5.9 avg / 10

Best Schools in Taft, California

8 schools · 5 Elementary · 1 Middle · 2 High

Last updated: July 2026

Public: 8

Districts: 2

Avg Rating: 5.9/10

Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Taft?

Use this page to compare every school in Taft by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Explore the map How we rate schools

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Middle · Taft City. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Elementary · Taft City. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Taft for 2026 are Lincoln Junior High (7.3/10), Conley Elementary (6.9/10), and Jefferson Elementary (6.4/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 8 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds

Lincoln Junior High

Rates 7.3/10 despite 89% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.4 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Taft schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024

Conley Elementary

STAAR proficiency rose +21.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Taft schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Taft

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (8 of 8). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	Lincoln Junior High	7.3 / 10	Middle	+1.4	69th
2	Conley Elementary	6.9 / 10	Elementary	+0.9	60th
3	Jefferson Elementary	6.4 / 10	Elementary	+0.3	50th
4	Parkview Elementary	6.0 / 10	Elementary	+0.2	42th
5	Taft Union High	5.8 / 10	High	+0.1	38th
6	Taft Primary	5.7 / 10	Elementary	-0.3	36th
7	Buena Vista High (continuation)	5.6 / 10	High	-0.3	34th
8	Roosevelt Elementary	3.5 / 10	Elementary	-2.4	5th

See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

Family Snapshot

At a glance

Avg school rating: 5.9/10
Median household income: $55,473
Median home value: $225,000
Bachelor's degree or higher: 9%
Avg commute: 26 min
Owner-occupied homes: 49%

How Taft compares

California rank

#396 of 597

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.4

below California avg (6.3)

Median household income

$55k

56% of California median

Schools in this city

8

About Schools in Taft, California

Taft, California is home to 8 schools, including 8 public schools. The city's schools span 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 2 high schools.

With an average rating of 5.9 out of 10, schools in Taft show moderate performance on the MySchoolScout composite scale, which blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

The highest-performing school in Taft is Lincoln Junior High with a composite score of 7.3/10, demonstrating strong academic outcomes and school quality metrics.

Taft is served by 2 school districts: Taft City, Taft Union High. These districts collectively serve 3,521 students.

Taft's community shows 9% bachelor's degree attainment with a median household income of $55,473. The poverty rate in the area is 25.8%.

Browse the schools below to compare ratings, test scores, enrollment, and other key metrics. Use the filters to focus on specific school levels or types that match your family's needs.

Filter by Level: All Levels (8) Elementary (5) Middle (1) High (2)

Filter by Type: All Types (8) Public (8)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (8) Academics (8) Growth (8) Diversity (8) Resources (8)

Filter by ZIP: 93268 (8)

Elementary Schools

5 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Conley Elementary 298 students · Kindergarten–3rd	298	Kindergarten–3rd	6.9
2	Jefferson Elementary 255 students · Kindergarten–3rd	255	Kindergarten–3rd	6.4
3	Parkview Elementary 317 students · Kindergarten–3rd	317	Kindergarten–3rd	6.0
4	Taft Primary 238 students · Kindergarten–3rd	238	Kindergarten–3rd	5.7
5	Roosevelt Elementary 523 students · 2nd–5th	523	2nd–5th	3.5

Middle Schools

1 school

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Lincoln Junior High 752 students · 6th–8th	752	6th–8th	7.3

High Schools

2 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Taft Union High 1,045 students · 9th–12th	1,045	9th–12th	5.8
2	Buena Vista High (continuation) 93 students · 9th–12th	93	9th–12th	5.6

Schools in Taft

Taft, California · 8 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code

Median Income

$55,473

Median Home Value

$225,000

Median Rent

$998/mo

Population

16,956

College Educated

9%

Homeownership

49%

Avg Commute

26 min

Poverty Rate

25.8%

Community Profile

Taft has a median household income of $55,473. It is a community where 9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $225,000, with a median rent of $998/month. The area has a poverty rate of 25.8%, indicating some economic challenges in the community. The average commute for residents is 26 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

State: California
Elementary: 5
Middle: 1
High: 2

Resources

🔍 Google "Taft schools" 🏫 GreatSchools Taft 📊 Niche Taft Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School Districts (2)

Taft City

6 schools · 2,383 students

Taft Union High

2 schools · 1,138 students

Nearby Cities

Mckittrick (1 school)

15 mi

Buttonwillow (1 school)

18 mi

San Juan Capistrano (1 school)

17 mi

New Cuyama (2 schools)

18 mi

Pine Mountain Club (1 school)

24 mi

Shafter (10 schools)

27 mi

Bakersfield (151 schools)

27 mi

Wasco (12 schools)

32 mi

Lost Hills (3 schools)

35 mi

Other Major Cities in California

Top metros statewide by school count.

Los Angeles 928 schools San Diego 412 schools San Jose 335 schools San Francisco 297 schools Sacramento 273 schools

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Taft, California

How many schools are in Taft, California?

Taft has 8 schools, including 8 public and 0 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Taft, California?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Taft is 5.9 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

What is the top-ranked school in Taft, California?

The top-ranked school in Taft on MySchoolScout is Lincoln Junior High with a composite score of 7.3/10.

What is the best elementary school in Taft, California?

The top-ranked elementary school in Taft on MySchoolScout is Conley Elementary with a composite score of 6.9/10.

What is the best middle school in Taft, California?

The top-ranked middle school in Taft on MySchoolScout is Lincoln Junior High with a composite score of 7.3/10.

What is the best high school in Taft, California?

The top-ranked high school in Taft on MySchoolScout is Taft Union High with a composite score of 5.8/10.

How many school districts serve Taft, California?

Taft is served by 2 school districts: Taft City, Taft Union High.

What is the education level in Taft, California?

According to Census data, 9% of adults in Taft have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Taft, California?

The median household income in Taft is approximately $55,473 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Taft, California?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Taft is 22.2:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Taft, California?

MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.