Schools in Panama-Buena Vista Union · Kern County

About schools in Kern County

Kern County stretches from the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley into the Mojave Desert, a vast agricultural and energy-producing region where 45 school districts serve a genuinely sprawling population. With 244 ranked public schools spread across cities like Bakersfield, Delano, Ridgecrest, and Wasco, the landscape is dominated by elementary schools — over 150 of them — reflecting both the county's demographics and its many small, semi-rural communities. Performance varies considerably across this geography, but Bakersfield concentrates the strongest results: Highgate Elementary ranks at the 86th percentile statewide in English and math, and Stockdale High reaches the 83rd. Only 9 schools land in the top quartile statewide, so families should compare carefully within districts.