Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary, Bakersfield CA

Original Research by School Decision on Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary

Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary is a regular public school in Bakersfield serving kindergarten through sixth grade, with an enrollment of about mid-sized scope for this grade band. The school sits in a community that is rapidly growing and reshaping itself, with new residential and commercial development concentrated downtown and in southeast Bakersfield, alongside long-established neighborhoods. Bakersfield itself is among California's fastest-growing large cities, with a culturally diverse population and an economy anchored in energy, agriculture, and healthcare. The immediate area around the school is largely car-dependent, though Bakersfield's Kern River Parkway and library system anchor civic life for residents who can access them.

The student body at Colonel Howard Nichols is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the neighborhood and the broader working families the school serves. Data on the exact share of English learners and students receiving special education services was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those populations and the support structures in place.

On state assessments, the school shows low proficiency across tested subjects. In English language arts across grades three through six, proficiency rates cluster in the low range, with performance stronger in third and fourth grade than in the upper grades. Fourth-grade ELA proficiency sits near half, while fifth and sixth grades drop considerably. In mathematics, proficiency is even lower, with third and fourth grades in the low range and fifth and sixth grades falling to very low levels. A science assessment given only to fifth grade shows minimal proficiency. This is a school where the majority of students are not yet meeting grade-level standards as measured by California's assessments. A parent may want to ask the school about its reading and math support programs, how the school identifies and helps students who are falling behind, and what resources exist for families to support learning at home.

The school does report being above the midpoint among Kern County districts on an overall proficiency index, which provides some context that performance in this region faces broad challenges. However, this metric reflects a comparison within the county rather than a measure of college or career readiness for the students themselves.

The Bakersfield City School District, which operates Colonel Howard Nichols, has recently moved to support ethnic studies coursework integrated across subjects, a curriculum direction that will shape what students learn. The district is also implementing a new smartphone restriction policy beginning in fall 2026, following California's Phone-Free Schools Act. In October 2025 the board also revised policy to allow parents to opt out of instruction that conflicts with religious beliefs, a change reflecting evolving guidance on parental rights. These shifts are part of the district's approach to instruction and school culture across its 45 schools.

Housing in the 93306 zip code, where the school is located, is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, and rents remain lower than mortgage costs, making the area accessible to families with modest means. New development is active in the city, with growth opportunities in parts of south and southeast Bakersfield near schools like this one.

Colonel Howard Nichols serves a working-family community with real academic challenges that the school is working to address. For families considering this school, the key question is what academic support the school offers and how it partners with families to close proficiency gaps, especially in the upper elementary grades where the data shows steeper declines.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 332%

School 32% · District 24% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▼ 11 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 432%

School 32% · District 18% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 511%

School 11% · District 13% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 615%

School 15% · District 16%

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 336%

School 36% · District 27% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 447%

School 47% · District 27% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 531%

School 31% · District 29% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 622%

School 22% · District 29% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Science

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 17% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

This schoolBakersfield City, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income35%Higher-income46%11 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income33%Higher-income19%14 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income19%Higher-income39%20 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income30%Higher-income46%16 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income11%Higher-income6%5 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income12%Higher-income35%23 pp gap