California High Schools

Grade 11 CAASPP scores, graduation rate, AP readiness, A-G completion, college-going rate, absenteeism, and suspension rates.

1,739

Schools ranked

9-12

Grade range

Dimensions

15.5%

Avg exceeded rate

Top high schools near Columbus

Based on your approximate location. Search above for more precise results.

Rank	School	City	Score	Percentile
1	Whitney (Gretchen) High	Cerritos	97	99th
2	California Academy of Mathematics and Science	Carson	96	99th
3	Science Academy STEM Magnet	North Hollywood	96	99th
4	Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy	Gilroy	96	99th
5	Oxford Academy	Cypress	96	99th
6	Palo Alto Middle College High	Los Altos Hills	96	99th
7	Canyon Crest Academy	San Diego	94	99th
8	Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation	Wilmington	94	99th
9	Piedmont High	Piedmont	93	99th
10	La Canada High	La Canada	93	99th

Browse 1,739 high schools on map →

Top California high schools

Ranked by Scope Score across 8 dimensions.

Rank	School	County	Score	Percentile
1	Whitney (Gretchen) High	Los Angeles	97	99th
2	California Academy of Mathematics and Science	Los Angeles	96	99th
3	Science Academy STEM Magnet	Los Angeles	96	99th
4	Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy	Santa Clara	96	99th
5	Oxford Academy	Orange	96	99th
6	Palo Alto Middle College High	Santa Clara	96	99th
7	Canyon Crest Academy	San Diego	94	99th
8	Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation	Los Angeles	94	99th
9	Piedmont High	Alameda	93	99th
10	La Canada High	Los Angeles	93	99th

What our high school Scope Score measures

Our high school Scope Score draws from 8 data dimensions: grade 11 CAASPP scores (exceeded and met rates), graduation rate, AP exam readiness, A-G completion rate, college-going rate, chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. This makes it one of the most comprehensive free school ratings available.

Graduation rate carries the highest weight (25%) — it's the most fundamental outcome measure. College readiness (AP pass rate or A-G completion) is weighted at 20%, capturing whether a school prepares students for what comes after.

What we can't show you: SAT/ACT scores (no longer reported by CDE), course rigor, or college acceptance data. These are not publicly available at the school level in California.

Honest limitations

There is no growth metric for high school (only one grade tested). College-going rate data lags by ~2 years. Not all schools have AP programs, so AP readiness data is absent for some schools — the Scope Score adjusts by redistributing weight to available dimensions.

Why exceeded rate matters even more for high school

At the high school level, "met standard" on the CAASPP roughly corresponds to on-track for community college readiness. "Exceeded standard" is closer to four-year university readiness. The gap between these two levels is the gap between two very different post-secondary paths.

California high school averages

The average exceeded rate across all scored high schools is 15.5%. Schools well above this benchmark are giving students a measurably stronger foundation for college.

Top districts for high school

Districts with the highest average high school Scope Scores (minimum 3 schools).

Palo Alto Unified3 schools · avg 99th percentile Fremont Union High5 schools · avg 96th percentile Acalanes Union High5 schools · avg 85th percentile Poway Unified6 schools · avg 90th percentile San Dieguito Union High5 schools · avg 83th percentile

Charter & Magnet High Schools in LA

Many top-performing high schools are charters. Here's how to get in.

Search high schools near you

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Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25