John Sutter Middle, Fowler CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on John Sutter Middle

John Sutter Middle serves sixth through eighth grade in Fowler, a small agricultural city in the San Joaquin Valley about thirty miles south of Fresno. The school's enrollment is roughly a little under a thousand students across its three grade bands, with a student body that is predominantly Hispanic/Latino. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the area.

Academically, John Sutter's test results show room for growth. In English language arts, proficiency on California's state assessment ranges across the three grades, with middle performance slightly better than math. Mathematics proficiency is lower, with performance declining as students progress from sixth to eighth grade. Science proficiency in eighth grade is notably weak. The school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among districts in Fresno County, but the absolute numbers indicate a student population with substantial unmet academic needs. State testing data for social studies is not currently available; the most recent comparable assessment was from 2012.

The school sits within Fowler Unified School District, which in March 2024 passed a local bond measure to improve school facilities. That measure will be financed through property taxes over decades, a factor families considering a move to the area should weigh alongside their homeownership costs. Housing values in the Fowler area are roughly in the middle range compared to the state benchmark.

Fowler itself is a place with established small-town character and ongoing growth. Agriculture and food processing anchor the local economy, with raisin, citrus, and fruit-packing operations as major employers; health care and educational services are also significant sources of jobs. The city has several active residential subdivisions underway, built by established builders, and the civic center includes a library branch, parks, and a recognizable downtown. Residents typically drive for most errands and commuting; public transit is limited to rural-area services.

For a family weighing John Sutter, the school offers a middle-grades pathway within a small district in a growing agricultural community. The academic performance data suggests the school serves students who would benefit from strong instruction and support in core subjects, particularly math and science. The predominantly Latino, low-income student composition means the school's environment is likely one of cultural continuity for families from the surrounding area, though a parent seeking diverse peer settings or specialized academic programs may want to explore what additional supports or course pathways the district offers.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 633%

School 33% · District 33%

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 735%

School 35% · District 35%

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 825%

School 25% · District 25%

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 635%

School 35% · District 35%

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 745%

School 45% · District 45%

even with state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 838%

School 38% · District 38%

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Science

Grade 820%

School 20% · District 20%

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 849%

School 49% · District 49%

even with state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

This schoolFowler Unified, 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-income30%Higher-income54%24 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income42%Higher-income63%21 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income35%Higher-income54%19 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income28%Higher-income51%23 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income34%Higher-income41%7 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income23%Higher-income33%10 pp gap