School Profile · Bakersfield
South High: Low-income kids here outscore the state by 15 points. But suspensions run 2× the state rate.
South posts numbers for its most vulnerable students that most schools don't reach overall. The trend line is the part worth a closer look.
1101 Planz Road, 93304·Kern High·Bakersfield·Grades 9-12·2,107 students·97% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(661) 831-3680·Website
Scope Score
47
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #966 statewide · #9 of 25 in Kern High
South High scores 47 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 44th 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 “35% proficient” and call it done. South deserves a closer read. The school sits in Bakersfield, where nearly all students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 53.6% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide.
The story this school is actually telling
The equalizer · low-income proficiency
53.6%
of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide.
↑ the number zip-code rankings hide
The catch · suspensions
9.8%
of students were suspended, versus 4.0% statewide — the data can't say why.
↓ the part no ranking site shows you
Proficient by 11th grade
35%
State 35%
Graduate
90%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
38%
State 36%
Of 100 students here: 35 are proficient by 11th grade → 90 graduate → 38 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.
53.6%
Low-income · ELA · met standard
South's most underrated number
53.6% 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.
South low-income: 53.6%State low-income: 38.2%South EL: 10.0%State EL: 10.4%
The 7 things our score weighs
Graduation rate
90.0%
State 87.6%
2.4pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
14.3%
State 15.5%
1.2pp below state avg
College readiness
38.2%
State 35.5%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
35.1%
State 34.6%
0.5pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
17.2%
State 32.1%
14.9pp below state avg
Suspension rate
9.8%
State 4.0%
5.8pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
10.4%
State 17.7%
7.3pp below 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
Nearby High Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 29
Del Oro High
Kern High · 2.6 mi
Developing
46/100
Vista Continuation High
Kern High · 2.3 mi
Needs Support
22/100
Tierra Del Sol Continuation High
Kern High · 2.3 mi
Needs Support
20/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
Valley Achievement Center
Ming Ave · Nonsectarian · Grades 8-12 · 25 students
13:1Private4 mi
Bakersfield Adventist Academy
Bernard St · Pentecostal · Grades Pre-K-12 · 128 students
13:1Private5.6 mi
Bethel Christian
E California Ave · Amish · Grades Pre-K-12 · 41 students
8:1Private4.1 mi
Nigritian Academy
La Costa Ct · Presbyterian · Grades Pre-K-12 · 8 students
3:1Private6.5 mi
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic84.0%
White4.1%
Asian0.7%
Black8.0%
Other3.2%
GenderFemale 49.5%Male 50.5%Non-binary 0.1%
Resources & Access
Enrollment
2,107
657 above CA avg (~1,450)
Free/Reduced Lunch
97%
33pp above CA avg (64%)
Student-Teacher Ratio
25:1
4 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$19,186
District avg: $13,940 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
10.4% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$62,889 – $134,832
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At South High in Bakersfield, 53.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 47.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. South High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 6.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (16.7% Math proficient); Hispanic students (56.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 43.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 461 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Homeless+33.6pp
50.8% vs 17.2% overall · n=61
Suspension · Foster Youth+29.7pp
39.5% vs 9.8% overall · n=43
ELA · English Learner−43.6pp
10.0% vs 53.6% overall · n=60
3 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · Disabilities−23.4pp
0.0% vs 23.4% overall · n=38
Math · English Learner−15.1pp
1.7% vs 16.7% overall · n=60
Math Exceeded · Black−5.2pp
0.0% vs 5.2% overall · n=38
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income461 tested
ELA 53.6%·Math 16.7%· +6.4pp vs district
Hispanic416 tested
ELA 56.0%·Math 18.3%· +7.6pp vs district
English Learner60 tested
ELA 10.0%·Math 1.7%· +2.6pp 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
$51K
$34K below CA median
Median Home Value
$241K
$418K below CA median
Bachelor's+
11%
24pp below CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
11.8 years avg experience
183 teachers · 3% first-year · 10% second-year
Teacher Credentials
79% fully credentialed
2.8% on intern/emergency permit
AP Courses Offered
7 AP courses
89 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%
90.0%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 53th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
14.3%
↓ vs CA 15.5% · 49th pctile
College readiness · 20%
38.2%
↑ vs CA 35.5% · 52th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
35.1%
↑ vs CA 34.6% · 50th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
17.2%
↑ vs CA 32.1% · 62th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
9.8%
↓ vs CA 4.0% · 24th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
10.4%
↓ vs CA 17.7% · 42th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 478 | 23% | 30% | 24% | 23% | 54% | +6 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 478 | 5% | 12% | 18% | 65% | 17% | −7 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 408 | 2% | 22% | 71% | 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 | 461 | 53.6% | +6 | +15 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 416 | 56.0% | +8 | +17 |
| English Learners | 60 | 10.0% | +3 | −0 |
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South High ← | — | 47 | 14.3% | 35.1% | — | 9.8% |
| Del Oro High | 2.6 mi | 46 | 6.6% | 22.9% | — | 7.0% |
| Vista Continuation High | 2.3 mi | 22 | 0.0% | 7.0% | — | 7.5% |
| Tierra Del Sol Continuation High | 2.3 mi | 20 | 0.4% | 2.8% | — | 8.0% |
| California average | — | 47 | 15.5% | 34.6% | — | 4.0% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
90.0%
AP Exam Prepared
38.2%
A-G Completion
39.8%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
51.0%
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #1052 → #1029 → #901 → #916 → #966
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=1,739 high schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means
Frequently asked questions
Is South High a good high school?
South High has a Scope Score of 47 out of 100, placing it in the 44th percentile of California high schools and ranked #966 statewide. 14.3% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is near 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 South High's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 35.1% of students at South High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 14.3% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 20.8% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 14.3% 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. 956 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does South High rank in California?
South High ranks #966 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 44th 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 South High?
17.2% of students at South 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 9.8%. 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 South High compare to other schools in Bakersfield?
South High scores 47/100 (44th 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 2,107 students. Use the schools in Bakersfield page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.
How does South High serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At South High in Bakersfield, 53.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 47.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. South High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 6.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (16.7% Math proficient); Hispanic students (56.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 43.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 461 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.