Our Story

Established in 1867, what is now the Bakersfield City School District was known as the Kern River Island School District. During its first year of operation, Average Daily Attendance (ADA) in the Kern River Island District was seventeen students. The name of the school district was shortened to Kern Island School District in 1868 and it retained that name until 1882 when it became the Bakersfield City School District (BCSD).

By 1900, BCSD educated 566 students at three schools. Flash forward 120 years, and the Bakersfield City School District is the largest K-8 school in California, serving more than 30,000 students at 44 school sites.

Our vision in the Bakersfield City School District is to be the model of educational excellence, equity and innovation. With a staff of more than 4,000 we work daily to achieve our mission, to educate all students at the highest levels of academic excellence to become collaborative, creative, and critical thinkers.