Is Independence High a good school?

Independence High ranks 767 th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Independence High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,334 students attended Independence High.

What is the racial makeup of Independence High?

Students at Independence High are 65% Hispanic, 16% White, 8% Asian, 8% African American, 2% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Independence High?

Independence High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Bill L. Williams Elementary Elementary : Buena Vista Elementary Elementary : Donald E. Suburu Elementary : Lakeside Elementary : Sing Lum Elementary Middle : Earl Warren Junior High

Independence High

Summary:

Independence High is a public high school in Bakersfield, California, serving 2,394 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Kern High School District, which is ranked 895 out of 1,568 districts in the state.

Independence High has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking, ranging from a high of 487 out of 2,039 California high schools in 2015-2016 to a low of 1,090 out of 2,133 in 2018-2019. In the most recent school year, the school ranked 767 out of 2,323 California high schools, with a 3-star rating. The school has maintained a strong 4-year graduation rate, ranging from 94.0% to 95.2% over the past 5 years, consistently outperforming the district average. However, the school has struggled with higher rates of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 6.5% to 24.5% over the same period.

Academically, Independence High has outperformed the district and state in English Language Arts/Literacy, with 11th-grade proficiency rates ranging from 58.95% to 61.46% over the past 3 years. In Mathematics, the school's 11th-grade proficiency rates have been lower than the state average, ranging from 16.58% to 19.92%. The school has also seen mixed performance in Science, with 11th-grade proficiency rates ranging from 30.32% to 34.35%. Compared to nearby schools, Independence High generally outperforms the local continuation high schools but lags behind higher-performing schools in the district, such as Liberty High and Stockdale High.

Detail:

Public 9-12

8001 Old River Rd.
Bakersfield, CA 93311-9752

(661) 834-8001

District: Kern High

SchoolDigger Rank:
767^th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,882

Feeder schools for Independence High:

Elementary:	Bill L. Williams Elementary
	Buena Vista Elementary
	Donald E. Suburu
	Lakeside
	More...
	Sing Lum Elementary
Middle:	Earl Warren Junior High

Student/teacher ratio: 26.0

Number of students: 2,334

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

64.8%

White:

15.8%

Asian:

8.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 73.7%

See top rated California high schools

Compare Independence High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Independence High ranks better than 67% of high schools in California. It also ranks 5^th among 24 ranked high schools in the Kern High School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.5. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Independence High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (64.8%), White (15.8%), Asian (8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 73.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Independence High is 26. 19 high schools in the Kern High School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Independence High employs 89.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Independence High is $7,882. 16 high schools in the Kern High School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Independence High:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence High 767^th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Independence High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Kern High:

SchoolDigger ranks Kern High 895^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Independence High?

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Rank History for Independence High

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Rank History for all students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2009	81.58	90^th	2238	96.0%
2010	55.87	597^th	2281	73.8%
2011	59.67	526^th	2367	77.8%
2012	57.25	610^th	2354	74.1%
2013	55.23	651^st	2426	73.2%
2015	70.90	529^th	1994	73.5%
2016	73.76	487^th	2039	76.1%
2017	59.11	816^th	2021	59.6%
2018	56.02	885^th	2017	56.1%
2019	45.48	1090^th	2133	48.9%
2022	62.69	658^th	2123	69.0%
2023	55.47	747^th	2348	68.2%
2024	54.50	767^th	2323	67.0%

See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	71.55	110^th	366	69.9%
2019	47.30	243^rd	422	42.4%
2022	26.75	396^th	515	23.1%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	84.02	49^th	1044	95.3%
2023	42.16	415^th	1323	68.6%
2024	75.63	64^th	1350	95.3%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	51.92	432^nd	1547	72.1%
2024	46.48	571^st	1534	62.8%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	56.88	792^nd	1862	57.5%
2019	58.53	717^th	1937	63.0%
2022	72.15	398^th	1943	79.5%
2023	61.75	595^th	2247	73.5%
2024	57.13	675^th	2235	69.8%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	49.46	918^th	1760	47.8%
2019	53.97	755^th	1833	58.8%
2022	61.99	579^th	1858	68.8%
2023	55.46	700^th	2118	66.9%
2024	56.30	675^th	2098	67.8%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	29.45	714^th	1052	32.1%
2019	29.12	790^th	1117	29.3%
2022	44.41	490^th	1161	57.8%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	56.90	783^rd	1834	57.3%
2019	43.76	1007^th	1880	46.4%
2022	58.62	672^nd	1916	64.9%
2023	52.72	751^st	2207	66.0%
2024	50.54	790^th	2172	63.6%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	16.68	497^th	581	14.5%
2019	10.75	526^th	582	9.6%
2022	49.34	326^th	581	43.9%
2023	25.08	563^rd	731	23.0%
2024	30.44	507^th	712	28.8%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	33.94	377^th	582	35.2%
2019	69.28	134^th	592	77.4%
2022	57.23	173^rd	522	66.9%
2023	44.07	356^th	720	50.6%
2024	38.27	418^th	721	42.0%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	59.74	694^th	1742	60.2%
2019	62.33	586^th	1814	67.7%
2022	71.33	405^th	1861	78.2%
2023	64.65	520^th	2142	75.7%
2024	61.22	576^th	2125	72.9%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Independence High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	37.75	780^th	1173	33.5%
2019	40.56	751^st	1222	38.5%
2022	42.58	684^th	1204	43.2%
2023	39.41	762^nd	1434	46.9%
2024	55.33	503^rd	1406	64.2%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Independence High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	0
2009	261	90	65	401	2	1	2	0	822
2010	392	134	106	634	2	2	12	0	1282
2011	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1709	1709
2012	500	183	156	888	5	2	50	0	1784
2013	523	168	165	944	15	4	62	0	1881
2014	544	164	179	998	21	2	44	0	1952
2015	524	157	183	1089	15	2	78	0	2048
2016	501	161	183	1132	14	3	77	0	2071
2017	496	166	159	1158	10	3	77	0	2069
2018	454	157	165	1225	8	5	92	0	2106
2019	464	157	163	1251	19	3	77	0	2134
2020	423	164	163	1290	23	7	72	0	2142
2021	443	173	180	1389	22	11	65	0	2283
2022	430	183	180	1441	14	10	55	1	2314
2023	394	194	202	1521	12	14	57	0	2394
2024	368	181	187	1512	12	15	58	1	2334

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Independence High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2009	822	45.4	15.6	41.7
2010	1282	57.9	22.1	46.8
2011	1709	n/a	n/a	n/a
2012	1784	68.2	26.1	n/a
2013	1881	70.8	26.5	48.3
2014	1952	69.4	28.1	47.2
2015	2048	67.0	30.5	49.6
2016	2071	63.0	32.8	53.5
2017	2069	74.1	27.8	54.8
2018	2106	75.4	27.9	56.8
2019	2134	81.2	26.2	58.2
2020	2142	n/a	n/a	56.5
2021	2283	82.9	27.5	53
2022	2314	69.1	33.4	64
2023	2394	91.3	26.2	70.8
2024	2334	89.5	26.0	73.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Independence High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2009	822	45.4	15.6	41.7
2010	1282	57.9	22.1	46.8
2011	1709	n/a	n/a	n/a
2012	1784	68.2	26.1	n/a
2013	1881	70.8	26.5	48.3
2014	1952	69.4	28.1	47.2
2015	2048	67.0	30.5	49.6
2016	2071	63.0	32.8	53.5
2017	2069	74.1	27.8	54.8
2018	2106	75.4	27.9	56.8
2019	2134	81.2	26.2	58.2
2020	2142	n/a	n/a	56.5
2021	2283	82.9	27.5	53
2022	2314	69.1	33.4	64
2023	2394	91.3	26.2	70.8
2024	2334	89.5	26.0	73.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Independence High

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$7,882

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1090^th of 2133 High schools	Ranks 747^th of 2348 High schools	19.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Independence High)	64.9	59	6%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Kern High)	51.1	51	0.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	57.3	55.4	1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Independence High)	20.1	16.6	3.5%
11th Grade Mathematics (Kern High)	21	17	4%
11th Grade Mathematics (California)	32.2	27.4	4.9%
11th Grade Science (Independence High)	24.7	33.3	8.5%
11th Grade Science (Kern High)	22.6	23.9	1.3%
11th Grade Science (California)	30.4	31.7	1.3%
12th Grade Science (Independence High)	0	18.2	18.2%
12th Grade Science (Kern High)	13.1	18.8	5.7%
12th Grade Science (California)	25.6	26.9	1.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	2134	2394	12.2%
African American	157	194	23.6%
American Indian	19	12	36.8%
Asian	163	202	23.9%
Hispanic	1251	1521	21.6%
Pacific Islander	3	14	366.7%
White	464	394	15.1%
Two or More Races	77	57	26%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	58.2%	70.8%	12.6%

Schools Near Independence High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CAST Science (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)		Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 10th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Independence High	Public	9-12	8001 Old River Rd.	Bakersfield	93311	Kern County	Kern High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 834-8001	2,334	90	26.0	73.7%	368 (15.8%)	181 (7.8%)	1,512 (64.8%)	187 (8.0%)	12 (0.5%)	15 (0.6%)	58 (2.5%)	54.5	767^th of 2323 public high schools	67.0%		55.5	747^th of 2348 public high schools	68.2%	20	14.3	30.3	12.5	29.4	59.8	59.8	18.4	18.4	$7,882
Ridgeview High	Public	9-12	8501 Stine Rd.	Bakersfield	93313	Kern County	Kern High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 398-3100	2,653	101	26.1	75.9%	242 (9.1%)	166 (6.3%)	1,914 (72.1%)	247 (9.3%)	5 (0.2%)	14 (0.5%)	65 (2.5%)	50.8	840^th of 2323 public high schools	63.8%		50.8	846^th of 2348 public high schools	64.0%	6			21.7	21.7	56.4	56.4	19.3	19.3	$7,766
Stockdale High	Public	9-12	2800 Buena Vista Rd.	Bakersfield	93311	Kern County	Kern High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 665-2800	2,313	88	26.4	42.5%	511 (22.1%)	112 (4.8%)	1,054 (45.6%)	396 (17.1%)	7 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	229 (9.9%)	72.9	434^th of 2323 public high schools	81.3%		82	297^th of 2348 public high schools	87.4%	137		35.6		35.3	66.7	66.7	37.1	37.1	$7,668
Kern Workforce 2000 Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	5801 Sundale Ave.	Bakersfield	93309	Kern County	Kern High	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 827-3158	574	58	9.8	92.3%	21 (3.7%)	22 (3.8%)	522 (90.9%)	4 (0.7%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	9	2104^th of 2323 public high schools	9.4%		9.2	2119^th of 2348 public high schools	9.8%	15		4.4	3.1	3.9	9.5	9.5	0.0	0.0	$11,227
West High	Public	9-12	1200 New Stine Rd.	Bakersfield	93309	Kern County	Kern High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 832-2822	2,090	73	28.5	92.2%	190 (9.1%)	251 (12.0%)	1,568 (75.0%)	35 (1.7%)	13 (0.6%)	6 (0.3%)	25 (1.2%)	29.5	1439^th of 2323 public high schools	38.1%		30.3	1406^th of 2348 public high schools	40.1%	33	14.6		8.2	14.0	38.2	38.2	14.4	14.4	$8,798
Golden Valley High	Public	9-12	801 Hosking Ave.	Bakersfield	93307	Kern County	Kern High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 827-0800	2,365	98	24.1	92.1%	99 (4.2%)	128 (5.4%)	2,054 (86.8%)	61 (2.6%)	4 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	16 (0.7%)	53.2	793^rd of 2323 public high schools	65.9%		47	937^th of 2348 public high schools	60.1%	144		26.5	3.7	25.3	62.7	62.7	19.0	19.0	$7,993
Liberty High	Public	9-12	925 Jewetta Ave.	Bakersfield	93312	Kern County	Kern High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 587-0925	2,355	89	26.3	45.3%	986 (41.9%)	98 (4.2%)	1,030 (43.7%)	134 (5.7%)	17 (0.7%)	4 (0.2%)	83 (3.5%)	63	577^th of 2323 public high schools	75.2%		72.6	440^th of 2348 public high schools	81.3%	137		24.1	22.1	23.0	67.8	67.8	35.4	35.4	$7,059
South High	Public	9-12	1101 Planz Rd.	Bakersfield	93304	Kern County	Kern High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 831-3680	2,150	93	23.1	96.7%	91 (4.2%)	176 (8.2%)	1,821 (84.7%)	33 (1.5%)	10 (0.5%)	3 (0.1%)	15 (0.7%)	45.9	970^th of 2323 public high schools	58.2%		47.2	929^th of 2348 public high schools	60.4%	41		18.8	11.9	17.6	60.6	60.6	14.4	14.4	$8,479
Vista West Continuation High	Public	9-12	7115 Rosedale Hwy.	Bakersfield	93308	Kern County	Kern High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 589-4242	330	20	16.5	84.2%	113 (34.2%)	36 (10.9%)	160 (48.5%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	11 (3.3%)	8.6	2126^th of 2323 public high schools	8.5%		9.2	2117^th of 2348 public high schools	9.8%	9		2.4	8.7	3.4	7.1	7.1	0.6	0.6	$13,547
Del Oro High	Public	9-12	1750 East Panama Ln.	Bakersfield	93307	Kern County	Kern High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 366-1750	1,391	61	22.8	81.5%	32 (2.3%)	80 (5.8%)	1,266 (91.0%)	6 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	4 (0.3%)	28.2	1469^th of 2323 public high schools	36.8%					(n/a)		12.4		12.4	40.8	40.8	8.9	8.9

Independence High

Independence High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Kern High:

What do you think?

Rank History for Independence High

Rank History for all students at Independence High

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Independence High

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Independence High

Rank History for Special Education students at Independence High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Independence High

Rank History for Female students at Independence High

Rank History for Disabled students at Independence High

Rank History for Male students at Independence High

Rank History for Asian students at Independence High

Rank History for African American students at Independence High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Independence High

Rank History for White students at Independence High

Enrollment information for Independence High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Independence High

Student/Teacher Ratio Independence High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Independence High

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Independence High

Frequently Asked Questions about Independence High

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