1
How has South High changed in the last five years, for better or worse?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
2,107
High
DISTRICT 1,713 · STATE 838
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·KERN HIGH·NCES 061954002353
South High
1101 Planz Rd., Bakersfield, CA 93304 · (661) 831-3680 · Kern County
GRADES 09–12HIGH11-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL2,107 STUDENTS
B+
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 67% of California public high schools
- C+Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- ABeats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- A-Three-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded California public high schools
Student : Teacher
24.3:1
87 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 21.9:1 · STATE 18.2:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
97%
2,039 students
DISTRICT 82% · STATE 65%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 561 | 27% |
| Grade 10 | 539 | 26% |
| Grade 11 | 538 | 26% |
| Grade 12 | 469 | 22% |
Student demographics
29%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 46% · STATE 62% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
53.6%
CA avg 49.1% . +34.6pp since 2014
Math
16.7%
CA avg 37.7% . +1.7pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 54 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 17 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all California schools, those numbers are about 49 and 38. Reading and writing scores are up about 35 points since 2014, while math scores are up about 2 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 23.4% | 30.1% | 23.6% | 22.8% |
| Math | 5.2% | 11.5% | 18.4% | 64.8% |
Share of tested students at each CAASPP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
CAASPP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 53.6% | 16.7% |
| 2023-24 | 60.6% | 14.4% |
| 2022-23 | 57.3% | 16.5% |
| 2021-22 | 42.9% | 10.9% |
| 2020-21 | 87.5% | N/A |
| 2018-19 | 40.8% | 18.9% |
| 2017-18 | 47.7% | 21.4% |
| 2016-17 | 57.0% | 24.8% |
| 2015-16 | 59.0% | 24.0% |
| 2014-15 | 19.0% | 15.0% |
% met or exceeded standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: CAASPP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
36.3%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
22.8%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+13.5pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 36% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 23% typical for California schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among California's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like South High
South High's state test result (36.3% proficient) is higher than 5 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| South High this school | 2,107 | 96.8% | 36.3% |
| Indian Springs High San Bernardino | 1,810 | 96.8% | 27.2% |
| John C. Fremont Senior High Los Angeles | 1,889 | 97.5% | 24.5% |
| Lynwood High Lynwood | 1,858 | 96.3% | 27.2% |
| Moreno Valley High Moreno Valley | 2,103 | 92.5% | 27.6% |
| Desert Hot Springs High Desert Hot Springs | 1,687 | 96.1% | 33.1% |
Matched among California high schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where South High ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Kern County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 36.3% | #629 of 1,052 | #15 of 34 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 16.7% | #779 of 1,056 ▲ 4 | #18 of 34 ▲ 3 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 53.6% | #621 of 1,056 ▼ 192 | #17 of 34 ▼ 7 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +8.3pp | #200 of 1,044 | #4 of 32 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 2,107 | #229 of 2,093 | #13 of 48 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 24.3:1 | #1,139 of 1,352 | #26 of 38 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 28.6% | #1,000 of 1,351 | #24 of 38 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 96.8% | #59 of 1,575 | #2 of 39 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +0.5% | #313 of 327 | #22 of 22 |
Ranked against other public high schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
2,107
-216 (-9%) vs 2020
+3% since 1990-91, when it was 2,047
Student : Teacher
24.3:1
was 25.0:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 2,107 | 86.6 | 24.3:1 | 97% (2,039) |
| 2023-24 | 2,150 | 92.9 | 23.1:1 | 97% (2,080) |
| 2022-23 | 2,176 | 93.5 | 23.3:1 | 96% (2,083) |
| 2020-21 | 2,323 | 93 | 25.0:1 | 94% (2,192) |
| 2017-18 | 2,097 | 78.8 | 26.6:1 | 93% (1,953) |
| 2015-16 | 1,981 | 78 | 25.4:1 | 92% (1,830) |
| 2010-11 | 1,915 | N/A | N/A | 86% (1,651) |
| 2000-01 | 2,455 | 102 | 24.1:1 | 51% (1,258) |
| 1990-91 | 2,047 | 88 | 23.3:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for South High.
Since 2017-18: students unchanged (2,097 to 2,107); teachers up 10% (78.8 to 86.6).
About South High
South High is a large high school in Bakersfield, California, one of the schools in Kern High. There are 2,107 students enrolled, covering grades 9 through 12. Across high schools in California, the average enrollment is about 838.
Kern High has 42,814 students in 25 schools, and South High is one of those schools.
A large majority of enrollment at South High is Hispanic, at 84%. It is also 8% Black, 4% White, and 2% multiracial. Kern County's residents are about 57% Hispanic, 27 points below the school's share. Measured by the diversity index, the student body scores 29%.
South High has 86.6 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of about 24.3:1. High schools in California have an average ratio of 18.2:1. Eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch, often used to gauge student poverty, is 97%. On average, public schools in Kern County report 76%.
Among California public high schools, South High outscored 67%, which works out to a B+ on the allk12 Grade.
Based on its free or reduced-price lunch share, the BeatsExpectations model predicts an average proficiency rate across its state test results of 22.8% for South High. The school posts 36.3%, 13.5 points above the prediction.
Kern County is the school's county. There, median household income comes to about $70,210, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 19%, and about 15% of people live in poverty. Kern County's 279 public schools enroll about 197,431 students and include South High.
About 0.3 miles separate South High from the closest public school, Prosperity Elementary. Within five miles are at least 8 other public schools. Compared with its nearest neighbors, South High ranks 1st of 8 on average proficiency.
Federal records code the school's setting as City: Large.
Enrollment figures show a decline of 216 students from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
This page is a place to ask questions and share updates about open houses, carpools, and field trips at South High. Members of the school community can share what they know.
Kern County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
915,075
Census ACS
Median income
$70,210
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
19%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
15%
Below federal line
Schools in county
279
197,431 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Kern High
- Bakersfield HighHigh · 3,069 students
- Arvin HighHigh · 2,653 students
- Ridgeview HighHigh · 2,575 students
- Highland HighHigh · 2,530 students
- Stockdale HighHigh · 2,398 students
- Liberty HighHigh · 2,369 students
Other schools in Bakersfield
- Bakersfield HighHigh · 3,069 students
- Ridgeview HighHigh · 2,575 students
- Highland HighHigh · 2,530 students
- Stockdale HighHigh · 2,398 students
- Liberty HighHigh · 2,369 students
- East Bakersfield HighHigh · 2,331 students
Other South High schools
13 other US public schools in 10 states are named South High. South High is the 2nd largest of the 14.
- South HighTorrance, CA · 1,734 students
- SOUTH HIGH SCHOOLOMAHA, NE · 2,412 students
- South High SchoolDENVER, CO · 1,950 students
- South HighWichita, KS · 1,662 students
- SOUTH HIGHMANCHESTER, MO · 1,485 students
Nearby schools
- Prosperity Elementary0.3 mi · 543
- Leo G. Pauly Elementary0.5 mi · 694
- Planz Elementary0.7 mi · 610
- Greenfield Middle1.0 mi · 873
- Frank West Elementary1.0 mi · 650
- Wayside Elementary1.1 mi · 652
Frequently asked questions
About South HighHow large is South High?
South High enrolls approximately 2,107 students in grades 09-12.
Is South High an elementary, middle, or high school?
South High is a high school covering grades 09-12.
How many teachers does South High have?
South High employs 87 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 24.3:1.
How diverse is South High?
South High reports a student body of 4% White, 84% Hispanic, 8% Black, 1% Asian, 2% Two or more.
Who oversees South High?
South High is overseen by Kern High in Kern County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.