Old River Elementary

Located at 9815 Campus Park Dr., in Bakersfield, California, Old River Elementary is a heavily attended elementary campus that works with 795 students (grades K through 6), part of Panama-Buena Vista Union. Enrollment runs roughly 71% above the state mean of about 465.

Across the 25 schools in Panama-Buena Vista Union (19,366 students total), Old River Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Old River Elementary shows that Hispanic students make up the majority at 56%. The remainder breaks down as 19% White, 11% Asian, 7% Black, 7% multiracial. That composition is broadly in line with Kern County as a whole.

On the resource side, Old River Elementary logs 32 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 24.8:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 22.3:1, putting Old River Elementary higher than the state norm the norm. About 76% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

After controlling for student poverty, Old River Elementary ranks in the top 10% of California public schools. The BeatsExpectations model, a per-state regression of composite proficiency on FRL share, predicts schools with this student profile to land around 34.2%; Old River Elementary posts 50.8%, +16.6 points above that line.

Zooming out to the county, census data for Kern County shows the typical household earns roughly $70,210 per year, 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 15%. In all, Kern County runs 279 public schools (combined enrollment of about 197,431 students), of which Old River Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is Sing Lum Elementary, roughly 0.5 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Old River Elementary at 3rd of 8; the average score across the group is 41.6%.

Old River Elementary operates from a metropolitan location.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Old River Elementary has edged down 8%, going from 862 students in 2018 to 795 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share ticked up from 44% to 56%. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 27.8:1 in 2018 to 24.8:1 today.

On this page, the feed for Old River Elementary typically covers school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.