Paul L. Cato Middle

cato.bcsd.com

694 Students

Middle School 6th - 8th

School Overview

Paul L. Cato Middle School is a public institution located in Bakersfield, California, and is part of the Bakersfield City School District. Serving students in the middle school grades, the campus is dedicated to fostering a supportive learning environment that emphasizes both academic growth and social development. The school’s curriculum is designed to prepare students for the rigors of high school while encouraging them to explore their interests through a variety of educational opportunities.

Beyond the classroom, Paul L. Cato Middle School focuses on building a strong community spirit, often integrating programs that promote character development and student engagement. The school leverages the resources of the larger Bakersfield City School District to provide students with essential technology and instructional support. For families seeking more detailed information regarding school calendars, specific academic programs, or extracurricular activities, the district’s official website serves as a primary hub for communication and updates.

694

Total Students

30.8

Full-Time Teachers

22.5

Student/Teacher Ratio

53.6%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Paul L. Cato Middle
Demographic	Student Count
White	134
Hispanic	497
Black	18
Asian	30
Two or More	10
American Indian	5

Hispanic
497 (71.6%)
White
134 (19.3%)
Asian
30 (4.3%)
Black
18 (2.6%)
Two or More
10 (1.4%)
American Indian
5 (0.7%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Middle School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	Bakersfield City
Phone:	(661)631-5245
Website:	http://cato.bcsd.com
Grade Range:	6th - 8th
Total Students:	694
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	30.8
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	22.5
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	296
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	76

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 6 153

Grade 7 263

Grade 8 278

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for Paul L. Cato Middle
Grade	Student Count
Grade 6	153
Grade 7	263
Grade 8	278

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for Paul L. Cato Middle
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	345	49.7%
Male	349	50.3%

Middle School 7th - 8th