Lost Hills Union Elementary, Maple Elementary, and Semitropic Elementary Schools Districts have been working in partnership as the West Kern Consortium (WKC) for Full Service Community Schools, and have seen more growth than any other local district or charter school in Kern. Per 2023 California Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment data release, most school districts in California have struggled to catch up to their pre-pandemic numbers while WKC excels.



A full-service community school model centers the school as the community hub: a one-stop shop for support and services. Community schools are an evidence-based strategy for school improvement that leverage the resources and voices of the community to support the whole child. The WKC districts focus their educational plan on five priority areas: early childhood education, math and literacy education, expanded learning programs, family and community engagement, and social and mental health services.



“It really does take a village to get to this level. But, we want the world to know that it is possible,” says Assistant Superintendent and project director for the consortium Fidelina Saso says. “Children, no matter their life circumstances, are capable of learning at higher levels. We must lead with this in mind if we are going to get our goal as the highest performing district in Kern County.”  Since WKC’s inception, the consortium has grown to include Elk Hills Elementary, Wasco Union High School, and Taft Union High School Districts. WKC predicts these schools will make similar gains in due time, with some already showing seeds of success.