2024 Best School Districts in California

• Palo Alto, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.14 out of 5  65 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 65 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 19

• Students 11,395

• Encinitas, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.31 out of 5  70 reviews

Sophomore: I think it's amazing! There are amazing programs available and as someone who is very involved on campus, I can say that this district has really served me well. I love the teachers and everyone is very accepting. They have cultivated a great environment in SDUHSD. I am lucky to be here.... Read 70 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 10

• Students 12,704

• Los Gatos, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.2 out of 5  35 reviews

Senior: The school is great, besides the gap between normal classes and AP classes. Advanced classes rely on knowledge from the previous year’s advanced class in that subject. This limits students’ ability improve as they often can only choose between college prep and AP, with no honors that they can use as a stepping stone for improvement. I’ve seen and experienced this in both English and History courses, and have seen others rejected for more advanced math (that they are willing to put extra effort in). Additionally, the difference in student population is crazy. Disclaimer: the following is just a stereotype, there are exceptions. All of the well-behaved, confident students are pushing themselves academically in the AP courses, while the awkward kids and the rowdy football kids are focused more on their social lives than their normal course. The shy kids in those courses don’t speak up for themselves when they are uncomfortable.... Read 35 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 2

• Students 3,382

• Arcadia, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.3 out of 5  123 reviews

Junior: I love the people I meet on campus, and the wide array of activities and extracurriculars provided for students. I also think it’s really cold how easy it is for students to get involved in clubs, organizations, and teams. The worse part of the experience is the teachers. I feel that not all the teachers have the same level of commitment to their job and I believe teachers shouldn’t be employed based on how long they’ve been at the job, but rather by their performance. I had an amazing math teacher freshman year who was let go because she was new and the school needed to budget cut. However her entire class loved her and I always understood everything in that class. Sophomore year I had a horrible math teacher who had been at the school for a long time, but was hard to understand and didn’t seem committed to helping students along the way.... Read 123 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 11

• Students 8,669

• Redondo Beach, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.47 out of 5  30 reviews

Senior: RBUSD has amazing education and compassionate support. Administration, staff, students and parents create an inviting and supportive community. Even throughout the Covid-19 situation, we had tremendous direction from the district representatives (phone calls, texts, emails providing consistent and encouraging communications). Best district in the South Bay, by far!... Read 30 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 13

• Students 9,607

• Palos Verdes Estates, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  76 reviews

Junior: The worst part is the stress involved. The competition mixed with the overall expectations of this school make life here stress-inducing. Having this loom over your head can get to me sometimes. However, the good part is that the reputation gives you respect from others and pushes you to become a student you thought you couldn't ever achieve. The community is always nice and you have so many support options and opportunities. I would like to see a change in the funding for certain areas. For example, the band does not get nearly enough money to get instruments that are of proper quality and that need to get replaced. Another change I want to see is in maintenance. For example, the fire alarms go off randomly and at this point, no one cares if they go off. This could pose a problem if a real emergency is happening. Overall, this school is lovely with a huge reputation and a paw full of pride.... Read 76 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 18

• Students 10,432

• San Marino, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.45 out of 5  31 reviews

Parent: San Marino Unified School District provided my children with a private school experience in a public school environment. In addition to a highly rigorous academic program, the District provides excellence in athletics, arts, and activities that distinguish the District as a premier provider of K-12 education. My children had a wonderful experience and as a parent, I enjoyed being a part of such a caring and engaged community of volunteers who continuously come together in support of the schools!... Read 31 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 4

• Students 2,703

• Sunnyvale, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  116 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 116 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 6

• Students 10,296

• Larkspur, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.38 out of 5  26 reviews

Senior: I really do enjoy my time at Tamalpais High School. I am very pleased with the programs at our high school such as drama, documentary, photography, arts, and journalism. I would like to see us improve our campus, remodeling rundown buildings, and installing AC, fixing the parking issues, etc. I also believe our science department needs improvement.... Read 26 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 5

• Students 5,060

• La Canada, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.8 out of 5  20 reviews

Parent: My kids both went through the La Canada school system and I think it’s the best public school system I’ve ever seen. Great teachers, lots of parental involvement, and highly motivated students. Most importantly, La Canada High is big enough to offer many extracurricular and sports but not so huge that a kid has to be a future Broadway star to get a part in the school play. A really great experience for our family.... Read 20 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 4

• Students 3,921

• Lafayette, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  33 reviews

Junior: I feel like I have received a quality education as a student in the Acalanes Union High School District. I have had pleasant experiences in academics and pleasant interactions with my teachers. I believe that the course offerings in this district are exceptional and that the advance placement courses I have taken have played a great part in preparing me for college. The athletic programs offered at these schools are also exceptional and I have enjoyed the relationships I've formed in these programs. Overall it's a great district!... Read 33 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 5

• Students 5,466

• Carmel, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.38 out of 5  24 reviews

Parent: I am very happy with CUSD. I currently have 2 girls in the district and a third is on her way in about 4 years. My wife works for the district as well. The teachers and staff are all wonderful and always on top of the kids performance and social interaction. The administration treats the teachers well and is always willing to help with any issues. My girls love going to school everyday. I remember kids dreading school when I was a student. Thank you all teachers and staff. Keep on giving our children the tools they need to succeed.... Read 24 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 9

• Students 2,264

• Santa Monica, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.32 out of 5  68 reviews

Senior: Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is a community in which people from all diverse backgrounds enjoy community events. Whether this be the annual Cinco De Mayo festival at Will Rogers Learning Community or the Jog-A-Thon school fundraiser. This community is great but not perfect. As of recently, safety within this school district has been questionable. Such as the violent attack on a student on the first day of school at Santa Monica High School. Additionally, the countless threats this school faces.... Read 68 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 17

• Students 9,129

• Irvine, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.23 out of 5  207 reviews

Senior: As a student in the Irvine Unified School District, I have felt greatly supported each year in high school. The parents who have been involved in sports were very devoted. The club opportunities on campus are vast and always accessible. The teachers I have had in the past four years have been wonderful! Each teacher is unique and extremely compassionate towards each student. Beginning my first two years of high school in the pandemic greatly affected my outlook on school. The physical and relational distance from everyone around me made it difficult, but my last two years have been more than I could have hoped. I have found a wonderful group of people, my teachers are role models, and I am encouraged to make a difference on my campus.... Read 207 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 44

• Students 36,083

• Laguna Beach, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.2 out of 5  20 reviews

Senior: Wonderful school with wonderful teachers and administrative support. Really cares about and supports students. Great opportunities to take many advanced and AP classes. Beautiful campus and facilities.... Read 20 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 4

• Students 2,578

• San Mateo, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.16 out of 5  73 reviews

Senior: The San Mateo Union High School District is great. There are many friendly students and teachers that are willing and ready to help you succeed. Attending 2 different high schools in this district, I can say that there are many caring and helpful teachers who have the best intentions of teaching students as best they can. They are very supportive and seek to improve the quality in which we learn. In addition, there is a lot of spirit and pride within each school. We love showing out and competing with one another. On the other hand, while most of the student populations of each school are diverse, there are schools that are not. Attending one of these schools myself, I did not find myself enjoying the environment I learned in. This decreased my quality of learning. Unable to really relate or connect to anyone around me, I found school to be a dreadful place. It took a toll on my performance. As a result, I dislike the schools whose student populations aren’t really diverse.... Read 73 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 8

• Students 9,093

• Pleasanton, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.16 out of 5  62 reviews

Senior: Attending elementary, middle and high school in Pleasanton has been pretty great. I have had the opportunity to mostly have great teachers who have helped me to become a better student, but also cared about me personally. I am also around a diverse student body, where I can be myself and still find acceptance. I do wish that we had a wider range of opportunity to explore subjects outside of the traditional track, but was also lucky to get into one of the ROP programs this year. I just wish I had more flexibility in my schedule to pursue other subjects to see what might click or develop a position. Overall, thought, I would rate my experience high. I have gone to good schools academically, but also have a student body that is engaged in school activities that make school more fun!... Read 62 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 16

• Students 14,084

• San Diego, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.38 out of 5  180 reviews

Senior: Great district focused on academic achievements! Throughout my years with this district I have felt pretty safe and included. Though they hype sports more than the arts, they still include many classes for students who are interested in this field. I also wish they spent a little more money on things like chrome books or any help for students, I am overall very happy I got to be part of this district.... Read 180 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 38

• Students 35,192

• El Segundo, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.47 out of 5  36 reviews

Parent: Wonderful programs, excellent teachers and administrators. Truly thankful for the educational experience my children have had in ESUSD!... Read 36 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 5

• Students 3,458

• Los Alamitos, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.39 out of 5  103 reviews

Senior: Los Alamitos High School has impacted my academic life for the better. It has been a place that has allowed me to feel motivated and creative. The faculty and staff at this school are remarkable and really ensure your safety at the school. The resources available to help you succeed are endless. They offer a wide variety of courses one can take to make learning beneficial for them. There is a place for everyone to feel like they belong. Whether it is at the football games, in the science labs, on the stage or the school dances. I am so grateful to my parents decided to send me there.... Read 103 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 9

• Students 9,133

• Oak Park, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  58 reviews

Alum: As an alum from OPUSD elementary, middle, and high schools I can personally attest to the excellence of the OPUSD educational experience. Stemming from a heart of strong parent involvement, OPUSD offers a wealth of educational opportunities, a superb nurturing environment, and produces very well prepared and well educated graduates. This district is hard to beat!... Read 58 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 8

• Students 4,310

• Mountain View, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.35 out of 5  34 reviews

Senior: I like that there are a lot of STEM facilities available to students and there are many extracurricular offerings, such as student journalism, speech and debate, prep for science olympiads, and more.... Read 34 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 3

• Students 4,539

• Huntington Beach, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  176 reviews

Senior: I would love to see Edison High School become more of a modern infrastructure by updating the seating areas, the brick and mortar walls, and classrooms limited with windows, to enhance the scenery. I would also like to see more staff getting involved around the bathroom and hang-out areas, to improve the safety of all students. The seating around the school is limited and only stadium seating is available. Lunch tables outside would benefit everyone, for the fresh air and socialism. Perhaps, when staff get involved, the students will find that they are not invisible. In general, Edison is a great school with lots to do.... Read 176 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 8

• Students 15,098

• Coronado, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  36 reviews

Senior: As a senior at Coronado High School, we so many different kinds of elective options and opportunities for students to learn what interests them. Not only do we have a good program for the arts, but we also have a health and medical track that has classes like sports medicine, anatomy, etc. There are a lot of opportunities to discover what interests you and to go deeper into the subject, and ultimately prepare you for college.... Read 36 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 5

• Students 2,747

• Carlsbad, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.3 out of 5  54 reviews

Senior: Being a Carlsbad high school for four years is definitely something I could say that was the best community ever, the teachers and counselors are always in touch with you, and they never make you feel pressured to the point where you’re afraid to ask them any questions.Our school provides a vast amount of classes and truly my favorite is avid. I have it is a leadership class that helps you prepare for college and myself has been in that class for my entire grade years. The one thing I would want to change is definitely switch back to the old school schedule because I feel like a lot of students really love the schedule of going to school and leaving to school.... Read 54 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 16

• Students 11,027