| District | City | Rating | Students | Schools | Grades | Zip Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midway Elementary School District | Fellows | 9/10 Excellent · 85th pct | 85 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Norris Elementary School District | Bakersfield | 8/10 Good · 77th pct | 3,878 | 5 | K–8 | 0 |
| McKittrick Elementary School District | Mc Kittrick | 8/10 Good · 75th pct | 79 | 1 | K–8 | 1 |
| Rio Bravo-Greeley Union Elementary School District | Bakersfield | 8/10 Good · 74th pct | 1,012 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Rosedale Union Elementary School District | Bakersfield | 8/10 Good · 72nd pct | 6,041 | 9 | K–8 | 0 |
| Delano Joint Union High School District | Delano | 8/10 Good · 71st pct | 4,142 | 4 | 9–12 | 1 |
| Fruitvale Elementary School District | Bakersfield | 7/10 Good · 69th pct | 3,031 | 5 | K–8 | 0 |
| Maple Elementary School District | Shafter | 7/10 Good · 67th pct | 294 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Delano Union Elementary School District | Delano | 6/10 Average · 57th pct | 6,219 | 12 | K–8 | 0 |
| Panama-Buena Vista School District | Bakersfield | 6/10 Average · 54th pct | 19,107 | 25 | K–8 | 0 |
| General Shafter Elementary School District | Bakersfield | 6/10 Average · 53rd pct | 179 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| South Fork Union School District | Weldon | 5/10 Average · 49th pct | 344 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Lost Hills Union Elementary School District | Lost Hills | 5/10 Average · 46th pct | 262 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Greenfield Union School District | Bakersfield | 5/10 Average · 44th pct | 9,177 | 12 | K–8 | 0 |
| Kern High School District | Arvin | 5/10 Average · 44th pct | 43,020 | 25 | K–12 | 24 |
| Wasco Union High School District | Lost Hills | 5/10 Average · 43rd pct | 1,854 | 2 | 9–12 | 2 |
| Sierra Sands Unified School District | Johannesburg | 5/10 Average · 41st pct | 5,088 | 11 | K–12 | 4 |
| Tehachapi Unified School District | Keene | 4/10 Below Average · 36th pct | 4,170 | 7 | K–12 | 3 |
| El Tejon Unified School District | Pine Mountain Club | 4/10 Below Average · 35th pct | 687 | 3 | K–12 | 3 |
| Elk Hills Elementary School District | Tupman | 4/10 Below Average · 34th pct | 163 | 1 | K–8 | 1 |
| Blake Elementary School District | Woody | 4/10 Below Average · 31st pct | 17 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Taft Union High School District | Fellows | 3/10 Below Average · 27th pct | 1,186 | 2 | 9–12 | 2 |
| McFarland Unified School District | Mc Farland | 3/10 Below Average · 26th pct | 3,408 | 7 | K–12 | 1 |
| Wasco Union Elementary School District | Wasco | 3/10 Below Average · 26th pct | 3,414 | 6 | K–8 | 0 |
| Lakeside Union School District | Bakersfield | 3/10 Below Average · 25th pct | 1,570 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Edison Elementary School District | Edison | 3/10 Below Average · 23rd pct | 1,092 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Muroc Joint Unified School District | Boron | 3/10 Below Average · 22nd pct | 1,738 | 6 | K–12 | 3 |
| Richland Union School District | Shafter | 3/10 Below Average · 22nd pct | 2,575 | 4 | K–8 | 0 |
| Taft City School District | Taft | 3/10 Below Average · 21st pct | 2,402 | 6 | K–8 | 0 |
| Arvin Union School District | Arvin | 3/10 Below Average · 20th pct | 2,946 | 4 | K–8 | 0 |
| Fairfax Elementary School District | Bakersfield | 3/10 Below Average · 20th pct | 2,678 | 4 | K–8 | 0 |
| Caliente Union Elementary School District | Caliente | 2/10 Poor · 17th pct | 74 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Pond Union Elementary School District | Wasco | 2/10 Poor · 17th pct | 184 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Southern Kern Unified School District | Rosamond | 2/10 Poor · 16th pct | 3,663 | 6 | K–12 | 1 |
| Bakersfield City School District | Bakersfield | 2/10 Poor · 15th pct | 28,835 | 45 | K–8 | 1 |
| Kernville Union Elementary School District | Lake Isabella | 2/10 Poor · 13th pct | 814 | 3 | K–8 | 0 |
| Lamont Elementary School District | Lamont | 2/10 Poor · 13th pct | 2,696 | 4 | K–8 | 0 |
| Buttonwillow Union Elementary School District | Buttonwillow | 2/10 Poor · 12th pct | 313 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Vineland Elementary School District | Bakersfield | 2/10 Poor · 12th pct | 676 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Semitropic Elementary School District | Wasco | 2/10 Poor · 11th pct | 151 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Beardsley Elementary School District | Bakersfield | 2/10 Poor · 10th pct | 1,941 | 4 | K–8 | 0 |
| Di Giorgio Elementary School District | Arvin | 2/10 Poor · 10th pct | 229 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Standard Elementary School District | Bakersfield | 1/10 Poor · 8th pct | 3,046 | 4 | K–8 | 0 |
| Maricopa Unified School District | Maricopa | 1/10 Poor · 7th pct | 318 | 3 | K–12 | 1 |
| Mojave Unified School District | Mojave | 1/10 Poor · 4th pct | 3,009 | 6 | K–12 | 3 |
| Linns Valley-Poso Flat Union School District | Glennville | Not rated | 18 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
How Kern County compares
Together they enroll 177,825 students across 257 schools. The largest is Kern High School District with 43,020 students. Districts here average 4.0/10, below the California average of 5.7/10. Ratings range from 1/10 to 9/10. 1 of the 46 districts has no state assessment data and is shown as Not rated.
School Districts in Kern County, California
Kern County has 46 public school districts covering 51 zip codes. The top-rated district in Kern County is Midway Elementary School District (9/10). Ratings are based on the share of students proficient in reading and math on state assessments (CAASPP 2023–24), ranked against all districts in California. Directory details come from NCES CCD 2024–25.
Enter your zip code on any page to confirm your exact district assignment — district boundaries are address-specific and may not follow county or city lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many school districts are in Kern County, CA?
46 school districts serve zip codes in Kern County, CA. This page lists each one with its rating, enrollment, grade span and the zip codes it covers.
What is the best-rated school district in Kern County, CA?
Of the districts serving Kern County, Midway Elementary School District has the highest rating on this site at 9/10. That places it in the 85th percentile among California school districts.
How are these school district ratings calculated?
Each rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above on California reading and math assessments, ranked against other districts in California and converted to a 1–10 scale. Percentiles compare districts within California only, never across state lines.