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Public elementary school · Bakersfield City · Bakersfield, California

Downtown Elementary

Downtown Elementary rates 8.0, among the strongest elementary schools in Bakersfield City, where the rated median is 5.9.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
8.0this school

8.0 on a one-to-ten scale; the Bakersfield City median is 5.9.

#1,228 of 9,557 schools in California · Bakersfield City: 34 elementary schools rated, median 5.9

The brief

A Bakersfield City elementary school where students score 9 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,228 of 9,557 schools in California and 2 of 44 in Bakersfield City.

Downtown Elementary is listed in Bakersfield City, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math51%13 points above the California average of 38%2025 CAASPP
Reading69%21 points above the California average of 48%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency has fallen 15 points since 2019, to 60% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).2025 CAASPP; 50 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
7.3
50% of the rating
Academics
8.6
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
8.7
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 58% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 70% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 93301; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Downtown Elementary and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$40,725
Median home value
$264,300
Median rent
$1,129/mo
College educated
19.7%
Homeownership
38.7%
Poverty rate
38.8%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93301; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
78
Very Walkable
Transit Score
49
Some Transit
Bike Score
51
Bikeable
City reported crime
2,732/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Bakersfield. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Bakersfield), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
43.9%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Downtown Elementarythis school
    8.0
  2. Valley Oaks Charter1.0 mi · charter
    6.7Compare →
  3. 5.9Compare →
  4. 5.3Compare →
  5. 5.1Compare →
  6. 4.9Compare →
  7. 4.8Compare →
  8. 4.7Compare →
  9. 4.5Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Downtown Elementary.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Downtown Elementary serve?

Downtown Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 8th.

How many students attend Downtown Elementary?

Downtown Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 319 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Downtown Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Downtown Elementary is 22.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Downtown Elementary rank in CA?

Downtown Elementary ranks #1,228 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is Downtown Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Downtown Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Downtown Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Downtown Elementary has 58% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 70% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Downtown Elementary a charter school?

No, Downtown Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Downtown Elementary a Title I school?

No, Downtown Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Downtown Elementary?

43.9% of students at Downtown Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 8th
Enrollment
319
Student-teacher ratio
22.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
14
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large City
County
Kern County
Rank in district
#2 of 44
Schools in district
45
District spending per student
$19,155
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
33.7%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 93301)
14,026
Area average commute
22.8 min
Area median age
34.3

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.