Schools
6
listed public schools. We score two elementary, two middle and one high.
School district · Kern County
Southern Kern Unified schools
Southern Kern Unified’s 2 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 68 to 70. Its 2 middle schools have Scope Scores from 66 to 70. Its high school has a Scope Score of 67.
75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state.
Students
3,636
in the October 2024–25 enrollment count.
Spending
$20,336
per student in 2024–25. The typical California district spent $20,491.
The path
What is the path through the district?
Southern Kern Unified has two elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school that we score.
Elementary · 2 schools
- WestparkScope Score 70
- Rosamond ElementaryScope Score 68
Middle · 2 schools
- TropicoScope Score 70
- Abraham Lincoln AlternativeScope Score 66
High · grades 9–12
Rosamond High Early College Campus
Scope Score 67
Needs Support · 12th percentile
Each score compares a school with California schools at its own level. The levels are not one ranking. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
Elementary schools
Which elementary schools in Southern Kern Unified score highest?
Westpark Elementary is highest, with a Scope Score of 70. That is higher than 21 in 100 California elementary schools we score.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
Westpark Elementary
Grades K–5 · 952 students
122464% below the standard
Scope Score 70Needs Support · 21st percentile
Rank 2
Rosamond Elementary
Grades K–5 · 822 students
1580% below the standard
Scope Score 68Needs Support · 10th percentile
Each score compares a school with the 5,726 California elementary schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in Southern Kern Unified score highest?
Tropico Middle is highest, with a Scope Score of 70. That is higher than 21 in 100 California middle schools we score.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
Tropico Middle
Grades 6–8 · 815 students
1776% below the standard
Scope Score 70Needs Support · 21st percentile
Rank 2
Abraham Lincoln Alternative
Grades 4–12 · 71 students · Check how it admits students.
97% below the standard
Scope Score 66Needs Support · 1st percentile
Each score compares a school with the 2,529 California middle schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026.
High schools
Where does the high school we score in Southern Kern Unified stand?
Rosamond High Early College Campus has a Scope Score of 67. That is higher than 12 in 100 California high schools we score. It is the only public high school we score in Southern Kern Unified.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
Rosamond High Early College Campus
Grades 9–12 · 927 students · Check how it admits students.
1479% below the standard
Scope Score 67Needs Support · 12th percentile
1 high school not ranked statewide
It is compared only with other continuation schools, so it is listed apart.
- Rare Earth High (Continuation)Continuation high school
Each score compares a school with the 1,498 California high schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025. The state called the top two levels Exceeded and Met in spring 2025.
Against California
How does the district compare with California?
Students from low-income families: 80% here. California: 63%.
Students from low-income families
Qualify for free or reduced-price meals
Southern Kern Unified80%
California63%
Spending per student
Day-to-day spending, 2024–25
Southern Kern Unified$20,336
Typical district$20,491
English learners who moved up a level
On the state’s English test (ELPAC)
Southern Kern Unified59%
California47%
Meals: 2,907 of 3,636 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, 59% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (256 of 437 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 Southern Kern Unified’s money go?
About 60 cents of every Southern Kern Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.
$20,336
spent per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491.
Every dollar, by what it paid for
60¢14¢10¢10¢5¢
- Instruction60%
- Buildings & maintenance14%
- Student services10%
- Instruction support10%
- Administration5%
- Other1%
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $29.7 million into 63 funded actions in 4 goals. That is 38% of its $77.6 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?
3,636 students were enrolled in the October 2024–25 count. The state is giving Southern Kern Unified extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.
Who goes to the district’s schools
- Hispanic or Latino 64%
- White 20%
- Black or African American 9%
- Two or more races 4%
- Other or not reported 3%
Is the state giving the district extra help?
The state is giving Southern Kern Unified 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).1 school getting state support, 2025–26
- Rosamond ElementaryTargeted support: students of two or more races
Common questions
What do parents ask about this district?
Are the public schools in Southern Kern Unified good?
Southern Kern Unified’s 2 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 68 to 70. Of those, 2 are Needs Support. Southern Kern Unified’s 2 public middle schools have Scope Scores from 66 to 70. Of those, 2 are Needs Support. Southern Kern Unified has one public high school we score. Rosamond High Early College Campus has a Scope Score of 67. It is Needs Support, at the 12th percentile. 75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state. How we score schools.
Which public schools in Southern Kern Unified rank highest?
Westpark Elementary is the highest elementary school, with a Scope Score of 70. It is Needs Support, at the 21st percentile. Tropico Middle is the highest middle school, with a Scope Score of 70. It is Needs Support, at the 21st percentile. Rosamond High Early College Campus is the only high school we score here. It has a Scope Score of 67. It is Needs Support, at the 12th 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 much does Southern Kern Unified spend per student?
Southern Kern Unified spent $20,336 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 60 cents of every Southern Kern Unified 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 Southern Kern Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $29.7 million into 63 funded actions in 4 goals. That is 38% of its $77.6 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $18.9 million, 64% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Does living in the Southern Kern Unified 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). They are from spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools. The results are from spring 2025 for high schools. 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 Southern Kern Unified, with the district’s spending and state records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school
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), springs 2025 and 2026.
Download these schools (CSV) Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.