The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in Social studies. The lowest is 30% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Home Street Middle
Home Street Middle is a small public middle school in Bishop, serving grades six through eight. The enrollment sits in the low-to-mid hundreds, spanning three grade levels. The student body is diverse: roughly a third white, a quarter Hispanic, an eighth Native American, and the remainder a mix of Asian, multiracial, and other students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic need in the school community.
The school sits on Home Street in Bishop, a compact high-desert city in the Eastern Sierra that functions as the regional hub for Inyo County. Bishop's character is shaped by outdoor recreation, tourism, public employment (particularly Los Angeles Department of Water and Power), and federal land agencies. The town has a walkable downtown with independent shops and galleries along Main Street; the school is located on a residential street a short distance away rather than in the commercial core. Home values in the area are moderate relative to state benchmarks, though housing costs still require dual income or stable public-sector work for most families.
Academic proficiency at Home Street is below state midpoints across tested subjects. In English language arts, the school shows a clear grade-level progression: sixth and seventh graders score in the upper-third range, while eighth graders reach closer to majority proficiency. Math proficiency is more flatly low, with sixth graders at roughly two-fifths proficiency, seventh graders dipping lower, and eighth graders recovering slightly. Science proficiency for eighth grade, measured by California's science assessment, sits notably lower than ELA or math. State testing data for social studies is available only from 2012-13, where the school showed just-above-majority proficiency; current performance in that subject is not reported.
When compared to other districts in Inyo County, Home Street's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, suggesting it performs stronger than the county median despite the individual low proficiency rates. This apparent contradiction reflects the testing context of the broader county; the comparison reflects relative standing rather than absolute performance. A parent may want to look into further detail with the school about how it is supporting students who are not yet proficient and what interventions exist.
The school benefits from recent capital investment. Voters approved two bond measures in November 2024 that are funding facility repairs across the district. At Home Street, that includes HVAC work, electrical upgrades, roof and waterline repairs, and bathroom rehabilitation. These projects are underway and visible on campus. For families considering the Bishop area, the bond measures bring new annual property taxes that vary by location; a parent weighing a move to the area should factor that lasting obligation into housing decisions.
The school is part of Bishop Unified, which serves a small, stable community where most jobs cluster in public administration, education, and tourism. The district's footprint is shaped by land ownership patterns that have historically constrained growth; recent city planning efforts focus on denser downtown development to accommodate housing. For a family seeking a small-town mountain school setting with modest proficiency but district-wide facility investment underway, Home Street sits in that niche. The school's fit depends on a family's tolerance for below-state-average test performance, comfort with the town's size and economy, and priority placed on newer facilities versus higher-performing peers elsewhere in California.
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