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Email BoardBessie E. Owens Elementary
815 Potomac Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93307-1450
Summary
Bessie E. Owens Elementary is badly underperforming.
Reading and math results average to the 37th percentile among comparable California schools.
Only 39.6% of students met California's reading standard, but it is trending up.
Math is weaker: 28.5% of students met California's math standard, but it is trending up slightly.
Proficiency stats
| Current Reading Proficiency | 39.6% |
| Current Math Proficiency | 28.5% |
| Reading State Rank | 2,707/4,657 (42nd percentile) |
| Math State Rank | 3,170/4,657 (32nd percentile) |
School information
| Student / Teacher Ratio | 20:1 |
| Student enrollment (2024–25) | 867 |
| Low-Income Students | 802 (92.5%) |
| English Learners | 318 (36.7%) |
School Website
Great Schools
Niche
Ed-Data
CAASPP| Admissions | Open enrollment |
|---|---|
| Charter school | No |
| Magnet school | Yes |
Test score trends
Reading rose 0.8 points from last year and rose 6.8 points over the full period. Math fell 2.0 points from last year and rose 2.2 points over the full period.
•Math +2.2 percentage points (2024–2026)Reading Proficiency Scores
2026 state test results
Race and Ethnicity
White and Hispanic or Latino students have the strongest results.
Distribution of Scores by Grade
The share meeting the reading standard ranges from 29.5% to 46.5% across the grades shown. Overall, the school’s reading results rank No. 2,707 of 4,657 among California schools in the same grade-level category.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
The 38.3-point reading income gap is wider than the 17.6-point gap at a typical California K–6 school. It widened over the period shown.
•English Learners vs English Native
11.3% of English learners meet the reading standard, compared with 42.4% of English-only students. The gap narrowed as English-learner results rose and English-only results rose.
•Math Proficiency Scores
2026 state test results
Race and Ethnicity
White students have the strongest math results at about 40% proficiency. The other reported groups range from about 15% to 29%.
Distribution of Scores by Grade
The share meeting the math standard ranges from 25.8% to 36.2% across the grades shown. Overall, the school’s math results rank No. 3,170 of 4,657 among California schools in the same grade-level category.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
The 38.3-point math income gap is wider than the 17.5-point gap at a typical California K–6 school. It narrowed slightly over the period shown.
•English Learners vs English Native
4.7% of English learners meet the math standard, compared with 32.6% of English-only students. The gap widened as English-learner results fell and English-only results fell.
•Progress as students move up
2023–2026
How we compare income gaps
“Typical” means the median gap across 1,479 schools for reading and 1,483 for math. The comparison uses 2026 California K–6 schools with at least 20 tested students in each income group and a reported low-income student population. Each school counts once. Its gap is non-low-income proficiency minus low-income proficiency, including negative gaps. California state test data
Understanding this school
How does Bessie E. Owens Elementary compare within the district?
Bessie E. Owens Elementary is No. 4 in reading and No. 3 in math proficiency among the 23 K–6 schools in Bakersfield City with 2026 results.
Explore the district’s schoolsHow does Bessie E. Owens Elementary rank in California?
Bessie E. Owens Elementary ranks No. 2,707 of 4,657 in reading and No. 3,170 of 4,657 in math for 2026. These proficiency rankings compare California schools in the same grade-level category.
How do low-income students at Bessie E. Owens Elementary compare within the district?
Low-income students here rank No. 5 in reading and No. 3 in math among 23 K–6 district schools with reportable 2026 results for this group. 36.7% meet the reading standard and 25.6% meet the math standard.
See results by student groupHow does Bessie E. Owens Elementary compare with other schools in Bakersfield?
Bessie E. Owens Elementary is No. 32 in reading and No. 29 in math proficiency among the 64 K–6 schools in Bakersfield with 2026 results.
Explore schools in BakersfieldHow does Bessie E. Owens Elementary compare with other schools in Kern County?
Bessie E. Owens Elementary is No. 34 in reading and No. 32 in math proficiency among the 78 K–6 schools in Kern County with 2026 results.
Explore schools in Kern CountyWhich schools should I compare?
Schools serving K–6 in the same district.
| School | Math | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Bessie E. Owens ElementaryThis school | 28.5% | 39.6% |
| Caroline Harris Elementary | 22.6% | 38.0% |
| Casa Loma Elementary | 15.7% | 21.9% |
