Students
2,976
enrolled at the 12 public schools with a Arcata address.
Arcata · Humboldt County
Schools in Arcata
Arcata’s 6 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 65 to 89.
75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state.
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Open the map →Elementary schools
Which elementary schools in Arcata score highest?
Union Street Charter is highest, with a Scope Score of 89. That is higher than 93 in 100 California elementary schools we score.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
Union Street CharterCharter
Arcata Elementary · 95521 · Grades K–5 · Check how it admits students.
462727% below the standard
Scope Score 89Strong · 93rd percentile
Rank 2
Fuente Nueva CharterCharter
Arcata Elementary · 95521 · Grades K–5 · Check how it admits students.
162856% below the standard
Scope Score 77Solid · 61st percentile
Rank 3
Coastal Grove CharterCharter
Arcata Elementary · 95521 · Grades K–8 · Check how it admits students.
222256% below the standard
Scope Score 76Solid · 56th percentile
Rank 4
Pacific Union Elementary
Pacific Union Elementary · 95521 · Grades K–8
122662% below the standard
Scope Score 72Developing · 31st percentile
Rank 5
Laurel Tree CharterCharter
Northern Humboldt Union High · 95521 · Grades K–12 · Check how it admits students.
1776% below the standard
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 13th percentile
Rank 6
Arcata Elementary
Arcata Elementary · 95521 · Grades K–5
1680% below the standard
Scope Score 65Needs Support · 1st percentile
18in 100
The average Arcata elementary school had 18 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100.
Each score compares a school with the 5,726 California elementary schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days. Each figure is an average of school rates. Each school counts once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in Arcata score highest?
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy is highest, with a Scope Score of 82. That is higher than 82 in 100 California middle schools we score.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts AcademyCharter
Humboldt County Office of Education · 95521 · Grades 6–12 · Check how it admits students.
293635% below the standard
Scope Score 82Strong · 82nd percentile
Rank 2
Pacific Union Elementary
Pacific Union Elementary · 95521 · Grades K–8
193348% below the standard
Scope Score 77Solid · 59th percentile
Rank 3
Coastal Grove CharterCharter
Arcata Elementary · 95521 · Grades K–8 · Check how it admits students.
182161% below the standard
Scope Score 76Solid · 56th percentile
Rank 4
Laurel Tree CharterCharter
Northern Humboldt Union High · 95521 · Grades K–12 · Check how it admits students.
143452% below the standard
Scope Score 76Solid · 55th percentile
Rank 5
Sunny Brae Middle
Arcata Elementary · 95521 · Grades 6–8
182557% below the standard
Scope Score 75Solid · 51st percentile
19in 100
The average Arcata middle school had 19 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
Each score compares a school with the 2,529 California middle schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026.
High schools
Where does the high school we score in Arcata stand?
Arcata High has a Scope Score of 79. That is higher than 67 in 100 California high schools we score. It is the only public high school we score in Arcata.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
Arcata High
Northern Humboldt Union High · 95521 · Grades 9–12
232849% below the standard
Scope Score 79Solid · 67th percentile
3 high schools not ranked statewide
Court and community schools and continuation schools enroll students differently from a regular school, so each is compared only with its own kind or not ranked. The others have no statewide percentile this year.
- Arcata Educational Resource CenterCounty community school
- Pacific Coast High (Continuation)Continuation high school
- Six Rivers Charter High
Each score compares a school with the 1,498 California high schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025. The state called the top two levels Exceeded and Met in spring 2025.
Districts
Which districts run the schools here?
Four districts run the public schools with a Arcata address. The home address decides which district serves a child. Charter schools are not counted here.
District
Arcata Elementary
2schools here
Elementary, Middle. Sunny Brae, Arcata Elementary.
Open the district →District
Northern Humboldt Union High
2schools here
High. Arcata High, Pacific Coast High (Continuation).
Open the district →District
Humboldt County Office of Education
1school here
High. Arcata Educational Resource Center.
District
Pacific Union Elementary
1school here
Elementary. Pacific Union Elementary.
Does living in Arcata decide which school my child attends?
No. A city can hold schools from more than one district, and attendance boundaries decide which school serves an address. Confirm the school for your address with the district.
Charter and private
What other schools are here?
3 private schools have a Arcata address. They don’t take California’s state tests, so we don’t score them.
- Arcata Christian School95521 · 106 students
- Six Rivers Montessori95521 · 21 students
- Mad River Montessori95518 · 6 students
Open the private-school directory →
6 charter schools have a Arcata address. They are in the lists above, marked Charter. Private school names and enrollment are from the California Department of Education’s private school filings and the federal Private School Survey.
Students
Who goes to school here?
2,976 students go to the 12 public schools with a Arcata address. 50 in 100 qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
Low-income families
44–79%
of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, from the lowest elementary school to the highest. California: 63%.
Missing school
18in 100
students chronically absent at the average elementary school here. California: 17 in 100.
Students and meal counts: California Department of Education, free or reduced-price meal file, 2024–25. Chronic absence: California Department of Education, 2025–26, an average of school rates.
Common questions
What do parents ask about schools in Arcata?
Are the public schools in Arcata good?
Arcata’s 6 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 65 to 89. Of those, 1 is Strong, 2 are Solid, 1 is Developing and 2 are Needs Support. Arcata’s 5 public middle schools have Scope Scores from 75 to 82. Of those, 1 is Strong and 4 are Solid. Arcata has one public high school we score. Arcata High has a Scope Score of 79. It is Solid, at the 67th percentile. 75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state. How we score schools.
Which public schools in Arcata rank highest?
Union Street Charter is the highest elementary school, with a Scope Score of 89. It is Strong, at the 93rd percentile. Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy is the highest middle school, with a Scope Score of 82. It is Strong, at the 82nd percentile. Arcata High is the only high school we score here. It has a Scope Score of 79. It is Solid, at the 67th percentile. Each score compares a school with the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
How does chronic absence in Arcata compare with California?
The average Arcata elementary school had 18 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days. Each figure is an average of school rates. Each school counts once. The average Arcata middle school had 19 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
Where do these results come from?
The test results are from California’s state tests (CAASPP). They are from spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools. The results are from spring 2025 for high schools. Chronic-absence rates are for 2025–26. The California Department of Education publishes both. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Next
Which places nearby can you look at next?
Arcata Elementary
The district that runs most public schools here.
Compare schoolsSee the same numbers for each school.
Northern Humboldt Union HighRuns 2 public schools with a Arcata address.
School districts
Before kindergarten
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools with a Arcata address. They can belong to more than one school district.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.
State tests are the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), springs 2025 and 2026.
Download these schools (CSV) Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.