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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 93280

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its California rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

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At a glance

Schools

6,659

Students

Districts

Top rankedWasco High1023^rd of 2,135 California high schools

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Biggest riser

Pond Elementary up 828 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Semitropic Elementary 14.5 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

3★

2★

1★

0★

1 school without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

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Summary:

Schools in zip code 93280 include 11 schools: six elementary, two middle, two high, and one alternative, with ten reporting 2025–2026 test results; Kings Valley Academy II’s latest results are from 2024–2025. Across the ten schools, average proficiency was 35% in English language arts (ELA), 19% in mathematics, and 19% in science, compared with state rates of 49%, 38%, and 36%. Results also vary widely from school to school. The clearest overall finding is that most schools are below state proficiency rates, particularly in mathematics.

Wasco High is the strongest broad standout: its ELA proficiency was 64%, 14 percentage points above the state and 32 points above the average of the other nine schools. It was the only school above the state rate in all-grades ELA. Teresa Burke Elementary led mathematics at 34%, though that was still 4 points below the state. Semitropic Elementary led science at 33%, about 3 points below the state, despite ELA and mathematics results of 19% and 5%. At the other end, Wasco Independence High had the lowest ELA and mathematics results—19% and 0%—and 18% in science. Its chronic absenteeism was 60%, compared with 18% statewide, even as its graduation rate was just above the state rate.

Across these schools, average ELA improved by 1 percentage point from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, science rose by 5 points, and mathematics was essentially flat; the average mathematics gap with the state widened by 1 point. Individual changes differed: Pond Elementary gained 15 points in ELA, while Semitropic’s science result rose 33 points. SchoolDigger’s ranking percentiles also diverged: Pond moved from the 19th to the 35th percentile, while Semitropic fell from the 19th to the 1st; Wasco High was highest among schools with rank histories at the 52nd percentile. As context, reported free/reduced lunch eligible rates for 2024–2025 ranged from 89% at John L. Prueitt Elementary to 96% at Karl F. Clemens Elementary; Pond was also at 96%, while Semitropic was at 61%. These are observations about school measures, not explanations for results.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CAST Science (2026)						Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2026)								Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)								Vaccination (2024-25)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 10th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Vaccination: Kindergartners with all required immunizations	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Kings Valley Academy II	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	312 West Seventh St.	Hanford	93280	Kings County	Kings Valley Academy II District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 242-2506	1,090	33	33.2	91.3%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					22.7	22.7							21.9	21.9							6.3	6.3			$21,532	$671	$20,861
Pond Elementary	Public	K-8	29585 Pond Rd.	Wasco	93280	Kern County	Pond Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 792-2545	175	10	17.1	96.0%	8 (4.6%)	1 (0.6%)	160 (91.4%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.3%)	32.5	3774^th of 5817 public elementary schools	35.1%		22.9	4602^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	21.4%	828	20.0	10.0				14.3	58.8	38.5	40.0	26.7	29.4	30.0		37.3	23.5	34.6	20.0	13.3	11.8	25.0		22.7	89%	0%	$25,482	$2,497	$22,985
Semitropic Elementary	Public	K-8	25300 Highway 46	Wasco	93280	Kern County	Semitropic Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 758-6412	140	10	14.5	61.4%	1 (0.7%)	3 (2.1%)	136 (97.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5.6	5782^nd of 5817 public elementary schools	0.6%		14.7	5295^th of 5857 public elementary schools	9.6%	487		38.1				33.3		16.7		13.6	33.3	23.8		19.0		8.3		0.0	9.5	4.8		5.3			$31,486	$2,674	$28,812
John L. Prueitt Elementary	Public	K-5	3501 Seventh St.	Wasco	93280	Kern County	Wasco Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 758-7180	621	29	21.4	89.0%	9 (1.4%)	6 (1.0%)	593 (95.5%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	5 (0.8%)	33.2	3723^rd of 5817 public elementary schools	36.0%		31.6	3833^rd of 5857 public elementary schools	34.6%	110	17.0					17.0	47.7	47.6	37.8					44.0	34.8	30.8	11.5					24.8	≥ 99%		$19,706	$1,340	$18,366
Karl F. Clemens Elementary	Public	K-5	600 Griffith Ave.	Wasco	93280	Kern County	Wasco Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 758-7120	551	26	21.1	95.5%	13 (2.4%)	4 (0.7%)	531 (96.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	13.5	5354^th of 5817 public elementary schools	8.0%		11.5	5534^th of 5857 public elementary schools	5.5%	180	7.2					7.2	33.3	25.9	17.9					25.0	29.2	10.8	5.2					13.9	96%	0%	$20,121	$1,354	$18,767
Palm Avenue Middle	Public	6-8	1017 Palm Ave.	Wasco	93280	Kern County	Wasco Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 758-7130	631	29	21.4	89.1%	8 (1.3%)	7 (1.1%)	613 (97.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	28.9	1876^th of 2740 public middle schools	31.5%		31	1802^nd of 2761 public middle schools	34.7%	74		21.4				21.4				39.9	41.7	45.2		42.3				16.9	16.7	13.9		15.8			$19,785	$1,342	$18,443
Thomas Jefferson Middle	Public	6-8	305 Griffith Ave.	Wasco	93280	Kern County	Wasco Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 758-7140	591	27	21.7	90.9%	12 (2.0%)	7 (1.2%)	567 (95.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	20.4	2205^th of 2740 public middle schools	19.5%		23.9	2056^th of 2761 public middle schools	25.5%	149		17.5				17.5				25.8	26.7	35.1		29.5				18.4	15.9	20.4		18.4			$19,320	$1,377	$17,943
Teresa Burke Elementary	Public	K-5	1301 Filburn St.	Wasco	93280	Kern County	Wasco Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 758-7480	503	25	20.1	93.0%	10 (2.0%)	7 (1.4%)	477 (94.8%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.0%)	33.5	3701^st of 5817 public elementary schools	36.4%		29.8	3980^th of 5857 public elementary schools	32.0%	279	24.6					24.6	26.1	40.0	34.8					34.1	30.4	43.5	26.1					34.1	≥ 99%		$21,437	$1,350	$20,087
James A. Forrest Elementary	Public	K-5	401 North Griffith Ave.	Wasco	93280	Kern County	Wasco Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 758-7490	576	24	24.0	89.4%	10 (1.7%)	5 (0.9%)	557 (96.7%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29.3	4044^th of 5817 public elementary schools	30.5%		27	4222^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	27.9%	178	12.8					12.8	34.4	30.7	39.5					35.1	44.4	34.7	12.8					30.7	98%	0%	$20,410	$1,351	$19,059
Wasco High	Public	9-12	1900 Seventh St.	Wasco	93280	Kern County	Wasco Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 758-7400	1,672	78	21.4	87.5%	51 (3.1%)	29 (1.7%)	1,579 (94.4%)	10 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	50.7	1023^rd of 2135 public high schools	52.1%		52.3	983^rd of 2162 public high schools	54.5%	40			16.9	27.3	34.5	22.4							63.7	63.7							22.7	22.7			$25,349	$1,041	$24,308
Wasco Independence High	Public	9-12	1445 Poso Dr.	Wasco	93280	Kern County	Wasco Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 758-7450	109	6	17.6	96.3%	2 (1.8%)	3 (2.8%)	104 (95.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15.7	1741^st of 2135 public high schools	18.5%		20.1	1691^st of 2162 public high schools	21.8%	50					20.0	18.2							18.6	18.6							0.0	0.0

Cities Near Zip Code 93280

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Wasco	2.15 mi	10	761^st
Shafter	7.72 mi	8	631^st
Mc Farland	9.21 mi	7	713^th
Delano	12.52 mi	19	339^th
Bakersfield	15.49 mi	152	620^th

See the top CA California cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.