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Kern County Office of Education: Kern County Office of Education schools score 14.9 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 6.9 points.

Below Average2024–25 data9 schools · avg 29.9/100

Kern County Office of Education has 9 ranked schools across elementary levels with an average Scope Score of 29.9/100 — 14.9 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, at 43/100, where 8.5% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $80,421 per student (above the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 23.8%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
29.9
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
36.1
6.8 – 42.9
Avg Exceeded %
8.0%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
23.8%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
9
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
6
of 9 ranked

Kern County Office of Education's elementary schools average 29.9/100 — 14.9 points below the state average with a −6.9pp declining trajectory.

District Analysis

Kern County Office of Education has 9 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 29.9/100 — 14.9 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

District-wide elementary growth averages -6.9pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 36.1 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 23.8%, 5.9pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 5.1%, above the state average of 1.6%.

Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, leads the district at 43 with 8.5% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Kern County Office of Education

1 Culture First8 Building Momentum

Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more

Student demographics

Hispanic
71.3%
White
17.0%
Asian
0.9%
Black
6.1%
Other
4.7%
Free/Reduced Lunch
79%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Kern County Office of Education spends $80,421 per student in current expenditures — $65,606 above the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$80,421
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
2,222
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 117.6%
$36,964 → $80,421
Spending Efficiency
0.37
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 27%Support 71%Other 2%
NCES F-33 Finance · District-level data — not school-specific

Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020

Teacher compensation

Salary Range
$58,281–$108,577
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
167
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Kern County Office of Education

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (9)

Kern County Office of Education has 9 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 29.9 — 14.9 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -6.9pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, with a Scope Score of 43 and 8.5% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music,
Kern County Office of Education Building Momentum
8.5%Developing
43/100
2Central Academy of Arts and Technology
Kern County Office of Education Building Momentum
12.8%Developing
41/100
3Grow Public Schools
Kern County Office of Education Building Momentum
16.0%Developing
41/100
4Valley Oaks Charter
Kern County Office of Education Culture First
9.8%Developing
39/100
5Wonderful College Prep Academy
Kern County Office of Education Building Momentum
14.5%Developing
38/100
6Wonderful College Prep Academy - Lost Hills
Kern County Office of Education Building Momentum
10.7%Developing
31/100
7Kern County Community
Kern County Office of Education Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
16/100
8Kern County Special Education
Kern County Office of Education Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
14/100
9Kern County Juvenile Court
Kern County Office of Education Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
7/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 9 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools

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 Kern County Office of Education

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 resources are distributed across schools within the district. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Is Kern County Office of Education a good school district?
Kern County Office of Education has 9 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 29.9/100, which is 14.9 points below the state average. 8.0% of students exceed the state standard on average. The Scope Score measures academic performance and school climate across seven dimensions. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best school in Kern County Office of Education?
The highest-scoring school in Kern County Office of Education is Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, with a Scope Score of 43/100 and 8.5% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Kern County Office of Education spend per student?
Kern County Office of Education spends $80,421 per student in current expenditures. The state average is $14,815. Spending data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data Fiscal Survey (F-33). Higher spending does not automatically mean better outcomes — the Scope Score measures what happens in the classroom regardless of budget.
What is the teacher salary range in Kern County Office of Education?
Teacher salaries in Kern County Office of Education range from $58,281–$108,577 based on the district's salary schedule (CDE Form J-90). The California statewide median teacher salary is approximately $98,000.
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-level growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Full methodology and weights.