ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in

Southern Kern Unified: Southern Kern Unified schools score 16.9 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 6.0 points.

Below Average2024–25 data6 schools · avg 27.9/100

Southern Kern Unified has 6 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 27.9/100 — 16.9 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Rosamond High Early College Campus at 43/100, where 6.9% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $12,312 per student (below the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 33.9%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
27.9
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
27.5
15.3 – 42.8
Avg Exceeded %
5.6%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
33.9%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
6
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryNeeds Support
28.3/100
36.9%28.1%
MiddleNeeds Support
24.3/100
13.9%26.4%
HighNeeds Support
29.1/100
24.5%46.4%

Southern Kern Unified's high schools average 29.1/100 — 14.7 points below the state average.

K–12 pipeline

The typical school path in Southern Kern Unified, top-scoring shown first.

Elementary
28.3
avg score · 3 schools
Westpark Elementary
Developing
35/100
Rosamond Elementary
Needs Support
27/100
Abraham Lincoln Alternative
Needs Support
23/100
Middle
24.3
avg score · 1 school
Tropico Middle
Needs Support
24/100
High
29.1
avg score · 2 schools

District Analysis

Southern Kern Unified has 6 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 27.9/100 — 16.9 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Southern Kern Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 29.1.

District-wide elementary growth averages -6.0pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 27.5 points — showing notable variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 33.9%, 16.0pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 5.6%, above the state average of 1.6%.

Rosamond High Early College Campus leads the district at 43 with 6.9% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

Student demographics

Hispanic
64.7%
White
20.3%
Asian
0.8%
Black
8.6%
Other
5.7%
Free/Reduced Lunch
79%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Southern Kern Unified spends $12,312 per student in current expenditures — $2,503 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$12,312
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
3,366
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 0.4%
$12,265 → $12,312
Spending Efficiency
2.27
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 61%Support 34%Other 5%
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
$54,770–$115,474
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
196
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Southern Kern Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (3)

Southern Kern Unified has 3 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 28.3 — 16.5 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -6.0pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Westpark Elementary with a Scope Score of 35 and 11.7% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Westpark Elementary
Southern Kern Unified Building Momentum
11.7%Developing
35/100
2Rosamond Elementary
Southern Kern Unified Building Momentum
4.7%Needs Support
27/100
3Abraham Lincoln Alternative
Southern Kern Unified Building Momentum
4.3%Needs Support
23/100

Middle Schools (1)

Southern Kern Unified has 1 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 24.3 — 18.3 points below the state average of 42.6.

Growth averages -2.0pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring middle school is Tropico Middle with a Scope Score of 24 and 3.9% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Tropico Middle
Southern Kern Unified Building Momentum
3.9%Needs Support
24/100

High Schools (2)

Southern Kern Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 29.1 — 14.7 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is Rosamond High Early College Campus with a Scope Score of 43 and 6.9% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Rosamond High Early College Campus
Southern Kern Unified Building Momentum
6.9%Developing
43/100
2Rare Earth High (Continuation)
Southern Kern Unified Building Momentum
2.1%Needs Support
15/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 6 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 Southern Kern Unified

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 Southern Kern Unified a good school district?
Southern Kern Unified has 6 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 27.9/100, which is 16.9 points below the state average. 5.6% 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 Southern Kern Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Southern Kern Unified is Rosamond High Early College Campus with a Scope Score of 43/100 and 6.9% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Southern Kern Unified spend per student?
Southern Kern Unified spends $12,312 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 Southern Kern Unified?
Teacher salaries in Southern Kern Unified range from $54,770–$115,474 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.