Research
Dig into California school district research on spending, staffing, and academic results without the usual bureaucratic fog.
The best-performing schools in California with small low-income gaps
Find the California schools that combine strong reading results with unusually small low-income reading gaps.
103 California schools clear 70% reading while keeping low-income students within 5 points.
| School | Reading | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Whitney (Gretchen) High | 99.2% | 1.6 pts |
| California Academy of Mathematics and Science | 98.7% | 0.6 pts |
| Middle College High | 98.7% | 2.2 pts |
| Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy | 98.6% | 3.0 pts |
| Oxford Academy | 98.5% | 0.0 pts |
The best schools in the most affordable areas of California
See which California schools clear strong reading thresholds while sitting in unusually affordable local housing markets.
Affordable California housing markets do not usually line up with strong school outcomes, which makes this list unusually narrow.
| School | Home Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Richardson PREP HI Middle | $285k | 86.4% |
| William & Marian Ghidotti High | $563k | 100.0% |
| Union Street Charter | $557k | 85.4% |
| Hayfork High | $280k | 85.0% |
| Riverview STEM Elementary | $458k | 88.5% |
How low-income and non-low-income performance is distributed in California
See how low-income and non-low-income proficiency scores cluster across California school types and districts.
Top ranked elementary schools in California
Browse the elementary schools in California that clear 90% reading proficiency, with low-income share, magnet/selective context, and current math scores.
23 California elementary schools clear 90% reading proficiency.
| School | Low-Income % | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Cold Spring Elementary | 5.9% | 96.2% |
| Arundel Elementary | 11.3% | 95.5% |
| Murdock-Portal Elementary | 8.5% | 94.3% |
| North Hillsborough | 2.6% | 94.0% |
| William Faria Elementary | 12.5% | 93.7% |
Top ranked high schools in California
Browse the high schools in California that clear 90% reading proficiency, with low-income share, magnet/selective context, and current math scores.
33 California high schools clear 90% reading proficiency.
| School | Low-Income % | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| William & Marian Ghidotti High | 21.3% | 100.0% |
| The High School at Moorpark College | 13.2% | 100.0% |
| Whitney (Gretchen) High | 31.6% | 99.2% |
| California Academy of Mathematics and Science | 37.4% | 98.7% |
| Middle College High | 53.6% | 98.7% |
The best California schools serving the highest percentage of low-income students
Find California schools that serve the highest share of low-income students and still post strong academic results.
Most standout high-poverty schools are elementary, but a few middle and high schools break through too.
| School | Low-Income % | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Hoover Street Elementary | 98.2% | 69.8% |
| ICEF Vista Middle Academy | 96.4% | 62.2% |
| Middle College High | 91.1% | 72.4% |
| Hillside Elementary | 90.8% | 74.2% |
| Frank Sparkes Elementary | 92.9% | 71.2% |
The best districts for English learners in California
Rank California districts and schools by English learner performance using the latest reading and math proficiency data.
A small number of elementary schools post unusually strong reading results for English learners.
| School | EL % | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Nelson S. Dilworth Elementary | 26.1% | 62.8% |
| Camellia Elementary | 24.9% | 65.6% |
| Blue Hills Elementary | 24.1% | 57.1% |
| Oak Hills Elementary | 8.8% | 70.8% |
| John Muir Elementary | 16.9% | 55.0% |
The best districts for low-income students in California
Rank California districts and schools by low-income student performance using the latest reading and math proficiency data.
A small group of districts post unusually strong reading results for low-income students.
| District | Low-Income % | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| San Marino Unified | 12.0% | 81.6% |
| Piedmont City Unified | 4.3% | 74.6% |
| La Canada Unified | 5.1% | 73.6% |
| Scotia Union Elementary | 72.6% | 67.3% |
| Fountain Valley Elementary | 27.9% | 68.9% |
How California school performance is distributed
Understand where California school and district reading and math scores cluster, with median scores for each major school type.
The smallest student-teacher ratios in California
See which California districts have the fewest students per teacher and whether smaller ratios really lead to better results.
The smallest districts are not always the strongest academically.
| District | Ratio | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Mt. Baldy Joint Elementary | 0.5:1 | 58.3% |
| Ravendale-Termo Elementary | 3.0:1 | 40.0% |
| California School for the Deaf-Fremont ( | 4.2:1 | 11.4% |
| California School for the Blind (State S | 5.3:1 | 22.2% |
| California School for the Deaf-Riverside | 5.4:1 | 4.7% |