School Profile · Bakersfield
Centennial High: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.
Centennial posts 52% meeting the standard; 23.0% push past it. Steady is worth something — and the gap between those two numbers is the thing to ask about.
8601 Hageman Road, 93312·Kern High·Bakersfield·Grades 9-12·2,212 students·44% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(661) 588-8601·Website
Scope Score
56
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #602 statewide · #4 of 25 in Kern High
Centennial High scores 56 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 65th percentile of 1,739 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →
Most rating sites would stop at “52% proficient” and call it done. Centennial deserves a closer read. The school sits in Bakersfield, where two in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 63.3% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide.
The story this school is actually telling
Proficient by 11th grade
52%
State 35%
Graduate
95%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
29%
State 36%
Of 100 students here: 52 are proficient by 11th grade → 95 graduate → 29 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.
63.3%
Low-income · ELA · met standard
Centennial's most underrated number
63.3% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide. That's the strongest kind of signal a school can post: it holds across income lines.
Centennial low-income: 63.3%State low-income: 38.2%
The 7 things our score weighs
Graduation rate
94.6%
State 87.6%
7.0pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
23.0%
State 15.5%
7.5pp above state avg
College readiness
28.8%
State 35.5%
AP exam pass rate below state avg
Met or exceeded
52.3%
State 34.6%
17.6pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
12.4%
State 32.1%
19.7pp below state avg
Suspension rate
5.6%
State 4.0%
1.5pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
18.6%
State 17.7%
0.9pp above state avg
Worth a school visit
Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
Your other options
Nearby High Schools
2 within ~3 mi · avg 40
Liberty High
Kern High · 3 mi
Solid
59/100
Vista West Continuation High
Kern High · 1.4 mi
Needs Support
22/100
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 54
William B. Bimat Elementary
Norris Elementary · 0.7 mi
Solid
61/100
Norris Elementary
Norris Elementary · 2.5 mi
Solid
52/100
Veterans Elementary
Norris Elementary · 2.4 mi
Developing
50/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic45.6%
White36.2%
Asian3.2%
Black2.7%
Other12.3%
GenderFemale 50.5%Male 49.4%Non-binary 0.1%
Resources & Access
Enrollment
2,212
762 above CA avg (~1,450)
Free/Reduced Lunch
44%
19pp below CA avg (64%)
Student-Teacher Ratio
25:1
4 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$17,191
District avg: $13,940 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
18.6% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$62,889 – $134,832
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Centennial High in Bakersfield, 63.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 47.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Centennial High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 16.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (31.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (65.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 41.0 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 213 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Homeless+31.6pp
44.0% vs 12.4% overall · n=25
Suspension · Foster Youth+13.4pp
19.0% vs 5.6% overall · n=21
ELA · Disabilities−41.0pp
25.5% vs 66.5% overall · n=48
3 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · Disabilities−27.5pp
2.1% vs 29.6% overall · n=48
Math · English Learner−38.0pp
0.0% vs 38.0% overall · n=16
Math Exceeded · Disabilities−16.3pp
0.0% vs 16.3% overall · n=48
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income220 tested
ELA 63.3%·Math 31.2%· +16.1pp vs district
Hispanic238 tested
ELA 65.2%·Math 36.6%· +16.9pp vs district
White196 tested
ELA 65.5%·Math 38.5%· +5.3pp vs district
Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$111K
$26K above CA median
Median Home Value
$383K
$276K below CA median
Bachelor's+
34%
1pp below CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2022) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
12.9 years avg experience
179 teachers · 3% first-year · 8% second-year
Teacher Credentials
83% fully credentialed
1.2% on intern/emergency permit
AP Courses Offered
16 AP courses
83 students qualified via AP exam
Sources: CDE SARC · CDE College/Career Indicator, 2024-25
Community Profile provides context about who attends this school and the resources available. These factors are never part of the Scope Score. Learn why →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
For the data nerds
Every number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Graduation rate · 25%
94.6%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 58th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
23.0%
↑ vs CA 15.5% · 58th pctile
College readiness · 20%
28.8%
↓ vs CA 35.5% · 46th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
52.3%
↑ vs CA 34.6% · 62th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
12.4%
↑ vs CA 32.1% · 66th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
5.6%
↓ vs CA 4.0% · 43th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
18.6%
↑ vs CA 17.7% · 49th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 469 | 30% | 37% | 23% | 11% | 67% | +19 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 479 | 16% | 22% | 26% | 36% | 38% | +15 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 423 | 5% | 29% | 57% | 9% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 213 | 63.3% | +16 | +25 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 231 | 65.2% | +17 | +26 |
| White | 195 | 65.5% | +5 | +4 |
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial High ← | — | 56 | 23.0% | 52.3% | — | 5.6% |
| Liberty High | 3 mi | 59 | 22.2% | 50.9% | — | 3.8% |
| Vista West Continuation High | 1.4 mi | 22 | 1.8% | 7.7% | — | 15.1% |
| California average | — | 47 | 15.5% | 34.6% | — | 4.0% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
94.6%
AP Exam Prepared
28.8%
A-G Completion
49.7%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
58.9%
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #488 → #532 → #534 → #537 → #602
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=1,739 high schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
Frequently asked questions
Is Centennial High a good high school?
Centennial High has a Scope Score of 56 out of 100, placing it in the 65th percentile of California high schools and ranked #602 statewide. 23.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 7.5 percentage points above the California average of 15.5%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for high schools: exceeded standard (43%), met or exceeded (22%), grade 3-to-5 growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%), and suspension rate (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What are Centennial High's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 52.3% of students at Centennial High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 23.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 29.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 23.0% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 948 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Centennial High rank in California?
Centennial High ranks #602 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 65th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.
What is the attendance and school culture like at Centennial High?
12.4% of students at Centennial High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 32.1%. The suspension rate is 5.6%. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.
How does Centennial High compare to other schools in Bakersfield?
Centennial High scores 56/100 (65th percentile) among California high schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 2,212 students. Use the schools in Bakersfield page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.
How does Centennial High serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Centennial High in Bakersfield, 63.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 47.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Centennial High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 16.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (31.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (65.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 41.0 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 213 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.