Compare Charter Schools in the San Francisco Bay Area

Best Schools

188 results

University Preparatory Academy Charter School
Public School
San Jose, CA
7-12
172 reviews
#1 Best Charter High Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Middle School Student: I am a incoming freshman and I attended 7th and 8th grade at UPA. My experience with the teachers and staff was very good. My teachers always made me feel like my education was important and they always did their best at teaching the material. Every single administrator within this school cares about their students, and I can promise you that. The only issue I have is with the high stress culture surrounding academics. UPA students are high achievers, but many should learn that getting higher grades than your classmates is not the most important thing. I hope that toxic aspect of UPA's environment changes!
Read 172 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
684 Students
21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Yu Ming Charter School
Public School
Oakland, CA
K-8
1 review
#1 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Middle School Student: so good. Everything about this school is very good and cool. I’m lovin’ it. Great sbac scores. Very excellent.
Read 1 Review
A+
Overall Niche Grade
445 Students
17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Discovery Charter School
Public School
San Jose, CA
K-8
12 reviews
#2 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Alum: I got the benefit of going to this school because all my older brothers were already going there. I went to DCS all the way from kindergarten to eighth grade. There are so many things that this school offers which you will never find anywhere else. One of the things that might either seem like a pro or a con is that DCS is very reliant on parent participation. This participation often makes school a lot easier as a young child. Though if you worry that as a parent you wouldn't be able to participate whether it be due to a job or something, don't worry about it! DCS is very understanding and only encourages parent participation if possible. Another great thing about DCS is that they really focus on building the skills you will need to succeed late in life. They might not give you as much homework and so it might seem that it is easier, but realistically they are just trying to get away from the idea of working for the grade rather than the gaining of knowledge and understanding.
Read 12 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
566 Students
21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Bullis Charter School
Public School
Los Altos, CA
K-8
8 reviews
#3 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Parent: Superb.
The school offers great instruction in Math, Science and English. Most kids seem way ahead of syllabus in Math. Kids learn about geography and being environment friendly from an early age.

There are tremendous opportunities for extra curricular activities like Drama, Art, Archery, Lacrosse and cool classes like pottery, comic book writing, reading club, math olympics. The school has a good number of players and fields teams in virtually every sport from basketball, baseball, soccer, etc.

The Bullis community is diverse, friendly and welcoming. Parents choose to be as involved or not-at-all without any expectations.
Read 8 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
915 Students
23:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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The New School of San Francisco
Public School
San Francisco, CA
K-4
1 review
#4 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Parent: Amazing curriculum, teachers, parent involvement, communication, and culture. I haven’t seen anything like it at other schools, public or private.
Read 1 Review
A
Overall Niche Grade
235 Students
13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Mission Preparatory
Public School
San Francisco, CA
PK, K-8
1 review
#5 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Middle School Student: I'm a current student in Mission Preparatory and it's great. Since it's a new school, I think it should have more clubs and sports, but academics are great. Teachers and staff are very supportive and encouraging.
Read 1 Review
A
Overall Niche Grade
385 Students
23:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Summit Public School - Shasta Campus
Public School
Daly City, CA
9-12
61 reviews
#2 Best Charter High Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Senior: Honestly, I really loved Shasta the minute I arrived on campus my freshman year; however, things have changed in the three years since.

For the first couple of years, you really felt heard as a student if the vast majority agreed with you. Workshops? You got it. More study time? Mhm! Since the new head of Summit Schools took over, we as a community have not felt acknowledged or respected as students because of how ignored our complaints have gone. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE this school and everything it has to offer. The teachers actually listen to you and help you whenever and wherever possible, but the heads of Summit (all schools) don't help.

Academics are amazing and I feel I'm ready for college as a Senior. Here, I found many of my passions and have grown as a better, more confident individual. Every student can find someone they trust and something they love about the school.
Read 61 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
491 Students
20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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San Carlos Charter Learning Center
Public School
San Carlos, CA
K-8
1 review
#6 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Middle School Student: Charter is a very good school with lots of group projects and involvement. They have lots of special activities and programs for children with learning difficulties. Parents are super involved and teachers are committed and ready to provide 1:1 guidance. For children who need advanced studies, the teachers will provide differential learning. The students are super friendly and ready to learn. There is a lot of focus on social emotional learning and teamwork. The administration is kind and helpful. The school applies Project Based Learning and hand-on activities. Students get lots of choice in what they do.

My one problem though, is that in the new campus made of shipping containers, whenever there is motion on the top floor, it makes a really loud sound on the bottom floor. This becomes a real difficulty for students k-2 and in the library. But they are working it out in different ways including doing a fun art project with egg cartons.
Read 1 Review
A
Overall Niche Grade
385 Students
22:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Tierra Linda Middle School
San Carlos Elementary School District, CA
5-8
2 reviews
#6 Best Charter Middle Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Parent: The school and school district have been very helpful during the distance learning transition. Very transparent on what's happening and how for parents to help their students.

School resources and teaching quality are good. Just like any school, how much you get out of it depends on how much you put in.
Read 2 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
701 Students
20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Downtown Charter Academy
Public School
Oakland, CA
6-8
4 reviews
#7 Best Charter Middle Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Middle School Student: Downtown Charter Academy has taught me not to judge people too quickly based on just one thing. Instead, I was taught to give the person a chance before I judge them. This school has great staff members and will treat you well if you treat them just as well!
Read 4 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
305 Students
22:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Heather Elementary School
San Carlos Elementary School District, CA
K-4
#7 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
A
Overall Niche Grade
400 Students
18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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White Oaks Elementary School
San Carlos Elementary School District, CA
K-3
#8 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
A
Overall Niche Grade
306 Students
23:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Arundel Elementary School
San Carlos Elementary School District, CA
K-4
#9 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
A
Overall Niche Grade
470 Students
21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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KIPP Summit Academy
Public School
San Lorenzo, CA
5-8
11 reviews
#8 Best Charter Middle Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Sophomore: The teachers of KIPP: Summit were some of the most supportive, caring people I've had the honor to meet. The care they put into each student really set each and every one of us up for high school. Expectations were high, and teachers set up students to meet the challenge. While the school was fantastic academically and supportively, I would have liked to see more experience outside the classroom. Funding for the school is limited, and is therefore put less into field trips and activities. However, the amount of time and care each teacher puts into the school is unmatched anywhere else, and outweighs the lack of funding for field trips and extra-curricular's.
Read 11 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
413 Students
24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Circle of Independent Learning Charter School
Fremont Unified School District, CA
K-12
28 reviews
#3 Best Charter High Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Parent: Advanced students are allowed to take college classes at community colleges and AP classes online. For club and activities, students can join their home high school in their district. The teachers genuinely care about students and their education.
Read 28 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
368 Students
24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Brittan Acres Elementary School
San Carlos Elementary School District, CA
K-3
#11 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
A
Overall Niche Grade
373 Students
22:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Alameda Community Learning Center
Public School
Alameda, CA
6-12
23 reviews
#4 Best Charter High Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Senior: I am a senior here and I very much love the freedom they allow its students (called learners). We are granted project periods for us to work on projects, homework, or attend college classes.

Firstly, the leadership opportunities are plentiful here. If I didn’t come here, I don’t know if I would have the skill sets and interpersonal abilities garnered throughout my years at ACLC.

Regarding clubs/extracurriculars, don’t come here for that. We have one robotics club and one computer science class.

If you take advantage of what you have here, you will be achieving a lot more than at a normal public high school. Academics are not stellar, but the freedom to take college classes are very beneficial. I will be graduating with over 30 college units and Participating in a research internship at a nearby university the following semester.

I would recommend sending your child here only if they are really good at being independent.
Read 23 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
351 Students
25:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Francophone Charter School of Oakland
Public School
Oakland, CA
K-8
#12 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
A
Overall Niche Grade
226 Students
21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Leadership Public Schools - Hayward
Public School
Hayward, CA
9-12
257 reviews
#5 Best Charter High Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Junior: The academic focus at LPS Hayward is very intense. There is definitely a lack of clubs and extracurriculars, however, the focus is on academics and college-readiness. The experience is not stress-free, and while resources for stress management are available, they are not advocated. In fact, there is an emphasis on reaching a high standard and continuing to raise that standard. The history department is well-developed and has well-informed teachers. In general, a good majority of the teachers are also willing to help students individually if needed.
Read 257 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
595 Students
24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Ross Valley Charter
Public School
Fairfax, CA
K-5
#13 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
A
Overall Niche Grade
161 Students
20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Oakland School for the Arts
Public School
Oakland, CA
6-12
135 reviews
#6 Best Charter High Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Junior: I have throughly enjoyed my experience at Oakland School for the Arts. The faculty is extremely friendly and outgoing, and the arts programs are incredible I have been at this school since 6th grade, and I would highly reccomend it to any prospective sstudents. In general college prep is pretty ok. If you are looking to pursue your art as a career (or at least in college) you will be well set. However, if you are looking to go into academic areas of study, it may be a little bit harder due to the smaller number of electives. Nevertheless, OSA is a really great school, and the community is amazing! A lot of people are super friendly, and it is easy to make friends and create support systems. The academic support and wellness counseling/therapy resources are also a big plus, and if you end up here, expect to have help whenever it is needed. I hope this helps to influence your decisions. Trust me, OSA is not an opportunity you want to miss out on. Hope to see you on campus!
Read 135 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
749 Students
19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Discovery Charter II
Public School
San Jose, CA
K-8
3 reviews
#14 Best Charter Elementary Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Parent: My family has attended Discovery Charter School 2 Falcon Campus for the last 5 years.

Teachers are able to follow the childrens’ lead for curriculum, and present opportunities to engage in hands-on activities including many field trips. One concern I had about specific academic needs not being met was swiflty addressed and adaptions were made, with the support of teachers and the director.

Social and emotional needs are supported at the school, and everyone is on the same page, responding to the children using Positive Discipline techniques.

Discovery provides the opportunity to stay with teachers for multiple years (looping).

Most of the parents regularly volunteer, and you can really create a village here.

My children are excited to go to school. Learning is fun and curiosity is encouraged. I am excited my children are enjoying their education, as their experiences there will likely result in life-long, engaged learners. I highly recommend you check D2 out!
Read 3 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
584 Students
25:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Design Tech High School
Public School
Redwood City, CA
9-12
53 reviews
#7 Best Charter High Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Senior: I enjoy the environment because of the small size. The community is very accepting, and I rarely see bullying (and when I do, someone usually speaks up).

In terms of teachers, although there are times when we have bad teachers(as it’s a start up,) the others truly do care about the students and will always do their best to support us.

The main positive is the amount of opportunity at the school, considering it’s located at Oracle, and we have professionals who come in. Many students also take classes at community colleges.

The main issue is that there is so much constant change which can be overwhelming. They are trying to develop a more effective way of teaching that isn’t based on cramming information into us, but this can result in frequently changing the systems. The school tries to give us time to do independent projects, but the repercussions of the system is that many aren’t used to the workload in college.
Read 53 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
555 Students
30:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Oakland Charter High School
Public School
Oakland, CA
9-12
153 reviews
#8 Best Charter High Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Freshman: Oakland Charter provides many opportunities for students to learn and benefit outside of school. For example, teachers have given us several scholarships, internships, and programs to apply to. Teachers and counselors are always willing to help students and take their time to guide us. There are many clubs that are available, all of which provide great events to obtain volunteer hours and great learning experiences. However, some change is necessary in sports and the food. There are some sports that are not open that would attract more students, such as swimming and track. Not many are motivated to join sports because they are uninterested in the ones provided. As for the food, I would like to see improvement in the quality of the lunches. There are days where the food just appears to be unappetizing, diminishing the yearning to eat. All in all, Oakland Charter provides several wonderful opportunities for their students to become better individuals.
Read 153 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
459 Students
19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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Everest Public High School
Public School
Redwood City, CA
9-12
169 reviews
#9 Best Charter High Schools in San Francisco Bay Area
Junior: I love Everest because it is highly a small school! It gives me the opportunity to reach out to my teachers, getting one on one help, and overall create relationships with them. It is definitely a college prep school where we are surrounded by my technology and playlists that help us independently study on our own. We have a tradition every year where all freshman, sophomore, junior, and seniors go on a camping trip and create community bondings! It is diverse which makes me feel more like at home since I am from East Palo Alto and not Redwood City. They give the best elective classes that are UC Approved, for example, Ethnic Studies, in which a few schools don't really include. I am in my Junior year and had spent the last 2 in a half years has an unweighted GPA of a 4.0. Everest gives all students the opportunity to be in AP classes to give them the challenge of their education. Overall, it is a great school and can't believe I am leaving in less than 2 years!
Read 169 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
409 Students
19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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George Washington University Online High School
Online School
Ashburn, VA
8-12
20 reviews
Parent: My child is an 8th grader at GWUOHS. We have been really pleased with the rigorous curriculum and the live classes, as well as the independent lessons. The pace of the courses are rapid and the assessments are varied, from quizzes and tests to papers and graded assignments where she shows her work. Prior to GWUOHS, she was bored at her private school and unchallenged by the classes. Now, she is excited and is working much more to her full potential. The teachers interact with the students like professors, and are a lot of help when needed in help sessions. Her fellow students are a diverse bunch, and they are all positive and supportive of one another. She has made friends with students from various parts of the country. Also, as a competitive athlete, she can accommodate her practice and competitive schedule more easily with online school without sacrificing rigor. Five stars!
Read 20 Reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
147 Students
13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School
Private School
Alexandria, VA
PK, K-12
110 reviews
Parent: We have experienced the lower, middle, and upper schools and our children have had extraordinary teachers who have taken the time to get to know and appreciate them as individuals. Small class size (around 16 kids per class) contributes to this, but it’s just as much about the genuine interest and care that they show our children. Every time our teenagers rave about their teachers at dinner (a frequent occurrence!) my wife and I feel so fortunate that the strong connections they formed with teachers in the Lower School have been replicated in the other divisions. Our kids have different strengths and interests and they have each found a home and great friends through academics, the arts and athletics. Speaking of the arts, our daughter was so excited to watch the Tonys with friends and then learn that next year’s theater/arts trip to NYC will include seeing Hadestown and having dinner with the cast!
Read 110 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
1,130 Students
7:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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St. Catherine's School
Private School
Richmond, VA
PK, K-12
123 reviews
Alum: I graduated almost 20 years ago and cannot be more grateful for my experiences at St. Catherine’s. The small classroom sizes and all-girls environment gave me the opportunity to shine as a relatively shy young girl, and develop into a strong leader. The rigorous academics prepared me to develop strong study skills that allowed me to do very well throughout college and graduate school. St.Catherine’s focus on honor and community has helped me focus on the truly important parts of life and being a responsible member of our society. I am truly thankful for my experiences at St. Catherine’s!
Read 123 Reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
980 Students
8:1 Student-Teacher Ratio
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