Enrollment
732
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bakersfield, CA
Highgate Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Highgate Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060639014551
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 54
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highgate Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #12 of 97
- elementary schools in Bakersfield · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 31.8:1
- large classes for California
- 34.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Highgate Elementary has class sizes larger than 97% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highgate Elementary ranks #12 of 97 elementary schools in Bakersfield, CA.
School address
District: Panama-Buena Vista Union · California
NCES ID 060639014551 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
31.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+48% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highgate Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highgate Elementary
Highgate Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Bakersfield, California, enrolling 732 students.
Class loads run heavy: 31.8:1 is larger than about 97% of California schools and 48% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 732 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,281 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #211.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (35%) and Asian (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 18.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Bakersfield's elementary schools, it stands alongside Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8 (1,151 students): Highgate Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (31.8:1 vs 25.6:1).
Panama-Buena Vista Union also operates Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8 (1,151 students) and Douglas J. Miller Elementary (994 students) alongside Highgate Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Highgate Elementary compares
Highgate Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 31.8:1 | ▲ 48% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.9% | ▼ 37% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 732 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
31.8:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
732
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
31.8:1
students per teacher
- 48% above state mean
Top 97% in California - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
18.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,357
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 35.2%
Asian 30.6%
White 18.0%
Two or More 11.1%
African American 4.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 35.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.6, Highgate Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Panama-Buena Vista Union, which includes Highgate Elementary.
$14,357
Per student
-13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 10.2%
State 71.3%
Federal 18.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Highgate Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8 | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Douglas J. Miller Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stonecreek Junior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Earl Warren Junior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Berkshire Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highgate Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,151
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 994
- Students per teacher
- 29.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 986
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 965
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 28.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar elementary schools in Bakersfield
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8
Standard public school
1,151 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Veterans Elementary
Standard public school
1,002 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Douglas J. Miller Elementary
Standard public school
994 students 29.2:1 students per teacher
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary
Standard public school
960 students 24:1 students per teacher
Berkshire Elementary
Standard public school
932 students 28.2:1 students per teacher
Patriot Elementary
Standard public school
931 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~732 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~31.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highgate Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Highgate Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Panama-Buena Vista Union's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Highgate Elementary
How many students attend Highgate Elementary?
Highgate Elementary has 732 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bakersfield, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highgate Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Highgate Elementary is 31.8:1, which is 48% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 103% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highgate Elementary?
34.9% of students at Highgate Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highgate Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Highgate Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 35.2% of enrollment, in Bakersfield, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highgate Elementary?
Highgate Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Highgate Elementary rank among elementary schools in Bakersfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Highgate Elementary ranks #12 of 97 elementary schools in Bakersfield, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Bakersfield on the city page.
Is Highgate Elementary a good school?
Highgate Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Panama-Buena Vista Union?
Besides Highgate Elementary, Panama-Buena Vista Union also operates Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8 (1,151 students), Douglas J. Miller Elementary (994 students), and Stonecreek Junior High (986 students). See the Panama-Buena Vista Union district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.