Mountain View Middle

Mountain View Middle serves seventh and eighth graders in the Lamont area just southeast of Bakersfield, a working-class agricultural community where many families are deeply rooted in the region's farmworking heritage. The school faces real academic challenges — scoring in the single digits for math statewide — but families who are engaged and proactive about supplementing their kids' education will find a community that's tight-knit and genuinely committed to its students. For families considering this area, it's worth knowing that Lamont is affordable and close to Bakersfield's broader amenities, but academic support at home or through outside resources will likely be an important piece of the puzzle here.