School Profile · Bakersfield
Independence High: Low-income kids here outscore the state by 27 points. But suspensions run 2× the state rate.
Independence posts numbers for its most vulnerable students that most schools don't reach overall. The trend line is the part worth a closer look.
8001 Old River Road, 93311·Kern High·Bakersfield·Grades 9-12·2,324 students·75% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(661) 834-8001·Website
Scope Score
55
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #617 statewide · #5 of 25 in Kern High
Independence High scores 55 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 “43% proficient” and call it done. Independence deserves a closer read. The school sits in Bakersfield, where two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 38.0% of English learners reached the top ELPAC level, versus 17.7% statewide.
The story this school is actually telling
The on-ramp · English learner progress
38.0%
of English learners reached the top ELPAC level, versus 17.7% statewide.
↑ how fast newcomers reach fluency
The catch · suspensions
8.4%
of students were suspended, versus 4.0% statewide — a school visit will tell you more than this number.
↓ the part no ranking site shows you
Proficient by 11th grade
43%
State 35%
Graduate
93%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
36%
State 36%
Of 100 students here: 43 are proficient by 11th grade → 93 graduate → 36 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.
64.9%
Low-income · ELA · met standard
Independence's most underrated number
64.9% 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.
Independence low-income: 64.9%State low-income: 38.2%
The 7 things our score weighs
Graduation rate
92.9%
State 87.6%
5.3pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
18.7%
State 15.5%
3.2pp above state avg
College readiness
36.1%
State 35.5%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
42.6%
State 34.6%
7.9pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
15.8%
State 32.1%
16.3pp below state avg
Suspension rate
8.4%
State 4.0%
4.4pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
38.0%
State 17.7%
20.3pp above state avg
Worth a school visit
Ask about the discipline philosophy and what a typical suspension is for. Numbers can't tell you whether a campus feels strict or chaotic — a visit can.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
Your other options
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
Hispanic64.5%
White13.6%
Asian6.3%
Black8.1%
Other7.5%
GenderFemale 47.6%Male 52.4%Non-binary 0.0%
Resources & Access
Enrollment
2,324
874 above CA avg (~1,450)
Free/Reduced Lunch
75%
11pp above CA avg (64%)
Student-Teacher Ratio
26:1
5 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$18,916
District avg: $13,940 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
38.0% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$62,889 – $134,832
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Independence High in Bakersfield, 64.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 47.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Independence High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 17.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (17.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (64.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 38.5 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 439 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Foster Youth+31.7pp
47.5% vs 15.8% overall · n=40
Suspension · Foster Youth+18.1pp
26.5% vs 8.4% overall · n=49
ELA · Disabilities−38.5pp
27.9% vs 66.4% overall · n=43
3 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · Disabilities−26.0pp
4.7% vs 30.6% overall · n=43
Math · Disabilities−11.7pp
7.0% vs 18.7% overall · n=43
Math Exceeded · Disabilities−4.4pp
2.3% vs 6.8% overall · n=43
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income439 tested
ELA 64.9%·Math 17.0%· +17.7pp vs district
Hispanic373 tested
ELA 64.3%·Math 17.2%· +16.0pp vs district
White88 tested
ELA 69.3%·Math 18.4%· +9.1pp 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
$114K
$29K above CA median
Median Home Value
$385K
$274K below CA median
Bachelor's+
41%
6pp above 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
11.0 years avg experience
174 teachers · 4% first-year · 13% second-year
Teacher Credentials
91% fully credentialed
0.2% on intern/emergency permit
AP Courses Offered
20 AP courses
100 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%
92.9%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 56th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
18.7%
↑ vs CA 15.5% · 53th pctile
College readiness · 20%
36.1%
↑ vs CA 35.5% · 50th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
42.6%
↑ vs CA 34.6% · 56th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
15.8%
↑ vs CA 32.1% · 63th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
8.4%
↓ vs CA 4.0% · 31th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
38.0%
↑ vs CA 17.7% · 94th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 581 | 31% | 36% | 18% | 15% | 66% | +19 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 578 | 7% | 12% | 25% | 56% | 19% | −5 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 588 | 7% | 30% | 58% | 5% |
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 | 439 | 64.9% | +18 | +27 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 373 | 64.3% | +16 | +25 |
| White | 88 | 69.3% | +9 | +8 |
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence High ← | — | 55 | 18.7% | 42.6% | — | 8.4% |
| California average | — | 47 | 15.5% | 34.6% | — | 4.0% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
92.9%
AP Exam Prepared
36.1%
A-G Completion
39.7%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
56.8%
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #771 → #698 → #751 → #747 → #617
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 Independence High a good high school?
Independence High has a Scope Score of 55 out of 100, placing it in the 65th percentile of California high schools and ranked #617 statewide. 18.7% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 3.2 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 Independence High's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 42.6% of students at Independence High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 18.7% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 23.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 18.7% 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. 1,159 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Independence High rank in California?
Independence High ranks #617 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 Independence High?
15.8% of students at Independence 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 8.4%. 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 Independence High compare to other schools in Bakersfield?
Independence High scores 55/100 (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 2,324 students. Use the schools in Bakersfield page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.
How does Independence High serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Independence High in Bakersfield, 64.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 47.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Independence High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 17.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (17.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (64.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 38.5 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 439 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.