Bakersfield City
Bakersfield City has 39 ranked schools across elementary and middle levels with an average Scope Score of 28.8/100 — 14.9 points below the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Downtown Elementary at 48/100, where 22.3% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $15,168 per student (above the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 18.7%, near the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 29.4 | 33 | 7.9% | 18.1% |
| Middle | 26.0 | 6 | 5.5% | 22.1% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Bakersfield City, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: Bakersfield City's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 29.4.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages -4.8pp (state avg: -3.0pp), a negative trend that warrants attention.
Consistency: Score range of 33.8 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 18.7%, 0.6pp near the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 2.3%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Downtown Elementary leads the district at 48 with 22.3% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Bakersfield City
Hidden gems: 6 schools in Bakersfield City are classified as On the Rise (6) — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Student demographics
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
Bakersfield City spends $15,168 per student in current expenditures — $353 above the state average of $14,815.
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Elementary Schools (33)
Bakersfield City has 33 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 29.4 — 14.4 points below the state average of 43.8.
Growth averages -4.8pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Downtown Elementary with a Scope Score of 48 and 22.3% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downtown Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First | 48 | 22.3% | 52.7% | -15.2pp | 3.8% | 0.5% |
| 2 | Cesar E. Chavez Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First | 45 | 24.6% | 48.0% | -9.4pp | 6.0% | 0.8% |
| 3 | Bessie E. Owens Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise | 43 | 18.9% | 33.5% | +7.2pp | 18.9% | 1.8% |
| 4 | Dr. Douglas K. Fletcher Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First | 43 | 19.3% | 41.0% | -3.7pp | 10.0% | 0.5% |
| 5 | Horace Mann Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise | 40 | 10.0% | 29.4% | +16.7pp | 13.8% | 0.8% |
| 6 | Pioneer Drive Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise | 38 | 7.3% | 25.8% | +3.1pp | 13.7% | 0.4% |
| 7 | Leo G. Pauly Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise | 36 | 8.3% | 28.2% | +10.4pp | 16.2% | 1.5% |
| 8 | Harding Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First | 34 | 10.2% | 29.6% | -11.5pp | 9.6% | 0.6% |
| 9 | Frank West Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 34 | 7.6% | 22.6% | -7.1pp | 19.8% | 0.7% |
| 10 | Franklin Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 31 | 8.5% | 31.9% | -8.2pp | 16.1% | 0.8% |
| 11 | Ramon Garza Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First | 31 | 4.9% | 22.1% | -8.7pp | 10.8% | 1.3% |
| 12 | Evergreen Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 30 | 6.3% | 21.9% | -4.0pp | 19.4% | 2.3% |
| 13 | Dr. Juliet Thorner Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise | 30 | 6.6% | 21.3% | +8.9pp | 17.4% | 0.3% |
| 14 | Voorhies Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 30 | 7.5% | 22.7% | -5.3pp | 17.5% | 0.3% |
| 15 | Caroline Harris Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 29 | 7.5% | 26.6% | -1.1pp | 16.8% | 2.1% |
| 16 | Henry Eissler Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 28 | 11.1% | 27.0% | -14.7pp | 17.6% | 1.4% |
| 17 | Williams Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 27 | 1.8% | 12.0% | -5.3pp | 17.0% | 1.1% |
| 18 | Hort Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 27 | 6.2% | 22.4% | -10.6pp | 25.6% | 0.9% |
| 19 | Fremont Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 27 | 7.9% | 18.9% | -14.9pp | 16.0% | 1.0% |
| 20 | Wayside Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 26 | 3.9% | 14.9% | -3.0pp | 17.3% | 0.9% |
| 21 | William Penn Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 26 | 5.5% | 17.6% | -0.8pp | 18.8% | 2.6% |
| 22 | Casa Loma Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 26 | 2.1% | 14.4% | -5.5pp | 20.3% | 0.7% |
| 23 | Roosevelt Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 26 | 8.1% | 25.3% | -4.8pp | 23.8% | 3.2% |
| 24 | Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 25 | 12.3% | 31.4% | -12.9pp | 19.6% | 4.3% |
| 25 | Munsey Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 25 | 5.5% | 21.3% | -4.4pp | 18.3% | 1.3% |
| 26 | Jefferson Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 23 | 5.4% | 21.8% | -18.9pp | 19.7% | 1.4% |
| 27 | College Heights Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 23 | 2.4% | 12.8% | +1.5pp | 24.2% | 0.9% |
| 28 | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 22 | 2.1% | 10.6% | +1.6pp | 28.1% | 2.9% |
| 29 | Myra A. Noble Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 21 | 2.4% | 11.6% | -1.6pp | 19.7% | 2.2% |
| 30 | McKinley Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 21 | 4.6% | 13.2% | -4.7pp | 27.1% | 3.9% |
| 31 | Mt. Vernon Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 20 | 3.8% | 13.3% | -15.4pp | 23.7% | 4.1% |
| 32 | Longfellow Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 19 | 2.3% | 10.9% | -8.7pp | 23.2% | 1.8% |
| 33 | Stella I. Hills Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 14 | 2.0% | 9.8% | -6.4pp | 27.7% | 9.0% |
Middle Schools (6)
Bakersfield City has 6 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 26.0 — 14.5 points below the state average of 40.5.
Growth averages -2.2pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring middle school is Paul L. Cato Middle with a Scope Score of 46 and 16.6% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul L. Cato Middle Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 46 | 16.6% | 41.8% | -7.2pp | 11.3% | 1.9% |
| 2 | Sierra Middle Bakersfield City On the Rise | 24 | 2.8% | 15.7% | +4.6pp | 18.7% | 5.8% |
| 3 | Walter Stiern Middle Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 24 | 3.4% | 16.4% | -3.2pp | 24.2% | 2.8% |
| 4 | Curran Middle Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 22 | 4.3% | 17.5% | +0.1pp | 26.6% | 7.1% |
| 5 | Emerson Middle Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 20 | 3.2% | 15.7% | -3.3pp | 26.0% | 9.3% |
| 6 | Washington Middle Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 20 | 2.9% | 12.8% | -4.1pp | 25.9% | 4.9% |
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
What Scope Scores can't tell you about Bakersfield City
- Class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality
- Quality of arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs
- Teacher experience, turnover, and professional development
- Campus safety, bullying climate, and social-emotional support
- Parent and community engagement levels
- Quality of special education and gifted programs
- How resources are distributed across schools within the district
Scope Scores measure academic performance and school climate using public data. They are one lens among many. Full methodology