2023 Best School Districts in Santa Clara County

• Palo Alto, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.16 out of 5  63 reviews

Senior: PAUSD provides excellent support to students and parents alike, through a broad variety of class types and difficulties, accessible teachers and staff that are available and eager to help during and after school hours, consistent support for college applications, and informative sessions and newsletters for parents. The student networking and community resources are also robust. Campus culture is inviting and encourages exploration beyond one's own comfort zone. The experience at PAUSD, especially in high school, can be intense, but the level of pressure is controllable and customizable when one is well acquainted with their needs, including intellectual, emotional, and academic goals and boundaries.... Read 63 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 19

• Students 11,395

• Mountain View, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.35 out of 5  34 reviews

Senior: The teachers, resources, and student activities are great. There are many teachers who are clearly happy to be there and truly passionate about the material they teach. They are open to sacrificing their lunches to help students out and support any endeavors that the students embark on. Likewise, the counselors and all student resources are robust and plentiful, resulting in an environment that is very open and conducive towards personal growth. At the same time, the students have spirit and are high-achieving, but not competitive, fostering an enriching academic environment. Our school has many successful student organizations like robotics and speech and debate that all emphasize collaboration as a path towards success. I can't say the same for our administration.... Read 34 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 3

• Students 4,563

• Los Gatos, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.21 out of 5  33 reviews

Senior: I am a senior at Los Gatos High School. I love my school. For the most part, teachers care about their students and work hard to help their students. The extracurricular actives and sports teams are amazing. This school has spirit, and there is a sense of pride to being a wildcat. Los Gatos is a very academically competitive school, and produces students who are well prepared for college. However, this school is also very socially competitive. The administration does a lot for their students, but there have been many issues with administration including the #metoo movement. Students often don't feel heard or supported by the administration in these difficult situations.... Read 33 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 2

• Students 3,470

• Sunnyvale, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.12 out of 5  113 reviews

Senior: The Fremont Union High School District is a well-regarded school district in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is known for its strong academic programs, dedicated teachers, and diverse student population. The district has a high standard for education and offers a variety of extracurricular activities and clubs for students to participate in. The community and parents are also very supportive of the schools. However, like any school district, there may be areas for improvement such as funding, facilities, and resources. Some students may find that the district lacks in certain resources, or that the class sizes are too large which can make it difficult for individualized attention. Additionally, some student have reported that the district does not have enough support for mental health, which is becoming increasingly important for students to have.... Read 113 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 6

• Students 10,836

• Santa Clara, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  66 reviews

Sophomore: I believe the Santa Clara Unified School District is the Best School District in our area, as it preps us for the realworld STEM experience needed to survive right in the heart of Silicon Valley!... Read 66 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 27

• Students 14,808

• Milpitas, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.09 out of 5  56 reviews

Senior: Calaveras High School has really helped to shape me into the person I am today. Because of Calaveras High School, I become more confident as a person, and now, a natural leader. Although there were several fights and incidents within the four years I attended, my overall experience was positive. You don't only learn academically, but also personally, discovering who you are as a person. There are many staff and students who are willing to help you, all you have to do is ask! I'm thankful to have attended Calaveras High School and create memories that will last a lifetime.... Read 56 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 14

• Students 10,413

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.78 out of 5  36 reviews

Senior: I've been at Del Mar for the past 4 years, I would say this school is very open to everything and very inclusive they make sure everyone fits in and care for our education. The staff are very supportive of every student and help them succeed. They listen to parents'/students' requests to make this school better. Del Mar has multiple good classes for everyone, it gives students an opportunity to prepare themselves for the real world and gain some experience in the field. I would say the best class they offer would be avid because they help us prepare for college but also support us so we don't feel alone especially if we're first generation.... Read 36 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 6

• Students 8,583

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.81 out of 5  210 reviews

Senior: East Side Union Highschool District was pretty good over all! My school did have enough funding for quality mental health services, which was the highlight of my high school experience. Unfortunately the lack of consistency was rather frustrating but it's a small price to pay for a good education.... Read 210 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 16

• Students 22,488

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.8 out of 5  167 reviews

Senior: I have been in the San Jose Unified School District for ten years now. I've been able to have opportunities that others I know in different districts haven't, for example, homeschooling, skipping a grade, and field trips! All the teachers I've had were extremely nice and tried their best to teach. The school lunches may have not been the best, but for those like me in the free lunch program- anything free helped. Although, when it comes to paperwork and who has jurisdiction in certain scenarios, it almost seems as if SJUSD is in a constant power struggle. Every year, I've had to file paperwork to the district and eight times out of ten, we'll get a call saying that our paper has been "unsubmitted", which is district slang for "oops, we lost it". When I needed confirmation on officially skipping a grade, I was sent to three different offices and told three different stories. Also, they had an entire restaffing happening during the time, so my paperwork wasn't submitted on schedule.... Read 167 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 42

• Students 27,430

• Elgin, OK•

• School District

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  Rating 4.28 out of 5  25 reviews

Junior: I’ve been attending Elgin Public Schools since second grade and couldn’t be more satisfied with my education. The Elgin community is highly supportive in the school and it’s activities. Since Elgin is close to a large Army Base, Fort Sill, the school has a large percentage of military students. Even though the Oklahoma education program as a whole has been struggling, the Elgin administration has done an excellent job at keeping the Elgin Owls soaring!... Read 25 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 3

• Students 2,306

• Gilroy, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.62 out of 5  29 reviews

Senior: I love the communication that happens between the district administration and the students. They are incredibly supportive and care about our wellbeing more than anything. Having several discussions with the CEO of Gilroy Unified, Ms. Flores, I learned a lot about how they run things up in admin and how we vary from other districts. I feel that I am so incredibly lucky to have been able to transfer to this district year after year from San Jose. Gilroy is home, and the district administration works hard to make it one in an educational environment. The students, because of the policies and expectations set by the district, have become more close-knit than students from anywhere else I’ve ever seen. That said, there isn’t much I would like to change about administration, with the exception of one suggestion: don’t be so concerned with COVID. We were one of the last districts in California to go back in person, and this took a toll on the mental wellbeing of the students.... Read 29 reviews

• grade B

• Total schools 15

• Students 10,821

• Morgan Hill, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.66 out of 5  29 reviews

Senior: The Morgan Hill School District has succeeded in the teaching and education of its students from kindergarten to senior year of high school. I feel like I was taught enough throughout my classes to be at least somewhat prepared for college, and I also feel that I’ve gained some important life skills along the way as well. Something I think could be done more effectively in the future is to better prepare for the lack of teachers due to personal circumstances, and the influence of irrevocable teacher behavior at times as addressed by students and other faculty. Overall, the MHUSD is a great district to enroll in and a place where students can thrive in most aspects of their scholarly careers.... Read 29 reviews

• grade B

• Total schools 13

• Students 8,245

• Los Altos, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Alum: The district is filled with good people and caring teachers and administrators alike. Students are generally motivated to learn and do well. However, being in Silicon Valley, school culture is very geared towards STEM/college/the future rather than trying to ensure that kids are living healthy, balaned lives. Good extracurricular activities, including sports, to promote student involvement.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 11

• Students 3,576

• Mountain View, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Senior: It was very easy to feel comfortable on campus, both in class and outside. There’s a lot of student involvement in the various clubs and programs, as well as a lot of student-run things. The majority of the teachers I’ve had have had a lot of intrinsic motivation in what they’re doing and it’s incredibly easy to see that they care. The school also offers students many opportunies to excel in various fields, whether academic or not, and provides good support through the academic and college counselors.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 12

• Students 4,753

• Los Gatos, CA•

• School District

• grade A

• Total schools 5

• Students 2,710

• Sunnyvale, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.61 out of 5  18 reviews

Parent: Effective district who is not afraid to make the tough call to close schools due to low enrollment and operation efficiency. While many districts in Bay Areas are still in denial about losing students. CUSD act in the best interest of students and community. It might not be popular but they did their job... Read 18 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 25

• Students 15,663

• Saratoga, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  3 reviews

Senior: Great teachers and great academics. But, great academics tend to make some schools a very competitive environment. Keep in mind most students have tutors and extra outside classes.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 5

• Students 1,657

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Niche User: This is a very good district for people who want to study and be good in academics and sports. This can also be good for parents to get involved in activities.... Read 1 review

• grade A minus

• Total schools 8

• Students 5,727

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

• grade A minus

• Total schools 7

• Students 4,364

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  5 reviews

Parent: Cherrywood has gone from being a good school to a great school over the past three years. The recent addition of the Kinder / 1st grade mandarin immersion program, after school ROCK program, resurrection of the chess club and drastic improvement in test scores (now scored as an 8 out of 10 on greatschools) are just a few of the many improvements to the school. And the remodel of the classrooms this past summer has transformed the interior. To the administration and involved parents, keep up the great work.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 14

• Students 6,534

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

Senior: The schools are safe, diversity , good organize and very good school culture. The teachers, students and parents are connected. I am very pleased to be in my school.... Read 2 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 6

• Students 3,172

• Campbell, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3 out of 5  8 reviews

Alum: It was a good experience. I was only there for about 5 months, but the time I was there I made good friends that lasted into high school and met teachers that were genuinely interested in my education and always pushed me to go beyond my usual confirm zone in terms of involvement and class participation. Overall, I am appreciative of my personal experience there.... Read 8 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 13

• Students 6,622

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  5 reviews

Niche User: My experience overall at Evergreen Elementary has been positive. The district is known for providing a high achieving education for students and is one of the best performing school districts in California.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 18

• Students 9,789

• Sunnyvale, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 2.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Parent: What I liked about the Sunnyvale school district is the diversity and academics. Safety is one of their main concerns too. Teachers not only do they guide students in academics or extracurricular activities, but teachers are also responsible for shaping a child's future, making him/her a better human being. A teacher imparts knowledge, good values, tradition, modern-day challenges, and ways to resolve them within students... Read 3 reviews

• grade B

• Total schools 10

• Students 5,950

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 2.67 out of 5  3 reviews

• grade C+

• Total schools 17

• Students 9,362