Fairfax School District

Fairfax School District was formed May 6, 1891 it is located in Bakersfield, California. In its first year, 1891-1892 the average daily attendance was 8 pupils. The school was destroyed by fire in 1929, right after Christmas vacation. Approximately 100 pupils and 3 teachers had just gathered on the first day back at school when the fire broke out. The cause of the fire was traced to a defective brick chimney resulting from a dynamite blast set off nearby in oil exploration activity.

Fairfax Cafeteria service dates back to 1928 when Mrs. Rench, one of the founders of the Fairfax PTA began cooking food for children's lunches in her home and transporting them to the school in kettles. Fairfax remained a small rural school until the late 1930s when it tripled in size going from an average daily attendance of 102 in 1934-35 to 312 in 1938-39. This rapid growth came as a result of many farm laborers coming into the area during the depression years. At times the student population would double overnight due to the seasonal influxes of migrant families. Large tents would be put up and temporary teachers were hired, as needed. School bus service began in 1936 when an old Reo bus was purchased from the Kern County High School District.

An earthquake in 1952 rendered Fairfax School unfit for occupancy. This led to the construction of the present Fairfax School.

By the 1960s the average daily attendance for the District was 807. Currently the average daily attendance for the District nears 2000. Fairfax became a grade 4 – 8 school in 1999. In 2005 it became a grade 6-8 school and was renamed Fairfax Middle School.

Virginia Avenue School opened in January, 1953, with eight classrooms and the present cafeteria. Virginia Avenue became a k-4 school in 1999 and a K-2 school in 2005. Shirley Lane Elementary School opened in 2005. Six classrooms were added in 2006 to accommodate the rapid growth in the district. Shirley Lane Elementary is a grade 3-5 school.

The districts' student achievement continues to rank in the lower percentiles within the county, due to the small amount of funds spent per student ($3327 compared to the 2008 state average of $5512) and the districts' ongoing commitment to low wages paid to its certificated staff ($39301 compared to the 2008 state average of $63421).

Fairfax Middle School continues to overwork its 27 teachers.

Education in Greater Bakersfield
Elementary School Districts
  • Bakersfield City School District
  • Beardsley School District
  • Edison School District
  • Fairfax School District
  • Fruitvale School District
  • Greenfield Union School District
  • Lakeside Union School District
  • Norris School District
  • Panama Buena Vista Union School District
  • Rosedale Union School District
  • Standard School District
High Schools*
  • Bakersfield High School
  • Centennial High School
  • East Bakersfield High School
  • Foothill High School
  • Frontier High School
  • Golden Valley High School
  • Highland High School
  • Independence High School
  • Liberty High School
  • Mira Monte High School
  • North High School
  • Ridgeview High School
  • South High School
  • Stockdale High School
  • West High School
Colleges & Universities
  • Bakersfield College
  • California State University, Bakersfield
Private Schools
  • Garces Memorial High School
  • Bakersfield Christian High School
* All schools are a part of the Kern High School District.

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