Bakersfield City School District

1300 Baker St.
Bakersfield, CA 93305-4326
(District boundaries shown in map)
2/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Bakersfield City School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 12 public middle schools serving 7,590 students in Bakersfield City School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 2/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in California.
Public Middle Schools in Bakersfield City School District have an average math proficiency score of 13% (versus the California public middle school average of 32%), and reading proficiency score of 28% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 91% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the California public middle school average of 78% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
45 Schools
3,497 Schools
# Students
28,761 Students
1,853,883 Students
# Teachers
1,399 Teachers
87,783 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
21:1
21:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Bakersfield City School District, which is ranked #1653 of all 1,908 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
This School District
State Average (CA)
#1614 out of 1932 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
15%
34%
27%
47%
14%
29%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.31
0.64
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
1%
11%
% Hispanic
83%
55%
% Black
7%
5%
% White
8%
22%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
1%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $18,535 in this school district is less than the state median of $19,976. The school district revenue/student has grown by 22% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,380 is less than the state median of $18,397. The school district spending/student has grown by 6% over four school years.
This School District
This State (CA)
Total Revenue
$533 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$471 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$18,535
$19,976
Spending / Student
$16,380
$18,397

Best Bakersfield City School District Public Middle Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Downtown Elementary School
(Math: 54% | Reading: 70-74%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
2021 M St.
Bakersfield, CA 93301
(661) 631-5920
Gr: K-8 | 319 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 67%
Rank: #22.
Paul L. Cato Middle School
(Math: 30% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
4115 Vineland Rd.
Bakersfield, CA 93306
(661) 631-5245
Gr: 6-8 | 654 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 79%
Rank: #33.
Chipman Junior High School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 35%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
2905 Eissler St.
Bakersfield, CA 93306
(661) 631-5210
Gr: 7-8 | 719 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 84%
Rank: #44.
Curran Middle School
(Math: 10% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
1116 Lymric Way
Bakersfield, CA 93309
(661) 631-5240
Gr: 6-8 | 1,043 student Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 94%
Rank: #55.
Abraham Lincoln Jr. High School
(Math: 7% | Reading: 31%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
815 Eureka St.
Bakersfield, CA 93305
(661) 631-5950
Gr: 7-8 | 498 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 96%
Rank: #66.
Walter Stiern Middle School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 23%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
2551 Morning Dr.
Bakersfield, CA 93306
(661) 631-5480
Gr: 6-8 | 783 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 95%
Rank: #77.
Emerson Middle School
(Math: 10% | Reading: 22%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
801 Fourth St.
Bakersfield, CA 93304
(661) 631-5260
Gr: 6-8 | 809 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 94%
Rank: #88.
Compton Junior High School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 25%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
3211 Pico Ave.
Bakersfield, CA 93306
(661) 631-5230
Gr: 7-8 | 575 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 92%
Rank: #99.
Sequoia Jr. High School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 23%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
900 Belle Terr.
Bakersfield, CA 93304
(661) 631-5940
Gr: 7-8 | 744 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 97%
Rank: #1010.
Rafer Johnson
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1001 Tenth St.
Bakersfield, CA 93304
(661) 631-5445
Gr: K-8 | 43 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 86%
Rank: #1111.
Sierra Middle School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 21%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
3017 Center St.
Bakersfield, CA 93306
(661) 631-5470
Gr: 6-8 | 746 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 97%
Rank: #1212.
Washington Middle School
(Math: 4% | Reading: 18%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1101 Noble Ave.
Bakersfield, CA 93305
(661) 631-5810
Gr: 6-8 | 657 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 93%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 45 schools
  • Grades: K-08
  • Enrollment: 28,761 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 21:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 92%
  • : Bottom 50% in CA
  • : 15% (Btm 50%)
  • : 27% (Btm 50%)
  • : 14% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

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