The top reported proficiency rate is 15% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Myra A. Noble Elementary
Myra A. Noble Elementary is a public school in Bakersfield that serves kindergarten through fifth grade. It sits in a community shaped by agriculture, energy production, and healthcare, with extensive suburban neighborhoods spread across a flat grid. The school is located in a relatively affordable area within California, where rents have risen modestly year over year and housing values have declined slightly, with a monthly rental cost and housing market that sit noticeably below California state benchmarks.
The school enrolls a small student body for its grade band, distributed fairly evenly across the grades. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the families the school serves. The student population is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, white, and multiracial students; data on the share of English learners and students with disabilities were not available.
State test results from the most recent year show proficiency rates well below the statewide midpoint across both tested subjects. In English language arts, third grade students reached proficiency at a low rate, fourth grade at a similarly low rate, and fifth grade slightly higher though still low. Math proficiency was lower still, declining across the grade span from third to fifth. Fifth grade science proficiency was low as well. These are clearly the school's main academic challenge. Against the comparison set of districts in Kern County, the school's overall proficiency sits at the bottom quartile, meaning students here are performing below most of their peers in the county. Trend data spanning multiple years was not available, so it is unclear whether these results represent recent change or a longer pattern, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school.
The Bakersfield City School District, of which Noble is a part, is moving through several shifts in how it teaches and operates. The board recently approved development of ethnic studies coursework that can be integrated across subjects to connect lessons to students' cultural backgrounds. In preparation for the 2026 school year, the district is implementing a new policy restricting student smartphone use during school hours in compliance with state law. The district also recently revised its policy to allow parents to opt their children out of instruction or activities that conflict with their religious beliefs, following a U.S. Supreme Court decision.
The broader Bakersfield context is one of growth and relative affordability. The city is among California's fastest-growing large cities, with recent residential development including new subdivisions in the north and significant planned investment in downtown and southeast neighborhoods. Civic life centers downtown, which has an arts district and education district with restored storefronts and restaurants, though the city overall is car-dependent. Daily life is anchored by the Kern River Parkway with its long walking and cycling trails, the county library system, and a bus network operated by Golden Empire Transit.
For families considering Noble, the key question is how the school would address the significant academic gaps evident in the proficiency data. Beyond those numbers, the school serves a high-poverty community and would fit families seeking a neighborhood elementary school in an established, relatively affordable residential area of Bakersfield.
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