Largest School Districts in the San Francisco Bay Area

• San Francisco, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.76 out of 5  263 reviews

Alum: I think one of the strengths of my high school was definitely diversity with people and programs offered. There’s a great selection of sports and visual and performing arts and anyone can join. The coaches will do their part in melding their students to become talented individuals whilst providing them the necessary resources. The one downfall I would say is the large spectrum of teachers. I wouldn’t say all teachers are the best of the best, but if you’re lucky you’ll get a teacher who loves teaching and is truly dedicated to helping you succeed. To overcome this hurdle, I’d definitely recommend you visit RateYourTeacher to navigate what teachers are fit your needs and speak to your counselor early on to help you get that specific teacher. Overall, I really enjoyed my high school experience and hope you or your child does too!... Read 263 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 114

• Students 51,790

• Oakland, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.53 out of 5  139 reviews

Senior: My time with OUSD district can be a mixed bag, while it does have its own faults within being able to prepare students for college, it does show to have a very well rounded diversity within students and being able to represent them in school. The teachers do a very good job at teaching does provide their students a good enough education. However, improvement can definitely be done; such as being able to provide more resources of education for students and being able to provide them more to make their high school experience better.... Read 139 reviews

• grade C+

• Total schools 85

• Students 35,489

• Fremont, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.67 out of 5  135 reviews

Junior: I have been to two schools in Fremont unified school district. While I believe one of the brick and motor schools needs to hire teachers that care more about there students this isn’t the case for vista alternative (an independent studies) school as I believe they havereally great teachers! All the teachers at vista were helpful and actually seemed like they wanted you to succeed and work towards your full potential. Although I am leaving vista in senior year it defiantly is not because I didn’t like the school. In fact, I had a great experience but would like to partake in senior activities and graduation in which I would t have at vista.... Read 135 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 43

• Students 35,187

• Danville, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.09 out of 5  125 reviews

Works Here: San Ramon Valley Unified School District has a great community of students, families, teachers, administration and support staff. We have custodians who keep our schools pristine, maintenance teams who ensures our schools are operational, an efficient warehouse team who receive and delivery everything across our district, teachers who are dedicated to student's learning and administration who prioritize student social emotional wellbeing. SRVUSD is the place to be!... Read 125 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 37

• Students 30,376

• Concord, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.85 out of 5  94 reviews

Senior: I would like to inquire that MDUSD is a good district. It prepares students for college by offering numerous different kinds of resources and other programs that are unique and open for all students. Great diversity!... Read 94 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 53

• Students 29,908

• 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

• Richmond, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.51 out of 5  142 reviews

Senior: I like WCCUSD diversity. I feel accepted and meet/ know people who look just like and have similarly interests. Additionally, we have very hands on teachers who are always trying to engage their students and keep their classes fun and engaging. The sports facilities are amazing and have been remodeled every few years. Like right now at my school, Pinole Valley High, they’re constructing née outside basketball courts for the school. I love my school and district and think this community is really amazing and accepting of everyone it. The only harsh thing I can say is they could definitely improve their food selections choices for lunch, but besides that I truly do believe that I go to school in a beautiful community with really great people!... Read 142 reviews

• grade C

• Total schools 54

• Students 27,383

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

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  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

• Hayward, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 3.66 out of 5  139 reviews

Senior: I have been attending Chabot College for four years now; overall, I have enjoyed my experience at Chabot. When I started at Chabot, I instantly felt enormous support from advisors such as stem counselors, el centro advisors, etc. There is a lot of diversity at this school as well, and very easy to make friends/study groups here! I definitely recommend getting to know your classmates and the professors as well. Many of the professors strongly express their support for their students and want all of their students to succeed; you have to put the work in. Although there are some teachers at the school that the school district should change because there were many complaints made but no action to find another professor. In general, Chabot is a really good school and does care for its students, but the school district need to find more professors for the biology, physics, and organic chemistry departments.... Read 139 reviews

• grade C

• Total schools 32

• Students 19,069

• Sunnyvale, CA•

• School District

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  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

• Antioch, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.79 out of 5  68 reviews

Senior: Antioch High School has the best academy’s! I choose Antioch High school for the Environmental Science academy because it involved a lot of outdoor activity. Ever since I entered Antioch High, I’ve met lots of great teachers that has always supported me.... Read 68 reviews

• grade C+

• Total schools 24

• Students 15,652

• Santa Clara, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.01 out of 5  67 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 67 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 27

• Students 14,808

• Pleasanton, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.15 out of 5  59 reviews

Senior: I have been a student in Pleasanton Unified School District for over seven years. Because Pleasanton is a relatively affluent area, the school district receives a large amount of funding. There are new buildings in the schools specially designed to fit career-specific classes. There are electronic devices for every student. The teachers are also generally good and helpful. The food is probably the one lacking aspect although it may just be nitpicking. The schools feel safe and clean. Admin is generally on top of things and has good communication. School spirit, at least at my school is pretty nonexistent however.... Read 59 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 16

• Students 14,469

• Livermore, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.85 out of 5  40 reviews

Sophomore: I have really enjoyed Las Positas's design program. I am finishing my second semester, and ready to enroll in my third on November 20th. I like the fact that only two teachers teach the required classes for graduation, I have built a strong relationship with these teachers and appreciate their techniques. My first semester I had taken one of the hardest classes, hand drafting. I did not receive a perfect grade, but felt that I learned more in that class than any class ever before. I did not give this school 5 stars because I have unfortunately taken a few classes where I felt that the teacher did the absolute bare minimum. One teacher for example would take exactly 2 weeks to grade every single assignment. This was incredibly unfortunate when the next weeks assignment was based off of the last. She took 4 days minimum to respond to any email.... Read 40 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 18

• Students 13,305

• Dublin, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.1 out of 5  68 reviews

Senior: Your experience definitely depends on which side of town you live on. The East side of the school district is more competitive and focused on academics than the West side of town. As of right now, all schools feed into Dublin High School. Again, your experience changes depending on the types of classes you take. People who take AP classes experience intense competition and the environment can often be toxic. There have been major instances of cheating in the past. However, if students take a good balance of AP, honors, and regular courses, it is possible to receive a well rounded education. Recently, STEM education has increased in all levels of education due to higher demand. The arts are still somewhat neglected but the music program and visual arts programs are also rapidly improving.... Read 68 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 14

• Students 12,625

• 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

• Vallejo, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3 out of 5  49 reviews

Senior: I like the diversity in Vallejo High School. There’s no discrimination or whatsoever. I feel included because I have a lot of peers that I can relate to. However, I would like for my school to find a solution for the fighting problem and the lack of qualified teachers.... Read 49 reviews

• grade D

• Total schools 20

• Students 11,095

• Pittsburg, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.81 out of 5  75 reviews

Senior: The Pittsburg Unified School District has been for the most part a very pleasant experience with teacher and administrators who welcome their students. The diversity in our district is very high, but we are all united through family oriented values that define who we are. The only thing I do wish to change, however, is the average class size in classrooms. In Pittsburg High School, sometimes teachers looked overwhelmed with so many students in one class, and not enough attention is given to each student individually. The bigger the classroom size, the less time a teacher has for a child who gets behind. Apart from this issue, this district has established a learning culture that is very healthy for everyone in Pittsburg.... Read 75 reviews

• grade B minus

• Total schools 13

• Students 11,015

• Sunnyvale, CA•

• School District

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  114 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 114 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 6

• Students 10,836

• Union City, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.08 out of 5  49 reviews

Senior: I like how there's a variety f new people to meet every single day. You never know the types of connections you will make, and even if you end up distancing yourself from someone, you'll regain a bond with someone else. Something I would like to see change is the safety procedures. Hopefully, they improve their security around the community and schools as the years go by.... Read 49 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 13

• Students 10,812

• Milpitas, CA•

• School District

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  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

• Foster City, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.13 out of 5  8 reviews

Freshman: ITS A GREAT DISTRICT! IT HAS A GREAT MIDDLE SCHOO(BOREL MIDDLE SCHOOL) AND A GREAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL(SUNNYBRAE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL) I WAS IN THE SAN MATEO FOSTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT SINCE I STARTED PRESCHOOL WHICH WAS WAY BACK IN 2010 AND JUST GRADUATED FROM BOREL MIDDLE SCHOOL LAST SCHOOL YEAR... Read 8 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 22

• Students 10,357

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

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  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

• San Lorenzo, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.53 out of 5  59 reviews

Senior: The school is overall an environment that many kids feel comfortable being in. Finding those with similar interests as you can help your high school experience be incredible. The teachers truly are there to help their students with whatever it is that they need. Although the 2019-2020 school year had a whole new set of staff, these people made connections with many of the students and developed healthy relationships with one another. As a class of 2020 student, I can say that the class of 2020 was a class that everyone enjoyed each other’s company and was sort of like a family. The students are involved with extra curricular activities. Sports are a big thing in this school as there are many events held at each sport that a majority of the staff and students attend. For the most part everyone minds their own business as we all are doing our best to get an education and focus on learning new material everyday.... Read 59 reviews

• grade C+

• Total schools 17

• Students 9,431

• Berkeley, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.02 out of 5  64 reviews

Senior: I love the fact that Berkeley unified school district offers a lot of opportunities for its students. For example, In elementary school, I was required to learn how to use an instrument. At my highschool, I get to take one of the only fire science classes in the entire state. I also love how diverse all of my classes have been ever since I can remember going to Berkeley schools. One thin I think BUSD could work on is having more teachers of color. I have only had one black clasroomteacher in my 13 years of being a student.... Read 64 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 17

• Students 9,409