Jonata Middle, Buellton CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Jonata Middle

Jonata Middle is a small middle school in Buellton serving grades six through eight, with enrollment distributed evenly across the grade levels. The school sits in the heart of a small Santa Ynez Valley city that blends rural character with growth toward affordable housing and local economic development centered on wine, beer, and light industry.

The student body reflects the valley's composition and economic conditions. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating significant economic need. The enrollment is predominantly Hispanic, with a notable White population, and the remainder split among other racial and ethnic groups. State testing data on English learners and students receiving special education services was not available.

Across tested subjects and grades, Jonata sits above the midpoint of proficiency among Santa Barbara County districts, a meaningful distinction in a region with substantial variation in school performance. English language arts proficiency shows relative strength, with about three in five students meeting standards across the school overall; the sixth grade cohort reached two in three. Math proficiency is lower, with less than half of students meeting standards on average, though eighth graders performed measurably better than younger cohorts. Science proficiency in eighth grade sits around the same level as math. These gaps between subjects and grade levels are typical in middle schools and may reflect curriculum progression or the challenge of foundational mathematics skills at the middle level.

Buellton itself is navigating a period of significant change. The district has recently passed a school facilities bond, signaling commitment to campus improvements. At the same time, the dissolution of a regional special education consortium effective July 2026 will require the district to build its own special education department and classrooms from scratch. The district has publicly stated it expects this transition to create substantial funding shortfalls and has issued layoff notices to dozens of employees. For families with students in special education or those considering the district's ability to absorb new demands, this transition warrants direct conversation with the school or district about how services will be organized and staffed in the coming year.

The town is in the early stages of infill development, with several affordable housing projects either open or under construction at McMurray Road and elsewhere, and local planning efforts focused on making the Avenue of Flags corridor more walkable and vibrant. Schools sit near town rather than on remote campuses; Jonata is blocks from Oak Valley Elementary and the relocated Buellton Library. Housing costs in the area are high relative to national benchmarks but more modest than elsewhere in the coastal zone of Santa Barbara County.

Jonata offers a middle-grades pathway for families rooted in Buellton's small-town economy and who value proximity to the community center. A parent may want to look into further detail about the district's special education transition timeline and staffing plans as they affect any student needing services.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 44%

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 740%

School 40% · District 40%

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 851%

School 51% · District 51%

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 660%

School 60% · District 60%

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 762%

School 62% · District 62%

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 855%

School 55% · District 55%

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Science

Grade 845%

School 45% · District 45%

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 870%

School 70% · District 70%

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

This schoolBuellton Union Elementary, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income63%Higher-income57%6 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income48%Higher-income81%33 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income42%Higher-income72%30 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income48%Higher-income39%9 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income29%Higher-income57%28 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income32%Higher-income73%41 pp gap