About

Welcome to the Bakersfield City School District

The Bakersfield City School District (BCSD) is located in Kern County, a community historically known for its rich oil and fertile agricultural lands. A primarily rural county with large areas of undeveloped land, but also a growing urbanized area surrounded by smaller communities. The county is home to 47 different school districts, Bakersfield City School District being the largest elementary school district in the county, serving upwards of 28,000 students.

Guiding Principles

Values

The Bakersfield City School District is committed to strong values that guide our daily behavior toward student success. The Bakersfield City School District Board of Education defines how we must work with our students, colleagues, and community through the following core values:

Equity: To ensure students and adults receive impartial treatment and that students have access to educational opportunities according to their unique needs.
Integrity: To demonstrate honesty, trustworthiness, and strong moral principles.
Caring: To treat others with empathy and genuine concern for their well-being.
Collaboration: To work jointly towards common goals through the sharing of our responsibilities, knowledge, and experiences.
Personal and Collective Accountability: To honor our obligations and take ownership of our actions and results.

Vision

Mission

District Goals

Academic Achievement: Establish a culture of high-quality teaching and learning through individual and collective accountability with high expectations for all students.
Social-Emotional Learning: Ensure a safe, healthy, and secure environment for all students, parents, guardians, and employees.
Family and Community Engagement: Ensure all parents and community members are welcomed and engaged in the learning process.

Core Priorities

Priority 1: A Culture of Collective Efficacy

We believe in the collective capacity of our staff and the ability of staff at each school to positively affect student achievement.

Priority 2: A Culture of Teaching and Learning

We believe grade-level mastery of content standards (Language, Literacy, Mathematics, and the Sciences) are critical for college and career readiness.

Priority 3: A Culture of Student-Centered Schools

We believe in the power of relationships, the importance of teaching self-awareness and self-management techniques leading to responsible decision making to support the development of the whole child to compete in our global economy.

Priority 4: A Culture of Access and Inclusion to Ensure a Multi-Tiered System of Supports for All Learners

We believe implementing a coherent system is vital to meet the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs of all students.

Portrait of a Graduate

What is Portrait of a Graduate?

The Bakersfield City School District believes in order for all students to reach their full potential, schools must be intentionally designed to hold all students to high expectations. Through the development and use of a Portrait of a Graduate, schools can embrace an expanded definition of student success, one that ensures students are fully equipped with core academic knowledge and skills, as well as a range of other competencies that we all need to be successful in education, work, and life.

During the 2022/23 school year, a committee of various stakeholders including parents, principals, community groups, and support staff joined together to engage in meaningful conversations, unifying in a collective framework to guide students and the work of the district into the future. The committee established the six Portrait of a Graduate competencies, which include Communicator, Collaborator, Creator, Critical Thinker, Resilient Learner, and Problem Solver. The 2023/24 school year is committed to raising awareness and establishing a strategic plan that schools and educators can utilize to help students achieve each competency on their journey to becoming BCSD graduates.

We know our students today live in a very different world than those of the past and it is crucial that we redesign our educational system to meet their needs. Please watch the videos to learn more, and keep a lookout for more information on this exciting new venture to help BCSD students flourish!