Schools
26
listed public schools. We score 21 elementary and six middle.
School district · Kern County
Panama-Buena Vista Union schools
Panama-Buena Vista Union’s 21 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 66 to 89. Its 6 middle schools have Scope Scores from 69 to 83.
75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state.
Students
19,366
in the October 2024–25 enrollment count.
Spending
$18,661
per student in 2024–25. The typical California district spent $20,491.
The path
What is the path through the district?
Panama-Buena Vista Union has 21 elementary schools and six middle schools that we score.
Elementary
21schools
Scope Scores from 66 to 89.
See the elementary schools ↓Middle · 6 schools
- Earl WarrenScope Score 83
- StonecreekScope Score 78
- TevisScope Score 76
- Dolores S. Whitley TK-8Scope Score 74
- O. J. ActisScope Score 71
- Fred L. ThompsonScope Score 69
High school
Kern High
The record sends some Panama-Buena Vista Union addresses to these seven high schools. Some addresses fall in more than one zone. Boundaries come from the district’s published 2026 attendance boundaries; districts redraw them, and they are approximate at the edges.
Each score compares a school with California schools at its own level. The levels are not one ranking.
Elementary schools
Which elementary schools in Panama-Buena Vista Union score highest?
Highgate Elementary is highest, with a Scope Score of 89. That is higher than 93 in 100 California elementary schools we score.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
Highgate Elementary
Grades K–6 · 732 students
492526% below the standard
Scope Score 89Strong · 93rd percentile
Rank 2
Ronald Reagan Elementary
Grades K–6 · 831 students
382933% below the standard
Scope Score 84Strong · 83rd percentile
Rank 3
Stockdale Elementary
Grades K–6 · 587 students
302545% below the standard
Scope Score 81Solid · 74th percentile
Rank 4
Buena Vista Elementary
Grades K–6 · 713 students
273142% below the standard
Scope Score 80Solid · 71st percentile
Rank 5
Panama Elementary
Grades K–6 · 876 students
262846% below the standard
Scope Score 77Solid · 61st percentile
Rank 6
Leo B. Hart Elementary
Grades K–6 · 705 students
232552% below the standard
Scope Score 76Solid · 54th percentile
Rank 7
Mountain View TK-8
Grades K–8
202159% below the standard
Scope Score 76Solid · 52nd percentile
Rank 8
Sing Lum Elementary
Grades K–6 · 809 students
132760% below the standard
Scope Score 75Developing · 47th percentile
Rank 9
Douglas J. Miller Elementary
Grades K–6 · 994 students
192457% below the standard
Scope Score 74Developing · 46th percentile
Rank 10
Christa McAuliffe Elementary
Grades K–6 · 524 students
161767% below the standard
Scope Score 73Developing · 37th percentile
Show the other 11 elementary schools
Rank 11
Old River Elementary
Grades K–6 · 795 students
162361% below the standard
Scope Score 73Developing · 36th percentile
Rank 12
Charles H. Castle Elementary
Grades K–6 · 832 students
1971% below the standard
Scope Score 72Developing · 34th percentile
Rank 13
Dolores S. Whitley TK-8
Grades K–8 · 1,151 students
182260% below the standard
Scope Score 72Developing · 34th percentile
Rank 14
Roy W. Loudon Elementary
Grades K–6 · 807 students
1772% below the standard
Scope Score 72Developing · 30th percentile
Rank 15
Laurelglen Elementary
Grades K–6 · 574 students
2170% below the standard
Scope Score 70Needs Support · 18th percentile
Rank 16
Bill L. Williams Elementary
Grades K–6 · 926 students
2663% below the standard
Scope Score 70Needs Support · 18th percentile
Rank 17
Stine Elementary
Grades K–6 · 615 students
1481% below the standard
Scope Score 67Needs Support · 6th percentile
Rank 18
Amy B. Seibert Elementary
Grades K–6 · 628 students
1282% below the standard
Scope Score 67Needs Support · 6th percentile
Rank 19
Berkshire Elementary
Grades K–6 · 932 students
1776% below the standard
Scope Score 67Needs Support · 5th percentile
Rank 20
Louise Sandrini Elementary
Grades K–6 · 604 students
132067% below the standard
Scope Score 67Needs Support · 4th percentile
Rank 21
Wayne Van Horn Elementary
Grades K–6 · 578 students
1974% below the standard
Scope Score 66Needs Support · 2nd percentile
The average elementary school in Panama-Buena Vista Union had 20 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100.
Each score compares a school with the 5,726 California elementary schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days. Each figure is an average of school rates. Each school counts once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in Panama-Buena Vista Union score highest?
Earl Warren Junior High is highest, with a Scope Score of 83. That is higher than 83 in 100 California middle schools we score.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
Earl Warren Junior High
Grades 7–8 · 965 students
282844% below the standard
Scope Score 83Strong · 83rd percentile
Rank 2
Stonecreek Junior High
Grades 7–8 · 986 students
202951% below the standard
Scope Score 78Solid · 67th percentile
Rank 3
Tevis Junior High
Grades 7–8 · 807 students
152659% below the standard
Scope Score 76Solid · 55th percentile
Rank 4
Dolores S. Whitley TK-8
Grades K–8 · 1,151 students
162460% below the standard
Scope Score 74Developing · 45th percentile
Rank 5
O. J. Actis Junior High
Grades 7–8 · 681 students
2173% below the standard
Scope Score 71Developing · 25th percentile
Rank 6
Fred L. Thompson Junior High
Grades 7–8 · 714 students
1579% below the standard
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 12th percentile
The average middle school in Panama-Buena Vista Union had 20 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
Each score compares a school with the 2,529 California middle schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026.
Against California
How does the district compare with California?
20 in 100 students at the average elementary school here were chronically absent. The California figure is 17 in 100.
Students who miss a lot of school
Average elementary school, students in 100
Panama-Buena Vista Union20 in 100
California17 in 100
Students from low-income families
Qualify for free or reduced-price meals
Panama-Buena Vista Union78%
California63%
Spending per student
Day-to-day spending, 2024–25
Panama-Buena Vista Union$18,661
Typical district$20,491
English learners who moved up a level
On the state’s English test (ELPAC)
Panama-Buena Vista Union52%
California47%
Absence: averages of school rates, each elementary school counted once, 2025–26. Meals: 15,027 of 19,366 students, 2024–25, summed from the state’s meal counts for every school listed under the district, charters included. Spending: day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, 2024–25. The typical district is the middle one when California districts are put in order. English learners: From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 52% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (927 of 1,791 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent. Source: California Department of Education, English learner progress files.
The district
Where does Panama-Buena Vista Union’s money go?
About 62 cents of every Panama-Buena Vista Union dollar went to classroom instruction.
$18,661
spent per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491.
Every dollar, by what it paid for
62¢13¢10¢10¢5¢
- Instruction62%
- Student services13%
- Instruction support10%
- Buildings & maintenance10%
- Administration5%
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $110.0 million into 36 funded actions in 7 goals. That is 26% of its $416.1 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts. The district reports what it spent in a later plan.
Spending is day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education, 2024–25. It covers the whole district, including central administration. Shares are rounded so they add up to 100. Planned amounts are from the yearly spending plan (LCAP) as posted to the California School Dashboard.
State records
Who attends, and is the state giving extra help?
19,366 students were enrolled in the October 2024–25 count. The state is giving Panama-Buena Vista Union extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.
Who goes to the district’s schools
- Hispanic or Latino 62%
- White 13%
- Asian 11%
- Black or African American 7%
- Other or not reported 7%
Is the state giving the district extra help?
The state is giving Panama-Buena Vista Union extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.
State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard. Source: District help (CDE).3 schools getting state support, 2025–26
- Christa McAuliffe ElementaryTargeted support: Black or African American students
- Laurelglen ElementaryTargeted support: Black or African American students
- Panama ElementaryTargeted support: Asian students
Common questions
What do parents ask about this district?
Are the public schools in Panama-Buena Vista Union good?
Panama-Buena Vista Union’s 21 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 66 to 89. Of those, 2 are Strong, 5 are Solid, 7 are Developing and 7 are Needs Support. Panama-Buena Vista Union’s 6 public middle schools have Scope Scores from 69 to 83. Of those, 1 is Strong, 2 are Solid, 2 are Developing and 1 is Needs Support. 75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state. How we score schools.
Which public schools in Panama-Buena Vista Union rank highest?
Highgate Elementary is the highest elementary school, with a Scope Score of 89. It is Strong, at the 93rd percentile. Earl Warren Junior High is the highest middle school, with a Scope Score of 83. It is Strong, at the 83rd percentile. Each score compares a school with the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
How does chronic absence in Panama-Buena Vista Union compare with California?
The average elementary school in Panama-Buena Vista Union had 20 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days. Each figure is an average of school rates. Each school counts once. The average middle school in Panama-Buena Vista Union had 20 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
How much does Panama-Buena Vista Union spend per student?
Panama-Buena Vista Union spent $18,661 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 62 cents of every Panama-Buena Vista Union dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.
What is in Panama-Buena Vista Union’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $110.0 million into 36 funded actions in 7 goals. That is 26% of its $416.1 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $60.8 million, 55% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Does living in the Panama-Buena Vista Union district decide which school my child attends?
Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
Where do these results come from?
The test results are from California’s state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026. Chronic-absence rates are for 2025–26. The California Department of Education publishes both. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Next
Which places nearby can you look at next?
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Panama-Buena Vista Union, with the district’s spending and state records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.
State tests are the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), spring 2026.
Download these schools (CSV) Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.