Enrollment
891
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Bakersfield, CA
Walter Stiern Middle
Federal NCES profile for Walter Stiern Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060363002021
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Walter Stiern Middle earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of California schools.
- #17 of 25
- middle schools in Bakersfield · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.5:1
- large classes for California
- 83.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Walter Stiern Middle has class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Walter Stiern Middle ranks #17 of 25 middle schools in Bakersfield, CA.
School address
District: Bakersfield City · California
NCES ID 060363002021 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
83.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walter Stiern Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Walter Stiern Middle
Walter Stiern Middle is a high-poverty, large middle school in Bakersfield, California, enrolling 891 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.5:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 83.0% of students qualify for free meals, 50% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 891 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,114 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #631.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (88% of enrollment) (diversity index 21/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 60.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Bakersfield's middle schools, it stands alongside Leon H. Ollivier Middle (1,152 students): Walter Stiern Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.5:1 vs 24:1).
Bakersfield City also operates Curran Middle (973 students) and Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary (960 students) alongside Walter Stiern Middle.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Walter Stiern Middle compares
Walter Stiern Middle on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.5:1 | ▲ 19% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 83.0% | ▲ 50% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 891 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.5:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
891
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
83.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
25.5:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 82% in California - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
60.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,295
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 81 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 88.3%
White 7.1%
African American 3.6%
Two or More 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Asian 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.4, Walter Stiern Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bakersfield City, which includes Walter Stiern Middle.
$17,295
Per student
+5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 6.5%
State 77.8%
Federal 15.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Walter Stiern Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curran Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Voorhies Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Horace Mann Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bessie E. Owens Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Walter Stiern Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 973
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 960
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 915
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 870
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 867
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar middle schools in Bakersfield
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Leon H. Ollivier Middle
Standard public school
1,152 students 24:1 students per teacher
Standard Middle
Standard public school
1,005 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Norris Middle
Standard public school
992 students 26.1:1 students per teacher
Stonecreek Junior High
Standard public school
986 students 20.5:1 students per teacher
Curran Middle
Standard public school
973 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Earl Warren Junior High
Standard public school
965 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~891 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Walter Stiern Middle's federal record.
- Compare Walter Stiern Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Bakersfield City's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Walter Stiern Middle
How many students attend Walter Stiern Middle?
Walter Stiern Middle has 891 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Bakersfield, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walter Stiern Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Walter Stiern Middle is 25.5:1, which is 19% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 62% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Walter Stiern Middle?
83.0% of students at Walter Stiern Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walter Stiern Middle?
The largest demographic group at Walter Stiern Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 88.3% of enrollment, in Bakersfield, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walter Stiern Middle?
Walter Stiern Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Walter Stiern Middle rank among middle schools in Bakersfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Walter Stiern Middle ranks #17 of 25 middle schools in Bakersfield, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Bakersfield on the city page.
Is Walter Stiern Middle a good school?
Walter Stiern Middle earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Bakersfield City?
Besides Walter Stiern Middle, Bakersfield City also operates Curran Middle (973 students), Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary (960 students), and Voorhies Elementary (915 students). See the Bakersfield City district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.