The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 17% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Frank West Elementary
Frank West Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Bakersfield, a rapidly growing city in the southern San Joaquin Valley where energy, agriculture, and healthcare anchor the local economy. The school sits on Benton Street in a neighborhood shaped by the city's overall character: car-dependent, family-oriented, and marked by significant economic diversity.
The school's enrollment is small, distributed fairly evenly across its six grade levels. The student population is predominantly Hispanic, with a large Black population as a secondary group, and students of other backgrounds including Asian, white, and multiracial students. An overwhelming majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting deep economic need in the school's service area.
On state assessments in English language arts and math administered in the 2024-25 school year, Frank West's proficiency rates are substantially below state norms. In ELA, roughly one in four students in grades three through five demonstrated proficiency, with proficiency rates ranging from the low to upper twenties across those grades. In math, the picture is notably weaker. Third grade math proficiency stands at one in four, but fourth and fifth grade proficiency drops steeply, reaching single digits by fifth grade. In science, which is tested only at fifth grade, proficiency also falls in the low twenties. Overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places the school below the midpoint relative to other districts in Kern County.
These proficiency levels represent a significant academic gap that parents may want to explore further with the school itself. The data available here reflects only one year of results, so trend information that would show whether performance is changing is not yet available.
Frank West is part of Bakersfield City School District, the largest elementary school district in California. The district is undergoing several changes that will affect daily school life. Beginning fall 2026, a new policy will limit student smartphone use during school hours, in compliance with state law. Additionally, the board has approved development of ethnic studies coursework that can be integrated across subjects to connect students with cultural and community backgrounds. The district has also revised its opt-out policy to allow parents to remove students from instruction or activities that conflict with religious beliefs, following a recent Supreme Court decision.
Bakersfield itself is among California's fastest-growing large cities, with ongoing development downtown and in historically underinvested southeast neighborhoods. Housing in the area is relatively affordable compared to other parts of the state, though rents have risen modestly. The city offers civic anchors including the Kern River Parkway with over twenty miles of walking and cycling trails, a county library system with a main branch downtown, and a bus transit network, though most of Bakersfield is car-dependent for daily errands. Downtown has a walkable core with shops, restaurants, and cultural landmarks, while outlying neighborhoods are spread across a flat grid and require driving for most activities.
For families considering Frank West, the key question is what academic support the school provides alongside the proficiency data shown here. The school's low test results signal that students are not yet meeting grade-level standards at strong rates, and parents will want to understand what interventions, staffing, and instructional approaches the school has in place to address that gap and to track whether those efforts move proficiency upward in coming years.
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