Enrollment
2,324
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Bakersfield, CA
Independence High
Federal NCES profile for Independence High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 061954012132
👥 S:T ratio 0
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence High earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #6 of 20
- high schools in Bakersfield · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25.5:1
- large classes for California
- 56.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence High has class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence High ranks #6 of 20 high schools in Bakersfield, CA.
School address
District: Kern High · California
NCES ID 061954012132 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
91.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
+2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence High
Independence High is a higher-need, large high school in Bakersfield, California, enrolling 2,324 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.5:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 56.4% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 98% of state schools at 2,324 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 278 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #90.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (65%) and White (14%) (diversity index 55/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 332 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Bakersfield's high schools, it stands alongside Bakersfield High (3,069 students): Independence High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.5:1 vs 24.4:1).
Kern High also operates Bakersfield High (3,069 students) and Arvin High (2,653 students) alongside Independence High.
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 Independence High compares
Independence High on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.5:1 | ▲ 19% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.4% | ▲ 2% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,324 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.5:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
2,324
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
25.5:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 82% in California - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
26.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,830
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 332 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 230 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 64.5%
White 13.6%
African American 8.0%
Asian 7.9%
Two or More 5.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.0, Independence High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kern High, which includes Independence High.
$15,830
Per student
-4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.9%
State 63.4%
Federal 11.6%
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 Independence High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Arvin High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ridgeview High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Highland High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stockdale High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,069
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,653
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,575
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,530
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,398
- Students per teacher
- 28.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar high schools in Bakersfield
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Bakersfield High
Standard public school
3,069 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Ridgeview High
Standard public school
2,575 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Highland High
Standard public school
2,530 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Stockdale High
Standard public school
2,398 students 28.2:1 students per teacher
Liberty High
Standard public school
2,369 students 27.5:1 students per teacher
East Bakersfield High
Standard public school
2,331 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~2,324 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence High's federal record.
- Compare Independence High against another school. Compare schools
- Kern High'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 Independence High
How many students attend Independence High?
Independence High has 2,324 students enrolled. It is a high school in Bakersfield, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence High?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence High is 25.5:1, which is 19% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 62% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Independence High?
56.4% of students at Independence High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence High?
The largest demographic group at Independence High is Hispanic or Latino at 64.5% of enrollment, in Bakersfield, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence High?
Independence High has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Independence High rank among high schools in Bakersfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence High ranks #6 of 20 high 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 high schools in Bakersfield on the city page.
Is Independence High a good school?
Independence High earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. It is also one of the largest schools in California. 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 Kern High?
Besides Independence High, Kern High also operates Bakersfield High (3,069 students), Arvin High (2,653 students), and Ridgeview High (2,575 students). See the Kern High 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.