2020 Best Charter Schools in the San Francisco Bay AreaAbout this List

University Preparatory Academy Charter School

• Public School
• San Jose, CA
• 7-12
• 155 reviews

Senior: overall good! good diversity, good support, great trips, okay involvement, great academics, amazing staff, ok sports but a RLY damaging stress culture

administration is genuinely passionate in helping kids. all teachers r very supportive. students have access to tutors/direct aid if needed. volunteering is encouraged. refrain from AP overload & you will be ok!

school is very small- you will get to know each person in your grade. the advantage is pretty cool field trips. the disadvantage is that it gets REALLY dry & there are very limited activities/electives

no school spirit/sports. overwhelming stress- immigrant family pressure that unintentionally translates to peer pressure. most kids see anything less than excellent as an academic/personal shortcoming. teachers try to dissuade that, but school NEEDS to address it

this school will prep you for college, but PLEASE emphasize on your kid's attitude towards academics, or the fear-of-failure culture will suck them in like a vortex
Read 155 Reviews

• A+

• 616 Students
• 20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Yu Ming Charter School

• Public School
• Oakland, CA
• K-8
• 1 review

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+

• 357 Students
• 20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Bullis Charter School

• Public School
• Los Altos, CA
• K-8
• 6 reviews

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 6 Reviews

• A

• 825 Students
• 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Discovery Charter School

• Public School
• San Jose, CA
• K-8
• 9 reviews

Parent: Discovery is such an amazing school! My son has definitely come out of his shell and has learned so much! This is his 2nd year there and he loves going to school everyday. Most days he wants to stay longer in the extended care program. The kids get exposed to all sorts of different things such as, cooking, gardening, arts and crafts, Operas & the amazing field trips. I love that all teachers have Collece degrees so they are extremely knowledgeable and professional :)
Read 9 Reviews

• A

• 552 Students
• 21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Design Tech High School

• San Mateo Union High School District, CA
• 9-12
• 29 reviews

Senior: Design Tech High School is a fairly new public charter school. I started as a freshman back in 2015, now I am a senior and it has just been wonderful being apart of d.techs first years. The community here is so welcoming and creative. Classes spark innovation and you get the opportunity to learn design thinking which is a super helpful problem-solving process. This school was a really fun and interesting experience that had its ups and downs but changed me for the better overall. Go Dragons!
Read 29 Reviews

• A

• 414 Students
• 25:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Heather Elementary School

• San Carlos Elementary School District, CA
• K-4

• A

• 434 Students
• 20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Alameda Community Learning Center

• Alameda Unified School District, CA
• 6-12
• 16 reviews

Senior: ACLC is a school that is heavily focused on independent learning, democracy, and leadership initiative. With its loose structure and "learn-by-doing" model, academics are learner-focused and prepare students for college atmospheres.

Pros:
- Free periods = freedom
- Opportunity to take classes at any Peralta community college
- Leadership role in clubs, school boards, school committees, Leadership (ASB equivalent)
- Access to computers and printers at school
- Unique culture and traditions

Cons:
- Some teachers are very invested in your learning while others are less so
- Technology does not always work (spotty)
- Food, besides parent-made lunches, is mediocre
Read 16 Reviews

• A

• 374 Students
• 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Tierra Linda Middle School

• San Carlos Elementary School District, CA
• 5-8

• A

• 710 Students
• 21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Summit Public School - Shasta Campus

• Jefferson Union High School District, CA
• 9-12
• 50 reviews

Senior: Though a small campus, the students and teachers are lively and ready to learn and teach. The students are diverse and friendly, and the teachers are wise and committed to their teaching.

The curriculum differs from other high schools. Class time is spent on the projects that test us on how well we can show important skills such as formulating a theme, selecting evidence, and discussion. The content knowledge comes from the Summit Learning Platform, which shows our whole year's worth of work that we study and master on our own. And hey, if you are a star student, you can even take sophomore classes your freshman year!

The Summit schools have the mentorship program, where students are assigned a mentor for all four years. I formed deep friendships under this system. My mentor was someone who I could go to whenever I needed advice, to vent, or just to chat.

I do not regret coming to Shasta. Coming here has actually made me eager to come to school every day!
Read 50 Reviews

• A

• 425 Students
• 33:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Leadership Public Schools - Hayward

• Hayward Unified School District, CA
• 9-12
• 244 reviews

Junior: Leadership Public Schools - Hayward is a great school! It has helped me prepare for college and has made sure I have had various learning and educational opportunities. However, this school is only known for helping students prepare for college. There is a limited variety of sports and other extra curricular opportunities at this school. This school is not for those who want to play sports in the years that they will spend here. Other schools in the vicinity of Hayward have various competitive sports teams, while Leadership Public Schools - Hayward only offers a limited amount of sports including: Basketball, Baseball, Volleyball and soccer. When I first attended this school, I was assuming they had a swim and cross country team. Unfortunately, after having attended this school for a year, I realized they did not. Although this school is not known for its competitive sports teams, it has a reputation of being the best school in Hayward.
Read 244 Reviews

• A

• 578 Students
• 22:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Brittan Acres Elementary School

• San Carlos Elementary School District, CA
• K-3

• A

• 348 Students
• 20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

White Oaks Elementary School

• San Carlos Elementary School District, CA
• K-3

• A

• 292 Students
• 23:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Forest Hill Elementary School

• Campbell Union School District, CA
• K-5

• A

• 654 Students
• 23:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Arundel Elementary School

• San Carlos Elementary School District, CA
• K-4

• A

• 496 Students
• 23:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Everest Public High School

• Sbe - Everest Public High School District, CA
• 9-12
• 162 reviews

Senior: Overall, I like my school, the schedule isn't the best, but I feel as their education system, is amazing and fits me most as a student than any other high school I think of. Everest Public High School is a college prep charter school with not many students attending which does make it easier for me because I feel like I'm a student that requires a lot of attention from teachers in order for me to be at my best, it also makes the work for the teachers kind of stress free too. My school also offers many all around subject courses like Screenwriting classes, which I'm going to be a teacher assistant for because I enjoy cinematography a lot.
Read 162 Reviews

• A

• 409 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

The Academy of Alameda

• Alameda Unified School District, CA
• 6-8
• 4 reviews

Parent: Well designed, thoughtful, program that includes core academics, music, and extracurricular activities. Teachers are engaged and available to parents when needed. My child graduated from 8th grade in June 2019 and her experience was more than I could have hoped for - they embed diversity and respect, and have simple steps to ensure the teachers and others have an eye on the development of each child (soon to be adult).
Read 4 Reviews

• A

• 511 Students
• 21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Oakland School for the Arts

• Oakland Unified School District, CA
• 6-12
• 125 reviews

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 125 Reviews

• A

• 779 Students
• 22:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Marshall Lane Elementary School

• Campbell Union School District, CA
• K-5
• 1 review

Alum: The teachers were great and very supportive. Everyone was nice to each other and very friendly. The school really helped me become more open and confident.
Read 1 Review

• A

• 561 Students
• 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

San Carlos Charter Learning Center

• San Carlos Elementary School District, CA
• K-8
• 1 review

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-

• 371 Students
• 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Oakland Charter High School

• Oakland Unified School District, CA
• 9-12
• 146 reviews

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 146 Reviews

• A-

• 445 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Summit Public School - Denali Campus

• Public School
• Sunnyvale, CA
• 6-12
• 7 reviews

Sophomore: I have attended Summit Denali for about 5 or 6 years now, and overall, my experience has been pretty great. Since 6th grade, every single teacher and staff member wanted to see me succeed. Teachers make special connections with every student and guide them throughout middle and high school. The classes and learning system help us with academic independence, research, and it's great preparation for college. Every student at Denali is there to succeed and go to college. Denali has a close community where every student feels welcome. As I said, Summit Denali is a great school overall because it truly prepares every student for life after high school.
Read 7 Reviews

• A-

• 411 Students
• 34:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

American Indian Public High School

• Oakland Unified School District, CA
• 9-12
• 142 reviews

Senior: The focus of this school is to make you look good on your transcripts by making you take AP classes, which starts as soon as 9th grade. The nice thing is that this school pays for everyone of these tests, so all you have to do is study and pass. The environment is probably the safest it can be because from the past four years I been at this school, I have never been put down. The staff is also easily accessible, you either walk to the office/class to see them or just email them any concerns you have. One of things I dislike about this school is how they manage their budget, for example, they bought televisions for every classroom, but I have never even seen them be turned on. Another one would be some of the teachers they hire, some of which I think don't even qualify to be a teacher.
Read 142 Reviews

• A-

• 260 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Price Charter Middle School

• Cambrian School District, CA
• 6-8
• 6 reviews

• A-

• 1,088 Students
• 24:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Rolling Hills Middle School

• Campbell Union School District, CA
• 5-8
• 8 reviews

Middle School Student: It's good so far the school day is pretty simple and you can make plenty friends!
One thing that really stands out about my school is the athleticism almost everyone in the school is involved in sports or really great clubs like the C.I.A Compassion In Action it's a really great school.! So glad I came here!
Read 8 Reviews

• A-

• 965 Students
• 22:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Village

• Campbell Union School District, CA
• K-5
• 1 review

Parent: Village is an excellent school. The parent involvement is what makes Village School great. The teachers and staff are also very experienced.
This is my child's third year at this school and she has learned so much, not only academically, but she also has developed social and life skills.
The school set is small so we feel like we are a big family.
If you like parent participation, it is up to the commitment this school requires and want your child that attend a school that is not focus on state tests. This is the right school for you.
Read 1 Review

• A-

• 275 Students
• 25:1 Student-Teacher Ratio