Best public high schools in California
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Best public high schools in California
As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a ’96 commencement address at Wellesley College, “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” If that’s the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It’s a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 48.1 million students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in 2020; and there are almost 24,000 public high schools in the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
For many anxious parents, getting their kid into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the best public high schools in California using rankings from Niche. Here’s how it breaks down: Niche uses eight factors for its rankings, with each factor given a different weight. A whopping 60% of the score is based on academics and grades, which is calculated using state assessment proficiency tests, SAT/ACT scores, and survey responses. From there, culture and diversity, parent and student surveys on their overall experiences, and teachers each contribute to 10% of the score. Finally, scores for each school’s clubs and activities, health and safety, resources and facilities, and sports constitute 2.5% each.
Keep reading to find out which public high schools are the best in your state.
#23. University High School
– Location: Fresno
– Enrollment: 477 (25:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#22. Westview High School
– School district: Poway Unified School District
– Enrollment: 2,376 (27:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#21. Campolindo High School
– School district: Acalanes Union High School District
– Enrollment: 1,376 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#20. Mt. Everest Academy
– Location: San Diego Unified School District
– Enrollment: 258 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#19. Mountain View High School
– School district: Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District
– Enrollment: 2,183 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#18. Carmel High School
– School district: Carmel Unified School District
– Enrollment: 869 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#17. Lowell High School
– School district: San Francisco Unified School District
– Enrollment: 2,871 (25:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#16. Academy of the Canyons
– School district: William S. Hart Union High School District
– Enrollment: 406 (31:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#15. Whitney High School
– School district: Abc Unified School District
– Enrollment: 1,015 (26:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#14. Los Altos High School
– School district: Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District
– Enrollment: 2,253 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#13. Northwood High School
– School district: Irvine Unified School District
– Enrollment: 2,151 (27:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#12. Lynbrook High School
– School district: Fremont Union High School District
– Enrollment: 1,944 (23:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#11. La Canada High School
– School district: La Canada Unified School District
– Enrollment: 2,069 (25:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#10. University High School
– School district: Irvine Unified School District
– Enrollment: 2,211 (26:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#9. Torrey Pines High School
– School district: San Dieguito Union High School District
– Enrollment: 2,479 (26:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#8. Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
– School district: Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District
– Enrollment: 2,304 (24:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#7. Orange County School of the Arts
– Location: Santa Ana
– Enrollment: 2,204 (29:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#6. Troy High School
– School district: Fullerton Joint Union High School District
– Enrollment: 2,602 (25:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#5. Palo Alto High School
– School district: Palo Alto Unified School District
– Enrollment: 2,177 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#4. California Academy of Mathematics & Science
– School district: Long Beach Unified School District
– Enrollment: 659 (28:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#3. Saratoga High School
– School district: Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District
– Enrollment: 1,368 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#2. Canyon Crest Academy
– School district: San Dieguito Union High School District
– Enrollment: 2,533 (28:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#1. Henry M. Gunn High School
– School district: Palo Alto Unified School District
– Enrollment: 1,996 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
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