Editing Shafter, California (section)

==Education==

Shafter is home to the Richland School District which oversees operation of four schools: Golden Oak Elementary School (K-6), Redwood Elementary School (K-6), Sequoia Elementary School (K-6) and Richland Junior High School. The district operates under the leadership of superintendent Mrs. Raquel Posadas-Gonzalez. Class sizes in grades K-3 average 20 students, while grades 4–8 average 30 students. The district has three libraries as well as a marching band program, [[Gifted education|Gifted And Talented Education (GATE)]], and [[Project Lead the Way]]’s Gateway to Technology Program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.richland.k12.ca.us/index.cfm?fuseaction=menu&menu_id=1 |title=Richland School District |access-date=September 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218144347/http://www.richland.k12.ca.us/index.cfm?fuseaction=menu&menu_id=1 |archive-date=December 18, 2008  }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1608245730/Educators-laud-1-55-million-from-Chevron |title=Educators laud $1.55 million from Chevron - BakersfieldCalifornian.com |access-date=October 2, 2014 |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006102836/http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1608245730/Educators-laud-1-55-million-from-Chevron |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Richland Schools are active in academic competitions, including Math Field Day, [[National History Day|History Day]], and the Oral Language Festival.

Math has been a strength of Richland Schools in recent years. The percentage of Richland 8th graders scoring "Proficient" or "Advanced" in Algebra quadrupled from 2008 (8%) to 2013 (33%), earning the Richland Junior High Algebra Department an Award from the Shafter [[Chamber of commerce|Chamber of Commerce]] in 2013. In 2014, Richland students placed in the top three in four of eight categories at the Kern County Math Field Day Competition.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/ |title = DataQuest (CA Dept of Education)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.shafterchamber.org/2013/04/award-recipients-2013-awards-banquet/ |title=Award Recipients – 2013 Awards Banquet &#124; Shafter Chamber of Commerce |access-date=October 2, 2014 |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006130649/http://www.shafterchamber.org/2013/04/award-recipients-2013-awards-banquet/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://kern.org/2014/05/math-day-results/ |title=Math Day Results &#124; Kern County Superintendent of Schools |access-date=October 2, 2014 |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006105959/http://kern.org/2014/05/math-day-results/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2014, Mr. Claudio Martinez from Richland's Sequoia Elementary was honored as the regional GATE Teacher of the Year from the Regional California Association for the Gifted.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://richland.csbaagendaonline.net/cgi-bin/WebObjects/richland-eAgenda.woa/wa/displayMeeting?meetingID=1377 |title=Richland SD Agenda Online : Meeting & Agenda Browser |access-date=October 2, 2014 |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006094208/http://richland.csbaagendaonline.net/cgi-bin/WebObjects/richland-eAgenda.woa/wa/displayMeeting?meetingID=1377 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Shafter is also home to Shafter High School, a member of the [[Kern High School District]]. It was built by architects Edwin J. Symmes and Clarence Cullimore<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kcmuseum.org/stories/storyReader$1213 |title=KCSOS : KC Museum : Architects Who Designed Buildings in Kern County |access-date=September 30, 2008 |archive-date=July 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718170202/http://www.kcmuseum.org/stories/storyReader$1213 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> in the late 1920s. Officially founded in 1928, Shafter High School has a history as old as the town itself. Today, it is administered by Principal Russell Shipley. The school has undergone many recent renovations including the construction of a new cafeteria and new classroom space to meet the needs of a growing student body. The school is also home to the historical Fred L. Starrh Performing Arts Center, a large theater building with a fully functional [[fly system]]. [[File:Shafter High School.jpg|thumb|Shafter High School, located in Shafter, California]]

Shafter is also home to Kern Adventist Elementary. Kern Adventist Elementary is a small, one-teacher Christian school. It has been in operation for over 92 years.

===Shafter Education Partnership===
In 2010, the City of Shafter, the Richland School District, and Shafter High School formed the Shafter Education Partnership. The Partnership is funded by the City of Shafter with a 2014–15 budget allocation of $865,618.

In order to support its goal of forming a strong foundation in reading the Shafter Education Partnership distributes books for children to take home, offers summer and after school reading programs.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.turnto23.com/news/your-neighborhood/north-county/shafter-collects-thousands-of-books-for-children |title=Shafter Collects Thousands of Books for Children - 23ABC News |access-date=October 2, 2014 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001713/http://www.turnto23.com/news/your-neighborhood/north-county/shafter-collects-thousands-of-books-for-children |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.richland.k12.ca.us/groups/news_item?d=x&id=1408076655298&group_id=1301752452079&return_url=1408728102047 |title = School Loop}}</ref>

===Shafter Learning Center===
[[File:Shafter Learning Center.jpg|thumb|left|Shafter Learning Center]]
The Shafter Education Partnership, in conjunction with the [[Kern County Library]] and Richland School District, opened the Shafter Learning Center in June 2014. In that same year the building, which had housed the Shafter branch of the Kern County Library, was remodeled to include two classrooms and a computer lab. Classes are offered for students in the community and subjects range from math, keyboarding, art, science and reading to language courses. In 2021 the Kern County Shafter Library Branch closed. In response to the closure, the City of Shafter opened a municipal city library in the same building in partnership with Bakersfield College.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kerngoldenempire.com/story/d/story/new-learning-center-opens-at-shafter-library/15230/7TEGJM6uR0e0xtDrY-YD6Q |title=New learning center opens at Shafter library - KernGoldenEmpire |access-date=October 2, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006074334/http://www.kerngoldenempire.com/story/d/story/new-learning-center-opens-at-shafter-library/15230/7TEGJM6uR0e0xtDrY-YD6Q |archive-date=October 6, 2014  }}
</ref>