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 | Needs Support 29.4/100 | 33 | 7.9% | 18.1% |
| Middle | Needs Support 26.0/100 | 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 | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downtown Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First | 22.3% | Developing 48/100 |
| 2 | Cesar E. Chavez Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First | 24.6% | Developing 45/100 |
| 3 | Bessie E. Owens Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise | 18.9% | Developing 43/100 |
| 4 | Dr. Douglas K. Fletcher Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First | 19.3% | Developing 43/100 |
| 5 | Horace Mann Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise | 10.0% | Developing 40/100 |
| 6 | Pioneer Drive Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise | 7.3% | Developing 38/100 |
| 7 | Leo G. Pauly Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise | 8.3% | Developing 36/100 |
| 8 | Harding Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First | 10.2% | Developing 34/100 |
| 9 | Frank West Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 7.6% | Developing 34/100 |
| 10 | Franklin Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 8.5% | Developing 31/100 |
| 11 | Ramon Garza Elementary Bakersfield City Culture First | 4.9% | Developing 31/100 |
| 12 | Evergreen Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 6.3% | Developing 30/100 |
| 13 | Dr. Juliet Thorner Elementary Bakersfield City On the Rise | 6.6% | Needs Support 30/100 |
| 14 | Voorhies Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 7.5% | Needs Support 30/100 |
| 15 | Caroline Harris Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 7.5% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 16 | Henry Eissler Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 11.1% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 17 | Williams Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 1.8% | Needs Support 27/100 |
| 18 | Hort Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 6.2% | Needs Support 27/100 |
| 19 | Fremont Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 7.9% | Needs Support 27/100 |
| 20 | Wayside Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 3.9% | Needs Support 26/100 |
| 21 | William Penn Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 5.5% | Needs Support 26/100 |
| 22 | Casa Loma Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 2.1% | Needs Support 26/100 |
| 23 | Roosevelt Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 8.1% | Needs Support 26/100 |
| 24 | Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 12.3% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 25 | Munsey Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 5.5% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 26 | Jefferson Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 5.4% | Needs Support 23/100 |
| 27 | College Heights Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 2.4% | Needs Support 23/100 |
| 28 | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 2.1% | Needs Support 22/100 |
| 29 | Myra A. Noble Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 2.4% | Needs Support 21/100 |
| 30 | McKinley Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 4.6% | Needs Support 21/100 |
| 31 | Mt. Vernon Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 3.8% | Needs Support 20/100 |
| 32 | Longfellow Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 2.3% | Needs Support 19/100 |
| 33 | Stella I. Hills Elementary Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 2.0% | Needs Support 14/100 |
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 | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul L. Cato Middle Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 16.6% | Developing 46/100 |
| 2 | Sierra Middle Bakersfield City On the Rise | 2.8% | Needs Support 24/100 |
| 3 | Walter Stiern Middle Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 3.4% | Needs Support 24/100 |
| 4 | Curran Middle Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 4.3% | Needs Support 22/100 |
| 5 | Emerson Middle Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 3.2% | Needs Support 20/100 |
| 6 | Washington Middle Bakersfield City Building Momentum | 2.9% | Needs Support 20/100 |
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