical California middle school, 737 students.−11 pts · −8 vs typical
English Only341 studentsEnglish Only, reading: −10 scale-score points versus expectation, against 0 for the same group at a typical California middle school, 341 students.−10 pts · −10 vs typical
English Learner279 studentsEnglish Learner, reading: −13 scale-score points versus expectation, against −5 for the same group at a typical California middle school, 279 students.−13 pts · −8 vs typical
Long-term English learners155 studentsLong-term English learners, reading: −14 scale-score points versus expectation, against −7 for the same group at a typical California middle school, 155 students.−14 pts · −7 vs typical
Math
Hispanic or Latino students752 studentsHispanic or Latino students, math: −21 scale-score points versus expectation, against −6 for the same group at a typical California middle school, 752 students.−21 pts · −15 vs typical
Low-income students734 studentsLow-income students, math: −22 scale-score points versus expectation, against −5 for the same group at a typical California middle school, 734 students.−22 pts · −17 vs typical
English Only338 studentsEnglish Only, math: −24 scale-score points versus expectation, against −3 for the same group at a typical California middle school, 338 students.−24 pts · −21 vs typical
English Learner280 studentsEnglish Learner, math: −24 scale-score points versus expectation, against −3 for the same group at a typical California middle school, 280 students.−24 pts · −21 vs typical
Long-term English learners156 studentsLong-term English learners, math: −23 scale-score points versus expectation, against −6 for the same group at a typical California middle school, 156 students.−23 pts · −17 vs typical
this school typical California middle school, same group| the centre tick is 0 = as predicted
— 2 more groups are reported here with between 11 and 29 students. We hold those back on purpose: at that size the figure swings about 17 points on its own, and a quarter of such groups land past the state's top or bottom cut point by chance alone. They are listed with their student counts in the data appendix. — A group not listed at all had fewer than 11 students with a growth score, so California published nothing for it here. That is a privacy protection, not a judgment about those students. — Long-Term English Learners are counted in grades 6-8 only (CDE's own rule), so that row is not comparable to this school's all-students figure. — Context only. None of this enters the Scope Score.
The daily experience
What is it like to be a student here?
Students per teacher
Student–teacher ratio is a schoolwide staffing measure, not an average class size.
Teacher experience
Average teacher experience in the published staffing record. It does not measure individual teacher effectiveness.
Chronically absent
The share of students absent for at least 10% of their enrolled school days. Attendance reflects both school and out-of-school circumstances.
The people teaching · CDE staffing 2024–25
About 19 students for every teacher here.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
Students per teacher19 · district 20
Teaching staff61 teachers
Avg. experience11.3 years
Fully credentialed85%
First-year teachers16%
Intern / emergency permit2.5%
PrincipalBrad Holck
ShowHide what the district pays
Teacher salary schedule$52,709 – $107,743
Principal salary$143,118 – $154,013
Superintendent salary$266,200
Pay is set by the district, not the school.
Resources & neighborhood
What sits behind the school experience?
Explore school spending and the district budget
What gets spent · FY 2024–25
It spends $21,931 per student, more than the California average.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
$1,194 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.
The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.
Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $21,931, CA average $14,491$21,931 · spent at this school
Federal share$1,194 per student
District current expense · FY 2024–25$21,575 per student
This schoolDistrictCalifornia
Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction 53%Instruction support 11%Student services 13%Administration 7%Buildings & maintenance 10%Other 5%
District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.
ShowHide the district's spending year by year
district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$14,158 per pupil
2019$12,750 per pupil
2018$13,001 per pupil
2017$12,013 per pupil
2016$11,204 per pupil
Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →
The neighborhood · ACS 2024
Four in five of students here qualify for free or reduced lunch, versus three in five statewide.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
Worth knowing
On the state's science test (CAST), 21% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 and once in high school, and it never enters the Scope Score.
Hispanic or Latino95.8% · district 91.0% · CA 56.1%
White2.5% · district 4.3% · CA 19.9%
Asian0.2% · district 1.2% · CA 10.2%
Black0.7% · district 1.1% · CA 4.8%
Other0.7% · district 2.4% · CA 9.0%
Free or reduced lunch93.6% · CA 64%
Median income$62K · CA $85K
Median home value$325K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+8% · CA 35%
ZIP population50,571
Median age30 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Culture & philosophy
What is the school’s approach?
School-stated approach · questions for your visit
Look beyond the brochure
A source-reviewed culture summary is not available for this profile yet. Ask how teaching, student support and family communication work day to day.
Read the school’s own website ↗Family voices
What would you want another family to know about the daily experience here?
Ask a current family: “When your child needs help, how does the school respond?”
Educator voices
What should families understand about teaching, support and the school community?
Ask an educator: “How do you adapt a typical day for children with different needs?”
Compare nearby schools
What are the alternatives?
Compare schools serving the same grade stage. Private schools have no comparable state-test score.
2025 · middle schools · combined reading and math measures. Percentiles compare schools within their enrollment group.
No nearby schools in this category are listed. The school being viewed stays visible for reference.
| School | Type | Performance band | Advanced | Proficient or Advanced | Distance | Select |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack G. Desmond Middle | Public | Not available | — | — | School being viewed | |
| Sherman Thomas STEM Academy | Charter | Strong | 50% | 79% | 0.6 mi |
More nearby public and private options
Your other options
Your other options
Nearby public schools across grade levels, plus private options within 10 miles.
Private schools do not receive a Scope Score or statewide ranking on SchoolScope.
2 private schools within 10 miles
Not scored
What should I check before applying?
- District public
- Confirm the attendance boundary and any permit options.
- Charter
- Check applications, priorities and deadlines with each school.
- Private
- Confirm admission requirements, tuition and financial aid.
Moving & enrollment
Which schools could serve my child?
Check your address with the district
School location and nearby schools do not establish attendance eligibility. Confirm boundaries and permit requirements with Madera Unified.
District information →School website →Schools across the K–12 journey
Elementary · K–5
Middle · 6–8
High school · 9–12
The road from this school ends at Madera South High, which sent 24 graduates to UC campuses last fall and teaches 9 AP subjects. Those numbers describe past cohorts — a child starting here today would reach Madera South High around 2031, and 6 years is a long time for a school to hold still, and by the state's 2023 count 75% of Madera South High's graduates enrolled in college somewhere, UC or not.
24 UC enrollees (fall 2025) · 9 AP subjects taught → full record on Madera South High's page
Source: UC & College Board
Source: sabs_2016. Schools are grouped by grade stage. Nearby schools are not confirmed feeder links or address assignments. Verify the current path and eligibility with the district.
Plan your next step
What should I do next?
Worth a school visit
With no score to read, a visit does the heavy lifting: ask about class sizes, teacher tenure, and where last year's students went next.
- Ask about typical class sizes and the student-teacher ratio.
- Ask how long teachers have stayed at the school.
- Ask where recent graduates or transfers went next.
- Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom, and watch how a lesson actually runs.
Use the published evidence to prepare questions, then verify fit and access with the school.
Behind the evidence
Inspect the full record
Public sources, visible methods and the underlying school record. Source years and limitations stay attached to the evidence.
How the Scope Score is calculated
On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways to see the state comparison and weights.
A closer look at the evidence
Jack G. Desmond Middle: reading the evidence
Jack G. Desmond is a middle school in Madera. We publish no Scope Score, band or rank for it this year — the composite they are all built from isn't on file. Here's what we can show.
Subject proficiency describes tested students, while graduation describes a graduating cohort. These figures are not successive stages followed by the same students.
Explore the underlying data →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