2023 Best High Schools in Sonoma County

• Santa Rosa, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.49 out of 5  47 reviews

Junior: Sonoma Academy is a warm and welcoming community of students, teachers, and staffulty (faculty & staff). Campus safety can be measured by the hundreds of backpacks laying on the ground outside with no incidents of robbery or otherwise. The teachers are super understanding and always find unique ways to engage their classes. The curriculum teaches students to be deep thinkers and to ask questions, not just memorize dates in a textbook. Overall, SA students are met with a chill/relaxed environment in the context of an academically rigorous school. SA offers any and every opportunity: from its professional recording studio open to students, to its state-of-the-art teaching kitchen, to its awe-inspiring theater and music productions, to it’s fantastic speech and debate teams and it’s many sports.... Read 47 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 330

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Santa Rosa High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  347 reviews

Junior: First and foremost, the teachers at this school are fantastic! They seem to truly care about us as students, and they know what they are doing. Each department works closely together to make sure that they are doing their part to deliver a high quality education to students. MCHS has its fair share of extracurriculars. Some are intellectually stimulating, some are athletic, and some are just plain fun. Between clubs and electives, there seems to be something for everyone to enjoy (provided they have enough motivation to seek it out). Unfortunately, MCHS has rampant academic dishonesty. Many students are very focused on grades, and a majority of those students view cheating as a viable way to get better grades. This aspect of the MCHS environment can pressure individuals to behave in unethical ways in order to "keep up" with the grades of their classmates. MCHS has its fair share of issues, but in my opinion, this is the worst problem it has.... Read 347 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,495

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.76 out of 5  75 reviews

Junior: Technology High is a wonderful school is gives you many opportunities to expand your learning. Our campus is a very inclusive campus and very welcoming. The teachers at our school are hard working and put all their efforts into do what is best for us. If that means staying until late at school they will do it. Our campus is a calm and safe campus. Technology High School wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for everyone’s dedication in learning! Our campus has different clubs running every single day and after school sports and this gives us a chance to meet new people and to do something we love.... Read 75 reviews

• grade A

• Students 339

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Petaluma, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  70 reviews

Senior: Overall, St. Vincent is a great school and is the oldest Catholic High School in the North Bay. The teachers are extraordinary and will go out of their way to help you; a new administration team has provided renewed vitality to critical elements of the school while maintaining the school's roots. Our athletic teams have been strengthened across the board, especially in football, baseball, soccer, volleyball, and nearly every other sports team. It is evident that the school is growing and adapting to the challenges of thriving in a competitive landscape, as evident in increased enrollment and an improving atmosphere. Academics are rigorous and strong in most areas, although there could be improvements to the math department. Essentially all other areas are very strong and I would definitely expect to see continual growth/improvement in the coming years. It's a great time to become a Mustang!... Read 70 reviews

• grade A

• Students 216

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Healdsburg, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.31 out of 5  58 reviews

Works Here: A great private school that values their students success. Great athletic program and extra curricular programs like Auto shop, Wood working, Glass design and drama. The best part about the school is their property. They have over 300 acres, on 4 miles of the Russian River. The students use the land for play recreation and study. The PE classes go kayaking, how cool is that?! Biology class does a river research every year. The students feel safe and the teachers make learning exciting!... Read 58 reviews

• grade A

• Students 120

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Petaluma Joint Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.7 out of 5  321 reviews

Junior: Casa Grande High School is a average high school, with very good athletic opportunities, as well as clubs and student involvement. I will say, attending a public high school in California has its positives and negatives. Negatives being the safety management. There have been multiple occasions where there have been school threats made by students alone this school year (2022-2023), and while the administration took charge, the student community definitely would have felt more safe with harsh restrictions in order.... Read 321 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,777

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Santa Rosa, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.06 out of 5  123 reviews

Senior: I transferred to Cardinal Newman High School for my Junior year in midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite beginning at my new school on zoom, the transition was seamless. Both the teachers and my peers welcomes me and help me from the very start. I quickly thrived under the higher standard of education which Cardinal Newman and the teachers offered. Despite the more challenging coursework, I was learning more than before and achieving higher grades. I also joined the soccer team where under Coach Corriveau, who was also my religion teacher, I grew both as an athlete and as a person. With his help, committed to play soccer at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall. Transferring to Cardinal Newman was the best decision I have ever made and I am a lot happier with school than ever before.... Read 123 reviews

• grade A

• Students 590

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Petaluma Joint Union High School District, CA•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

High School Senior: Before I attended Valley Oaks, I had bad grades and didn't pay attention in class because of my friends. When I started going to Valley Oaks, my grades got better and got to do my work in my own pace. :)... Read 2 reviews

• grade A

• Students 41

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• West Sonoma County Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  46 reviews

Alum: Amazing support from teachers and administration. Campus culture is inclusive, welcoming, supportive and safe!... Read 46 reviews

• grade A

• Students 562

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Santa Rosa, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.38 out of 5  21 reviews

Senior: Summerfield is truly an educational experience like no other. The balanced and engaging curriculum is grounded in science and math, dives deep into the humanities and rounds the student's development with an emphasis on the arts. The teachers are demanding but meet the students as individuals, and an unparalleled relationship of trust is formed. A Summerfield education enables students to be competitive and succeed in all academic settings, but more importantly it teaches students how to learn and turn any situation that life may offer into success.... Read 21 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 262

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Santa Rosa High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  349 reviews

Junior: I have enjoyed my time at Santa Rosa High School. The culture at Santa Rosa High School has been built on the traditions of diversity, resiliency and school pride. I have been a three sport athlete since freshman year participating in football, basketball, and track. Santa Rosa offers challenging courses that continue to expand my education. Our school offers a variety of clubs and extracurricular activities to keep us engaged in our community and our school. We are the oldest high school in Sonoma County and continue to show our school spirit. The lessons I have learned at Santa Rosa High School will help me develop into the person I want to become.... Read 349 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,872

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Petaluma Joint Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.7 out of 5  162 reviews

Senior: I have loved clubs, sports, and my classes because they introduced me to such amazing people. The school itself has adequate resources for just about anything you want to do, there are loads of sports available with competitive teams, tons of clubs that boast large rosters and active events, and the extracurriculars on campus are nice too. Other classes like ASB and band that often encourage and require extracurricular and volunteer efforts, are usually underfunded and rely very heavily on the student body. That said, if you go to this school there are multitudinous ways to help yourself be successful. Whether that means joining clubs, sports, taking AP classes, getting involved in student government, getting involved in city government, or taking college courses for free through the SRJC, I'm sure you can succeed like I have.... Read 162 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,369

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Rohnert Park, CA•

• Public School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.45 out of 5  42 reviews

Alum: As a Credo graduate and transfer student, I can attest to its incredibly welcoming environment and excellent college preparedness. Both creative and critical thinking skills are championed. Credo is a Waldorf inspired high school so you'll be required to take a lot of art classes; it utilizes a block system so if you're unable to adapt quickly to new teachers and subject material, then Credo might not be a fit due to its rigorous academics. Credo has its imperfections, mainly in the form of inexperienced teachers. However, most teachers are phenomenal and go the extra mile for students. The administration is responsive to student complaints. It's important to note that due to its location, Credo isn't super racially diverse – although I didn't feel ostracized as a POC and still felt a sense of belonging. Be sure you take a music class!... Read 42 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 402

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• West Sonoma County Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.89 out of 5  156 reviews

Senior: Analy High School is on the path to being an excellent school. It gives you a place to succeed in all aspects of school. In education, sports, music, art, agriculture, and socially, you can succeed at Analy. The staff and administration truly do want you to be successful. The student body is much more bonded than many of the schools in the area. It is true that we have problems with discrimination. While that is true for every school, the administration and the school is trying to combat it proactively in order to better the experience of students. Analy also has a supportive community surrounding it in West County. I think Analy is one of the better schools in the area and has the potential to be the best.... Read 156 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,158

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Windsor Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.86 out of 5  422 reviews

Senior: Windsor High School has a great system that allows their students to select an area of focus from which their English, History, Government, or Economics classes will be based around. By allowing me to center my learning around technology and multimedia, I can take classes that I genuinely like, much like how a college or university would function. The dress code was also modified in a manner that created equality and freedom of expression for everyone while remaining school-appropriate. Staff members have done a better job creating a safe environment where issues are addressed and consequences are established when needed. School councilors have been reaching out to students and demonstrating interest in their futures. My only critique would be that some teachers could do a better job explaining their content rather than relying on slides or textbooks. Overall, the school is great and I appreciate all the learning opportunities that the school provides its students.... Read 422 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,581

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Healdsburg Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.74 out of 5  69 reviews

Senior: I liked that it was a small school, not to much to do. The teachers here are amazing, they put so much thought in the class to make sure students are passing class. I’ve loved my experience with the district overall, they really do help you get ready for life after high school, the school is supportive of everything and everyone... Read 69 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 516

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Rohnert Park, CA•

• Public School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.22 out of 5  18 reviews

Senior: The teachers are excellent! They provide each student with the necessary tools and assistance that they need to succeed.... Read 18 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 417

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Cloverdale Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.25 out of 5  83 reviews

Senior: The school is great! Only major complaints are the availability of classes and staff rotation. There is a very limited range of advanced or diverse classes, but the classes that are taught have passionate instructors who are kind and readily available for questions. Recently, administration has been going through several changes. If there are a few dedicated and consistent administrators though, like right about now, it'll be a fantastic school!... Read 83 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 411

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Sonoma Valley Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.26 out of 5  228 reviews

Senior: Certain things about this school are better than others, but overall I'm glad to go here! There are some really cool staff members and a lot of AP/academic opportunities, however the campus can be rather dirty and a lot of fights happen here. Bathrooms will commonly close down due to students smoking in them, etc. Additionally, the school buses don't arrive until almost an hour after school lets out. I know that's not the fault of the school itself, but it still sucks that we don't have more drivers in this district. The library could be bigger, however our librarian is very qualified and commonly can be seen helping students with various assignments or computer issues. That reminds me, we each get an assigned Chromebook for class, which is nice (although that's a more recent development as they were implemented my freshman year).... Read 228 reviews

• grade B

• Students 1,203

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Santa Rosa High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.7 out of 5  299 reviews

Senior: Montgomery is an inclusive high school that excels in sports and offers the IB Program. The IB program is only offered at Montgomery in this area and has allowed many students to go on to school abroad. The sports program is very competitive with our leagues winning championships. One thing that should change is the facilities offered. The bathrooms are out of date, graffitied, and broken leaving students questioning the cleanliness of the school. Our portables have been used for about 30 years with no air conditioning leaving us hot during the summer, and no heater leaving us to freeze during the winter which is very inadequate for the students and the teachers.... Read 299 reviews

• grade B

• Students 1,624

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Santa Rosa, CA•

• Public School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  314 reviews

Senior: Roseland Charter School is part of the Roseland District in Santa Rosa. This school is a school that welcomes students as family. The 12-13 years I have been in this district I have never wanted to leave. The teachers and staff are extremely understanding of students and compassionate towards the fact that most of us attending the school are minorities. They treat students like adults, rather than kids and that is what I respect about this school. Other than having great peers, something not so great is the lack of funding for clubs and events. Unlike other schools we do not have a football, cheerleading, tennis or baseball team. The school lacks in having a variety of clubs that include all students interests. Something that makes this school stand out is the fact that all students are required to take AVID classes. These are classes that help students become leaders and show off their potential ad hardworking students.... Read 314 reviews

• grade B

• Students 1,438

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.67 out of 5  243 reviews

Junior: The students there are really accepting and accommodating. Anybody can be anybody. The teachers are great and put lots of effort into their classes(obviously there are a few less than desirable ones but that’s at every school). The ASB students also put many hours into making the school as fun as possible. The sports teams are great however Rancho puts most of their money into football so it leaves some of the other sports with old jerseys or broken equipment but it never stays that way for long! Those teams always get the fundraisers they need. This school also has great band opportunities. Band is always practicing and the band kids seem like a really tight-knit group. There’s colorguard, tons of different clubs, many class options and the counselors are pretty great too. We also have a College and Career Center on campus and it’s very helpful for students deciding on going to college but need some guidance. Overall, great school.... Read 243 reviews

• grade B

• Students 1,475

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• West Sonoma County Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  4 reviews

Senior: This school gave me hope. I wouldn't have graduated in 2017, and gotten to where I am today if it weren't for the school and the staff at Laguna High. My senior year, they even helped me get my first job and guided me in enrolling into the SRJC. Thank you Laguna.... Read 4 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 80

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Santa Rosa High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.73 out of 5  163 reviews

Sophomore: My experience at Piner High School has been great. The students are kind and get along well. The teachers do a great job in teaching their subjects in a way students can learn and understand. There are many programs in that can help you go into a future career path such as Health, Science, and Biotechnology (HSB) 3 year pathway elective. Piner is also of the STEM program. There is a Planetarium and Observatory on campus students can use for certain projects. One thing that can change for the better at Piner is the involvement of students and parents. Recently the school has set up activities in which students participated in. Overall Piner High School is a diverse and resourceful community!... Read 163 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 1,399

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Geyserville Unified School District, CA•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  4 reviews

Senior: What I liked about Geyserville New Tech Academy is that it was a small school, allowing students to become closer. It was a close-knit community, where students were able to easily access local community service opportunities. What I would change about Geyserville New Tech Academy is that students don't get to experience a great variety of electives and sports.... Read 4 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 110

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1