Scores updated for 2026!

Kern High

South High

1101 Planz Road, Bakersfield, CA 93304-6150

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Summary

South High is underperforming.

Reading and math results average to the 40th percentile among comparable California schools.

Only 49.8% of students met California's reading standard, and it is quickly trending down.Trending down

Math is weaker: 12.8% of students met California's math standard, and it is trending down slightly.Trending down

Proficiency stats

Current Reading Proficiency49.8%
Current Math Proficiency12.8%
Reading State Rank836/1,596 (48th percentile)
Math State Rank1,078/1,596 (32nd percentile)

School information

Student / Teacher Ratio24:1
Student enrollment (2024–25)2,107
Low-Income Students2,042 (96.9%)
English Learners236 (11.2%)
Admissions
AdmissionsOpen enrollment
Charter schoolNo
Magnet schoolNo

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

49.8% of tested students meet the reading standard in the grade shown. Overall, the school’s reading results rank No. 836 of 1,596 among California schools in the same grade-level category.

Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income

The 23.5-point reading income gap is wider than the 14.7-point gap at a typical California 9–12 school. It widened over the period shown.

Low-Income
Non-Low-Income
Low-Income -11.1 percentage pointsTrend down•
Non-Low-Income +8.7 percentage pointsTrend up

English Learners vs English Native

6.7% of English learners meet the reading standard, compared with 48.0% of English-only students. The gap narrowed as English-learner results fell and English-only results fell.

English Learners
English Native
English Learners -5.0 percentage pointsTrend down•
English Native -11.1 percentage pointsTrend down

Math Proficiency Scores

2026 state test results

Race and Ethnicity

White students have the strongest math results at about 15% proficiency. The other reported groups range from about 3% to 13%.

Distribution of Scores by Grade

12.8% of tested students meet the math standard in the grade shown. Overall, the school’s math results rank No. 1,078 of 1,596 among California schools in the same grade-level category.

Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income

The 24.2-point math income gap is wider than the 14.2-point gap at a typical California 9–12 school. It widened over the period shown.

Low-Income
Non-Low-Income
Low-Income -1.4 percentage pointsTrend down•
Non-Low-Income +9.4 percentage pointsTrend up

English Learners vs English Native

0.0% of English learners meet the math standard, compared with 8.9% of English-only students. The gap held steady as English-learner results fell and English-only results fell.

English Learners
English Native
English Learners -2.3 percentage pointsTrend down•
English Native -2.3 percentage pointsTrend down
How we compare income gaps

“Typical” means the median gap across 876 schools for reading and 882 for math. The comparison uses 2026 California 9–12 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 South High compare within the district?

South High is No. 9 in reading and No. 14 in math proficiency among the 19 9–12 schools in Kern High with 2026 results.

Explore the district’s schools

How does South High rank in California?

South High ranks No. 836 of 1,596 in reading and No. 1,078 of 1,596 in math for 2026. These proficiency rankings compare California schools in the same grade-level category.

How do low-income students at South High compare within the district?

Low-income students here rank No. 9 in reading and No. 12 in math among 19 9–12 district schools with reportable 2026 results for this group. 49.2% meet the reading standard and 12.2% meet the math standard.

See results by student group

How does South High compare with other schools in Bakersfield?

South High is No. 9 in reading and No. 13 in math proficiency among the 16 9–12 schools in Bakersfield with 2026 results.

Explore schools in Bakersfield

How does South High compare with other schools in Kern County?

South High is No. 18 in reading and No. 25 in math proficiency among the 33 9–12 schools in Kern County with 2026 results.

Explore schools in Kern County

Which schools should I compare?

Schools serving 9–12 in the same district.

2026 proficiency
SchoolMathReading
South HighThis school12.8%49.8%
Bakersfield High17.9%40.2%
Centennial High37.8%64.6%
Compare all these schools