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Public high school · Kern High · Bakersfield, California

West High

West High rates 6.0, right at the middle of Kern High's high schools, whose rated median is 5.7.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
6.0this school

6.0 on a one-to-ten scale; the Kern High median is 5.7.

#5,667 of 9,557 schools in California · Kern High: 25 high schools rated, median 5.7

The brief

A Kern High high school where students score 9 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 5,667 of 9,557 schools in California and 9 of 25 in Kern High.

West High is listed in Kern High, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math13%21 points below the California average of 34%2025 CAASPP
Reading54%1 point above the California average of 53%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency has fallen 57 points since 2020, to 33% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).2025 CAASPP; 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
9.3
25% of the rating
Academics
6.9
25% of the rating
College Readiness
4.8
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
2.6
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 · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 24% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 50% (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 93309; 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.
West High and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$62,143
Median home value
$286,600
Median rent
$1,268/mo
College educated
19.9%
Homeownership
48.3%
Poverty rate
17%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93309; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
51
Somewhat Walkable
Transit Score
34
Some Transit
Bike Score
45
Somewhat 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

AP and IB
2 AP courses
7.3% participation · state average 2.6 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
17 sports
8 boys' · 9 girls' · 32 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
92.2%
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. West Highthis school
    6.0
  2. 5.9Compare →
  3. 5.7Compare →
  4. 5.2Compare →
  5. 5.1Compare →
  6. 4.9Compare →
  7. 4.7Compare →
  8. 4.6Compare →
  9. 3.7Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than West High.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.

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

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

The record

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

Questions families ask

What grades does West High serve?

West High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend West High?

West High has an enrollment of approximately 2,090 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at West High?

The student-teacher ratio at West High is 28.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does West High rank in CA?

West High ranks #5,667 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is West High's MySchoolScout rating?

West High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.0 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 West High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, West High has 24% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is West High a charter school?

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

Is West High a Title I school?

No, West High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for West High?

92.2% of students at West High 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
9th – 12th
Enrollment
2,090
Student-teacher ratio
28.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
73
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large City
County
Kern County
4-year graduation
82.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#9 of 25
Schools in district
25
District spending per student
$17,536
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
22.1%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 93309)
63,989
Area average commute
22.2 min
Area median age
31.5

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.