Elementary Schools in Bakersfield, California: 92 schools. Average score 8.5 points below the state. Here is what that number does — and doesn't — tell you.

Below Average2024–25 data92 schools · avg 30.3/100

Bakersfield, California has 92 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 30.3/100 — 8.5 points below the state average of 38.8. The highest-scoring school is Highgate Elementary at 70/100, where 48.5% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Bakersfield schools average 13.3% exceeded standard (state: 21.3%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Of 92 schools, 8 Growth Engines stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 17.1% (near the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score

30.3

State avg: 38.8

SchoolScope composite

Score Range

49.8

19.8 – 69.6

Avg Exceeded %

13.3%

State avg: 21.3%

CDE CAASPP 2025

Chronic Absenteeism

17.1%

State avg: 17.9%

CDE Attendance 2025

Schools Ranked

With Scope Scores

Level	Schools	Avg Score	Exceeded	vs State
Elementary	92	Developing 30.3/100	13.3%	-8.5
High	21	Developing 40.7/100	11.4%	-5.9
Middle	16	Needs Support 23.9/100	7.4%	-14.2

How Bakersfield schools compare

Bakersfield has 92 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 30.3/100 — 8.5 points below the state average of 38.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

The top-ranked school is Highgate Elementary with a Scope Score of 70 and 48.5% of students exceeding standard.

Chronic absenteeism in Bakersfield averages 17.1% — near the state average of 17.9%.

How we score · Weighted composite of test performance, growth, and school climate · Full weights on the methodology page

School archetypes in Bakersfield

17 Culture First15 On the Rise8 Growth Engine33 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 23 schools in Bakersfield are classified as On the Rise (15) or Growth Engine (8) \u2014 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

For the data nerds

Every school in Bakersfield

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

#	School	Exceeded	Score
1	Highgate Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Growth Engine	48.5%	Solid 70/100
2	Stockdale High Kern High Building Momentum	33.3%	Solid 65/100
3	Frontier High Kern High Building Momentum	24.7%	Solid 59/100
4	Liberty High Kern High Strong All-Around	22.2%	Solid 59/100
5	W. A. Kendrick Elementary Greenfield Union Growth Engine	35.0%	Solid 56/100
6	William B. Bimat Elementary Norris Elementary Growth Engine	32.2%	Solid 55/100
7	Centennial High Kern High Building Momentum	23.0%	Solid 55/100
8	Del Rio Elementary Rosedale Union Elementary Growth Engine	25.8%	Solid 54/100
9	Independence High Kern High Building Momentum	18.7%	Solid 54/100
10	Ronald Reagan Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Culture First	37.4%	Solid 53/100
11	Stockdale Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Building Momentum	32.2%	Solid 52/100
12	Norris Elementary Norris Elementary Growth Engine	22.8%	Solid 50/100
13	Golden Valley High Kern High Building Momentum	14.4%	Developing 50/100
14	Fruitvale Junior High Fruitvale Elementary Culture First	21.9%	Developing 50/100
15	Highland High Kern High Building Momentum	12.2%	Developing 49/100
16	Olive Drive Elementary Norris Elementary Growth Engine	22.5%	Developing 47/100
17	Ridgeview High Kern High Building Momentum	12.0%	Developing 46/100
18	South High Kern High Building Momentum	14.3%	Developing 46/100
19	Buena Vista Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Culture First	26.2%	Developing 45/100
20	Rosedale-North Elementary Rosedale Union Elementary Growth Engine	19.8%	Developing 45/100
21	Foothill High Kern High Building Momentum	9.9%	Developing 45/100
22	Fairview Elementary Greenfield Union Growth Engine	11.5%	Developing 44/100
23	Veterans Elementary Norris Elementary Culture First	24.5%	Developing 44/100
24	Del Oro High Kern High Building Momentum	6.6%	Developing 44/100
25	Centennial Elementary Rosedale Union Elementary Culture First	24.0%	Developing 43/100
26	Bessie E. Owens Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise	18.9%	Developing 43/100
27	Downtown Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First	22.3%	Developing 42/100
28	Independence Elementary Rosedale Union Elementary On the Rise	21.7%	Developing 42/100
29	East Bakersfield High Kern High Building Momentum	11.3%	Developing 42/100
30	Old River Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union On the Rise	20.1%	Developing 41/100
31	Quailwood Elementary Fruitvale Elementary On the Rise	17.8%	Developing 41/100
32	Paul L. Cato Middle Bakersfield City On the Rise	16.6%	Developing 41/100
33	American Elementary Rosedale Union Elementary Culture First	23.4%	Developing 41/100
34	West High Kern High Building Momentum	9.2%	Developing 41/100
35	Rosedale Middle Rosedale Union Elementary Culture First	17.3%	Developing 41/100
36	Leo B. Hart Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Building Momentum	21.1%	Developing 39/100
37	Granite Pointe Elementary Greenfield Union Building Momentum	21.1%	Developing 39/100
38	Horace Mann Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise	10.0%	Developing 39/100
39	Bakersfield High Kern High Building Momentum	8.8%	Developing 39/100
40	Discovery Elementary Fruitvale Elementary Culture First	20.1%	Developing 38/100
41	Shirley Lane Elementary Fairfax Elementary On the Rise	12.6%	Developing 38/100
42	Leon H. Ollivier Middle Greenfield Union Building Momentum	15.1%	Developing 38/100
43	Mira Monte High Kern High Building Momentum	5.7%	Developing 38/100
44	General Shafter Elementary General Shafter Elementary Building Momentum	20.2%	Developing 37/100
45	Patriot Elementary Rosedale Union Elementary Culture First	17.8%	Developing 37/100
46	Endeavour Elementary Fruitvale Elementary Culture First	26.6%	Developing 37/100
47	Douglas J. Miller Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Culture First	18.0%	Developing 37/100
48	Raffaello Palla Elementary Greenfield Union On the Rise	9.3%	Developing 37/100
49	North High Kern High Building Momentum	11.2%	Developing 37/100
50	Almondale Elementary Rosedale Union Elementary Culture First	18.9%	Developing 36/100
51	Pioneer Drive Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise	7.3%	Developing 36/100
52	Cesar E. Chavez Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First	24.6%	Developing 35/100
53	Dr. Douglas K. Fletcher Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First	19.3%	Developing 35/100
54	Columbia Elementary Fruitvale Elementary Culture First	18.3%	Developing 35/100
55	Christa McAuliffe Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Building Momentum	16.9%	Developing 35/100
56	Grow Public Schools Kern County Office of Education Building Momentum	16.0%	Developing 34/100
57	Valle Verde Elementary Greenfield Union Building Momentum	12.8%	Developing 33/100
58	Sing Lum Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Building Momentum	11.9%	Developing 32/100
59	Leo G. Pauly Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise	8.3%	Developing 32/100
60	Panama Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Building Momentum	18.9%	Developing 32/100
61	Dolores S. Whitley TK-8 Panama-Buena Vista Union Building Momentum	18.0%	Developing 32/100
62	Valley Oaks Charter Kern County Office of Education Culture First	9.8%	Developing 31/100
63	Frank West Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise	7.6%	Developing 31/100
64	McKee Middle Greenfield Union Building Momentum	11.3%	Developing 31/100
65	Roy W. Loudon Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Building Momentum	11.5%	Developing 30/100
66	Virginia Avenue Elementary Fairfax Elementary On the Rise	7.3%	Developing 30/100
67	North Beardsley Elementary Beardsley Elementary On the Rise	9.7%	Needs Support 30/100
68	Crescent Elementary Greenfield Union Building Momentum	11.6%	Needs Support 29/100
69	Central Academy of Arts and Technology Kern County Office of Education Building Momentum	12.8%	Needs Support 29/100
70	Zephyr Lane Elementary Fairfax Elementary Building Momentum	9.0%	Needs Support 28/100
71	Bill L. Williams Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Building Momentum	14.5%	Needs Support 28/100
72	Wingland Elementary Standard Elementary On the Rise	7.9%	Needs Support 28/100
73	Laurelglen Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Building Momentum	9.3%	Needs Support 26/100
74	Horizon Elementary Greenfield Union Building Momentum	11.3%	Needs Support 26/100
75	Harding Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First	10.2%	Needs Support 26/100
76	Lakeside Lakeside Union Building Momentum	9.1%	Needs Support 26/100
77	Evergreen Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise	6.3%	Needs Support 26/100
78	Franklin Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum	8.5%	Needs Support 26/100
79	Greenfield Middle Greenfield Union Building Momentum	8.8%	Needs Support 26/100
80	Ramon Garza Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First	4.9%	Needs Support 25/100
81	Dr. Juliet Thorner Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum	6.6%	Needs Support 24/100
82	Prosperity Elementary Greenfield Union Building Momentum	8.5%	Needs Support 24/100
83	William Penn Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum	5.5%	Needs Support 23/100
84	Donald E. Suburu Lakeside Union Building Momentum	8.8%	Needs Support 23/100
85	San Lauren Elementary Beardsley Elementary Building Momentum	5.1%	Needs Support 23/100
86	Sunset Vineland Elementary Culture First	3.7%	Needs Support 23/100
87	Caroline Harris Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum	7.5%	Needs Support 22/100
88	Williams Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise	1.8%	Needs Support 22/100
89	Voorhies Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum	7.5%	Needs Support 22/100
90	Hort Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum	6.2%	Needs Support 22/100
91	Kern Workforce 2000 Academy Kern High Building Momentum	0.2%	Needs Support 21/100
92	Vista Continuation High Kern High Building Momentum	0.0%	Needs Support 21/100
93	Highland Elementary Standard Elementary Building Momentum	5.5%	Needs Support 21/100
94	Edison Middle Edison Elementary Building Momentum	3.3%	Needs Support 21/100
95	Amy B. Seibert Elementary Panama-Buena Vista Union Building Momentum	5.5%	Needs Support 21/100
96	Vista West Continuation High Kern High Building Momentum	1.8%	Needs Support 21/100
97	Roosevelt Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum	8.1%	Needs Support 21/100
98	Wayside Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum	3.9%	Needs Support 20/100
99	Fremont Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum	7.9%	Needs Support 20/100
100	Casa Loma Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum	2.1%	Needs Support 20/100

Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 129 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools · Download this data (CSV)

Free to download, CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

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.

Private Schools in Bakersfield

Private schools don't participate in California's standardized testing (CAASPP) and cannot be scored or ranked. Showing enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and affiliation where available.

Bakersfield Christian High School

Other · Grades 9-12 · 622 students

18:1Private

Stockdale Christian School

Christian (no specific denomination) · Grades Pre-K-8 · 423 students

15:1Private

Our Lady of Perpetual Help School

Roman Catholic · Grades Pre-K-8 · 297 students

14:1Private

Olive Knolls Christian School

Church of the Nazarene · Grades Pre-K-8 · 272 students

16:1Private

Heritage Christian Schools

Mennonite · Grades Pre-K-8 · 221 students

16:1Private

What Scope Scores can't tell you about Bakersfield

Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Are the schools in Bakersfield good?

Bakersfield's 92 ranked elementary schools average a Scope Score of 30.3/100, which is 8.5 points below the state average. 13.3% of students exceed the state standard on average (state average: 21.3%). The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (42%), met or exceeded (proficient) (23%), grade 3-to-5 growth (20%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What is the best elementary school in Bakersfield?

The highest-scoring elementary school in Bakersfield is Highgate Elementary with a Scope Score of 70/100 and 48.5% of students exceeding the state standard. Rankings are based on SchoolScope's 2025 Scope Score, which measures academic performance and school climate using publicly available California data. See full methodology.

How do Bakersfield schools compare to the state average?

Bakersfield elementary schools average a Scope Score of 30.3/100 — 8.5 points below the state average of 38.8. The exceeded rate averages 13.3% vs. 21.3% statewide. Chronic absenteeism averages 17.1% vs. 17.9% statewide.

How many schools are in Bakersfield?

Bakersfield has 92 ranked elementary schools with Scope Scores. Schools are ranked using a weighted composite of CAASPP test performance, growth trajectory, chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Schools with insufficient testing data are not ranked.

What does the Scope Score measure?

The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on seven dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade 3–5 growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score separates students who "exceeded" from those who "met" the standard — revealing whether a school pushes students beyond proficiency or paces toward it. Full methodology and weights.

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