Shafter, California

SHAFTER , CAL I FORNI A Kern County and we’re adding to our police force. Researchers at BackgroundCheck.org looked at cities with 10,000 or more people and calculated the violent crime rates and property crime rates (compared to the population and number of law enforcement workers) to come up with the safest city rankings. Also, of importance is the California State Auditors’ report on 470 California cities, ranking them for lowest risk of facing financial challenges, based on various financial indicators. Shafter was ranked 435, meaning we have less chance of financial risk here than 92 percent of the rest of the state. So, only eight percent of the state is more financially sound than our little city of 20,000.” Shafter places a huge emphasis on education for youth, adults, and business owners, believing that workforce development is economic development. A stellar example of that philosophy is the Shafter Learning Center – operated by the Shafter Education Partnership (a department of the City of Shafter). Sharing a building with the Shafter branch of the Kern County Library, the Center hosts classes that enrich education for all. Though the graduation rate at Shafter High has been trending up, college enrollment after high school has been flat at about 50 percent of graduates. To remedy this and reduce barriers to enrollment, the Learning Center has been working with Bakersfield College (BC). Starting in 2015-16 with 14 sections, BC grew to having 49 sections in Shafter in 2018-19, and plans to offer more in the future. Approximately 1,000 students attend classes or other programs at the Learning Center each month. Another 500 per month stop by to study, fill out a job application, or use the public computers. In a survey of 1,128 residents from 2019, 68 percent said that they or someone in their family had used the Shafter Learning Center. Visitors love Shafter as a destination, for its myriad of arts and cultural offerings – most notably, COLOURS, a Celebration of the Arts held each February. The multi-day event showcases COLOURS - A Celebration of the Arts 5020 Lisa Marie Ct, Bakersfield, CA 93313 (661) 397-5511 www.tel-tec.com