California Edu: Bay Area Top Public High School Districts

Choosing a public high school in the Bay Area isn’t just about test scores—it’s about finding the right academic environment, advanced coursework options, and long-term college prep strategy for your child.

In this guide, you’ll get:

• A side-by-side look at the top 4 Bay Area school districts – ranking, academic quality, and spending
• What sets 11 standout public high schools apart—from academics to college outcomes
• A quick look at how top schools accelerate math tracks

Whether you’re relocating or planning for high school early, this guide will help you identify the right schools—and the right path—for your family’s goals.

Bay Area’s Top 4 Public High School Districts: At a Glance

District	Niche Rank	Total Students	High Schools	Expense per ADA	English Learner %	ELA % Met Math % Met or Exceeded	Math % Met or Exceeded	Grad Rate	Suspension %
Palo Alto Unified	1	10,271	2	$31,608	10.6%	80.5%	78.2%	95.8%	1.5%
Mountain View–Los Altos	2	4,406	2	$34,232	7.1%	77.5%	65.9%	93.8%	1.1%
Los Gatos–Saratoga Union	3	3,183	2	$25,225	2.4%	85.4%	70.8%	96.0%	0.8%
Fremont Union High	4	9,646	5	$24,836	9.4%	80.7%	73.7%	93.6%	1.8%

• Data Sources: CAASPP, California Department of Education, Niche
• Expense per ADA (Average Daily Attendance) reflects how much a district spends per student each day they attend school. It includes costs for staffing, curriculum, support services, and operational expenses.

Palo Alto Unified School District (Rank #1)

• Among the highest in funding per student ($31,608)
• Strong balance of ELA and math performance
• High English Learner population (10.6%) suggests diversity
• Well-resourced and competitive—but also described as “high pressure” by some families

Mountain View–Los Altos High School District (Rank #2)

• Highest per-student spending ($34,232)
• Slightly lower math proficiency but excellent student support and inclusion
• Moderate EL population and low suspension rate (1.1%)

Los Gatos–Saratoga Union High School District (Rank #3)

• Lowest EL % (2.4%) and lowest suspension rate (0.8%)
• Highest English proficiency (ELA 85.4%)
• Lowest spending per ADA, but extremely efficient use of funds
• Tends to serve a more homogenous, high-achieving community

Fremont Union High School District (Rank #4)

• Largest number of high schools (5) and a large student body
• Solid academic outcomes in both ELA and math
• Slightly lower per-student spending ($24,836)
• Mixed parent reviews on support—excellent for self-driven students, but less so for those needing accommodations

Bay Area High School Rankings and Insights Beyond Rankings (2025–26)

District	School	City	US News National Rank	GreatSchools Overall Rating (2024)	GreatSchools Overall Rating (2025)	Test Score (2025)	Readiness Score (2025)	Equity Score (2025)	Student Enrollment (2023–24)	ELA Met or Above Standard %	Math Met or Above Standard %	Incidents Number (2020–23)	Number of AP Courses	AP Pass Rate	AP 5-point Rate	Grads Enrolled	4-Yr College Rate	UCB Admits (2023)	UCB Admit Rate	UCB GPA	UCLA Admits (2023)	UCLA Admit Rate	UCLA GPA
Palo Alto Unified	Henry M. Gunn High	Palo Alto	135	9	9	10	10	8	1713	83.59%	77.64%	147	29	96%	53%	456	87%	48	9.50%	4.26	25	4.85%	4.24
	Palo Alto High	Palo Alto	183	9	8	10	9	6	1932	72.29%	70.12%	150	27	93%	49%	507	82%	27	4.42%	4.25	24	3.80%	4.23
Mountain View–Los Altos	Los Altos High	Los Altos	237	9	8	10	9	5	2114	76.29%	66.53%	120	25	86%	50%	339	72%	35	7.68%	4.24	22	4.82%	4.29
	Mountain View High	Mtn View	381	8	8	10	9	4	2202	82.06%	69.20%	123	25	89%	49%	380	69%	48	9.50%	4.26	27	5.32%	4.27
Los Gatos–Saratoga Joint	Saratoga High	Saratoga	141	10	8	10	9	5	1198	88.69%	84.10%	57	21	94%	49%	312	87%	47	14.83%	4.29	26	8.20%	4.3
	Los Gatos High	Los Gatos	611	9	10	10	9	10	1977	83.63%	63.30%	103	20	87%	46%	528	72%	33	6.25%	4.26	21	3.98%	4.25
Fremont Union High	Lynbrook High	San Jose	82	10	10	10	10	<5%	1720	93.72%	92.21%	89	18	97%	50%	448	85%	26	5.80%	4.26	27	6.03%	4.3
	Monta Vista	Cupertino	113	10	9	10	10	8	1636	87.82%	89.62%	117	16	89%	46%	421	84%	57	13.54%	4.21	25	5.94%	4.24
	Cupertino High	Cupertino	215	9	9	10	10	7	1811	85.89%	81.37%	171	16	94%	48%	400	83%	39	7.83%	4.23	24	4.82%	4.19
	Homestead High	Cupertino	561	8	8	10	9	5	2262	78.56%	71.21%	170	15	91%	48%	596	80%	49	8.22%	4.26	35	6.19%	4.26
	Fremont High	Sunnyvale	2654	7	7	9	9	3	2168	61.60%	42.24%	405	20	80%	46%	650	45%	14	2.15%	4.19	19	2.92%	4.27

Data Sources: CAASPP, California Department of Education, Niche, Education Data Partnership, US News High School Rankings

School Ratings and Rankings

One of the most commonly used school rating platforms is GreatSchools, which scores schools on a 1–10 scale:

• 9–10: Top-tier schools
• 7–8: Solid performers
• 6 or below: Often avoided by families prioritizing academics

This article focuses on 11 highly rated public high schools in the Bay Area. Most schools had GreatSchools ratings of 9 or 10 in 2024. However, by 2025, only five maintained scores of 9–10, while six were rated between 7 and 8.

GreatSchools evaluates schools across three subcategories:

• Test Score – Student performance on California’s CAASPP assessments
• College Readiness – Based on graduation rate, SAT/ACT scores, and AP/IB participation
• Equity – Measures how well underrepresented students perform compared to their peers, relative to similar schools across California

Most top-performing schools score 10 in both Test Score and College Readiness. The Equity score tends to show the greatest variation.

U.S. News is one of the most widely recognized school ranking systems in the United States. Among the 11 schools analyzed, Lynbrook High ranks the highest at No. 82—making it the only one in the top 100 nationally.

Student Demographics and Academic Performance

We analyzed each school’s:

• Total enrollment (2023–2024)
• Percentage of students who met or exceeded standards on CAASPP English and Math
• Reported safety-related incidents from 2020 to 2023

Key Insights:

• Lynbrook High leads in both ELA (93.7%) and Math (92.2%)—highest scores overall.
• Monta Vista and Saratoga High also show top-tier performance in both subjects (ELA 87–88%, Math 84–90%).
• Cupertino High and Gunn High maintain strong, balanced scores above 77% in both ELA and Math.
• Los Gatos High shows a notable gap: strong ELA (83.6%) but lower Math (63.3%).

What is CAASPP?

The CAASPP test is California’s standardized measure of progress toward high school graduation, taken in Grade 11. Students receive one of four performance levels: Not Met, Nearly Met, Met, and Exceeded. Students on the path to top universities generally fall into the “Exceeded” category, especially if they are enrolled in AP courses.

Visit this page to learn more about CAASPP.

The Role of AP Courses in College Preparation

Public high schools rely heavily on AP courses as their primary method for academic acceleration, unlike private schools which may offer IB, A-Levels, or school-designed advanced tracks.

Key AP indicators include:

• Number of AP courses offered
• AP pass rate (score of 3 or above)
• Percentage of students earning a 5

Why AP scores matter:

AP exams not only reflect college readiness, but also influence GPA and college credit eligibility.

• Standard courses cap at 4.0
• Honors classes may offer up to 4.5
• AP courses can boost GPA to 5.0

Gunn High School (Palo Alto) leads in AP offerings, pass rates, and percentage of 5s. It also holds the highest 4-year college enrollment rate among schools with publicly available data.

College Admissions Outcomes from Top Bay Area High Schools

We examined 2023 admissions data from UC Berkeley (UCB) and UCLA, including:

• Number of admitted students
• Admission rate based on class size
• Average admitted GPA

Both UCB and UCLA ranked #20 nationally in the 2023 U.S. News rankings.

Key findings:

• Most Bay Area schools had more students admitted to UCB than UCLA, despite similar application rates.
• Lynbrook High is an exception; since 2020, it has sent more students to UCLA than UCB.
• Saratoga and Monta Vista had the highest UCB admit rates.
• Lynbrook and Cupertino High led in UCLA admits.
• The average admitted GPA for both schools falls between 4.2 and 4.3.

While UCB and UCLA are not the highest-ranking schools nationally, they are among the most transparent. Their annual reporting offers a reliable benchmark for evaluating public school college prep outcomes.

Math Pathways at Top Public High Schools

One common feature of top public high schools—not just in the Bay Area but across the U.S.—is the flexibility they offer in math course progression. Students are given multiple opportunities to accelerate based on readiness and performance.

Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) is a strong example. Below are two math pathway charts that illustrate how the district supports both standard and advanced learners:

Standard Pathway (PAUSD Common Track)

Even the district’s most common math track runs ahead of the Common Core standard. While Common Core places Algebra 1 in Grade 9, PAUSD students typically take Algebra 1 in Grade 8, followed by Geometry in Grade 9.

Accelerated Pathway (Middle School Validation)

The second chart shows PAUSD’s accelerated math options. Students can begin validation in middle school and, on the fastest track, complete Algebra 2 by Grade 9, enabling them to take advanced math electives like Precalculus, AP Calculus, or Statistics as early as Grade 10.

This trend isn’t limited to California. Many top public schools across the U.S.—including those in Long Island, New York—offer similarly flexible math pathways. You can read our related article on Long Island’s top school districts and their math tracks for more insight.

In conclusion, if your goal is to attend a top-tier public high school, enrolling in an accelerated math pathway can provide a significant advantage—especially when preparing for competitive college admissions or STEM-focused programs.

Final Thoughts

Looking beyond test scores and ratings, this comparison offers a data-informed view of the academic environment, postsecondary readiness, and day-to-day realities of top public high schools in the Bay Area. For families considering where to live or enroll, these insights can guide smarter, more personalized decisions.

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