Original Research by School Decision on J. C. Montgomery
J. C. Montgomery is an alternative public school serving grades seven through twelve in Hanford, California, run by the Kings County Office of Education. It is a small school, with an enrollment of roughly two dozen students spread across the upper grades, concentrating most enrollment in the tenth and twelfth grades.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with a substantial majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Economic need is acute here: the school sits in a city where the largest employers are health care, government, and agricultural processing, and where residents face modest housing costs that remain a real constraint on family budgets.
State testing data for J. C. Montgomery are suppressed, which is standard practice when a school's tested population in a given subject or grade is very small. The school's 2024-25 proficiency results in mathematics and English language arts at the seventh-grade level, and any trend data across multiple years, cannot be disclosed publicly to protect student privacy. No science testing data were available. Because the school serves grades seven through twelve but enrollment is concentrated in the later high school grades, the absence of clear proficiency metrics across the school's full grade span reflects both the small population and the nature of state testing in California, where certain grade levels carry state assessments while others do not. A parent interested in understanding the school's academic standing should speak directly with administrators about student performance, course offerings, and outcomes.
The school is located on Forum Drive in a city that functions as the county seat and a mixed commercial-agricultural hub in the San Joaquin Valley. Hanford has a walkable, historic downtown anchored by the Civic Center Park and the Amtrak station, which connects to regional transit; the city is growing steadily as newer residential subdivisions expand to the south and northwest. Most daily life and work happens by car, though the transit infrastructure exists for commuters and transit-dependent residents. The housing market has appreciated modestly in recent years and remains below state and national medians, making Hanford more affordable than much of California, though still a stretch for families on low incomes.
As an alternative school, J. C. Montgomery serves students who may benefit from a different structure than a conventional comprehensive high school. The specific programs, curriculum design, and support services that define the school's approach were not detailed in the available data; parents and prospective students should visit the school or contact the Kings County Office of Education to understand what kind of instructional model and student support this alternative setting provides.
See more original research from School Decision →