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Acalanes Center for Independent Study

Q: Is Acalanes Center for Independent Study a good school?

Acalanes Center for Independent Study ranks 947 th of 2162 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

947^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,162 California High Schools

Better than 56% of California high schools

Summary

Acalanes Center for Independent Study is a small, alternative high school serving about 61 students in grades 9-12 within the highly-regarded Acalanes Union High district in Walnut Creek, offering a non-traditional, independent study model for students who may not thrive in a conventional classroom setting.

This school is defined by its significant investment and unique challenges. It operates with a very low student-teacher ratio of 9.5-to-1 and spends roughly double per student compared to other schools in its district, such as Acalanes High or Campolindo High. However, it struggles with alarmingly high chronic absenteeism and academic performance that varies widely and is generally below its district peers, particularly in mathematics where proficiency is very low. Its graduation and dropout rates also indicate it serves a population at higher risk of not completing traditional programs.

When compared to other alternative schools, like Contra Costa School of Performing Arts or Prospect High (Continuation), Acalanes Center shows a different profile of high funding but mixed results. The school's performance metrics fluctuate dramatically year-to-year, suggesting it serves different cohorts with varying needs. Ultimately, it represents a specialized, high-resource option within the district for students seeking an independent study pathway, with outcomes that differ considerably from the area's comprehensive high schools.

Students ?

9.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$39,678

Per pupil spending ?

16.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1963 Tice Valley Blvd.
Walnut Creek, CA 94595-2201

(925) 280-3945

District: Acalanes Union High

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.9%

Hispanic:

18.0%

Asian:

11.5%

See top rated California high schools

Compare Acalanes Center for Independent Study to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 64th percentile in 2011 → 56th in 2025

Strengths

✓91% graduate in 4 years — above the California average (88%)

✓Above the California median (56th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (36% vs 41% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (73% vs 19% California)

!Ranking has slipped — down 8 percentile points since 2011

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school36%

District avg70%

California avg41%

947^th of 2,162

California public high schools ?

Top 44%▲ up 7 pts since 2015

From bottom 49% (2015) to top 44% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 5High Schools in the Acalanes Union High

128^th of 1,543Acalanes Union High among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	54.0	947 of 2162	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.7	556 of 2159	74.2%	★★★★☆
2023	78.1	432 of 2170	80.1%	★★★★☆
2022	82.4	322 of 2123	84.8%	★★★★☆
2018	94.0	108 of 2017	94.6%	★★★★★
2016	17.3	1562 of 2039	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	48.4	1012 of 1994	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2013	42.0	1011 of 2426	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	66.7	377 of 2354	84.0%	★★★★☆
2011	47.9	847 of 2367	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	79.4	143 of 2281	93.7%	★★★★★
2009	63.4	376 of 2238	83.2%	★★★★☆
2008	43.4	834 of 2117	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2007	66.9	318 of 2063	84.6%	★★★★☆
2006	4.5	1820 of 1968	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	5.2	1761 of 1901	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	42.9	1049 of 1906	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.0	916 of 1915	52.2%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	88.0	232 of 1948	88.1%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	17.4	970 of 1155	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	54.8	529 of 1173	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	86.1	125 of 1173	89.3%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Male (2024)88th percentile+14 vs school

Female (2025)45th percentile-11 vs school

White (2025)16th percentile-40 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

Science53%+21 vs state

English Language Arts/Literacy52%+3 vs state

Mathematics9%-29 vs state

★

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Schools Near Acalanes Center for Independent Study

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)					Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Acalanes Center for Independent Study	Public	9-12	1963 Tice Valley Blvd.	Walnut Creek	94595	Contra Costa County	Acalanes Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(925) 280-3945	61	6	9.5	16.4%	39 (63.9%)	1 (1.6%)	11 (18.0%)	7 (11.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.9%)	54	947^th of 2162 public high schools	56.2%		70.7	556^th of 2159 public high schools	74.2%	391			53.3	53.3				52.2	52.2				8.7	8.7	$39,678	$811	$38,867
Las Lomas High	Public	9-12	1460 South Main St.	Walnut Creek	94596	Contra Costa County	Acalanes Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(925) 280-3920	1,577	81	19.4	15.4%	806 (51.1%)	45 (2.9%)	268 (17.0%)	271 (17.2%)	5 (0.3%)	6 (0.4%)	174 (11.0%)	90.9	183^rd of 2162 public high schools	91.5%		92.1	176^th of 2159 public high schools	91.8%	7		58.1	42.9	57.6				71.2	71.2				56.5	56.5	$18,936	$755	$18,181
Acalanes High	Public	9-12	1200 Pleasant Hill Rd.	Lafayette	94549	Contra Costa County	Acalanes Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(925) 280-3970	1,256	64	19.5	7.3%	787 (62.7%)	19 (1.5%)	150 (11.9%)	152 (12.1%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	134 (10.7%)	95.1	93^rd of 2162 public high schools	95.7%		97.7	50^th of 2159 public high schools	97.7%	43		61.3	33.3	60.1				82.5	82.5				63.1	63.1	$21,216	$1,294	$19,922
Campolindo High	Public	9-12	300 Moraga Rd.	Moraga	94556	Contra Costa County	Acalanes Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(925) 280-3950	1,340	68	19.7	5.4%	758 (56.6%)	10 (0.7%)	124 (9.3%)	244 (18.2%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.3%)	196 (14.6%)	96.8	60^th of 2162 public high schools	97.2%		97.9	46^th of 2159 public high schools	97.9%	14		65.6	45.5	65.0				85.4	85.4				70.1	70.1	$19,960	$825	$19,135
Contra Costa County Regional Occupational Program	Public	9-12	77 Santa Barbara Rd.	Pleasant Hill	94523	Contra Costa County	Contra Costa County Regional Occupational Program	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(925) 942-3368	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Prospect High (Continuation)	Public	9-12	One Santa Barbara Rd.	Pleasant Hill	94523	Contra Costa County	Mt. Diablo Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(925) 682-8000	60	6	10.4	66.7%	13 (21.7%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (68.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	5 (8.3%)	23.9	1618^th of 2162 public high schools	25.2%		12.7	1905^th of 2159 public high schools	11.8%	287								21.4	21.4				16.7	16.7	$339	$332	$07
Northgate High	Public	9-12	425 Castle Rock Rd.	Walnut Creek	94598	Contra Costa County	Mt. Diablo Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(925) 938-0900	1,546	67	23.1	22.4%	709 (45.9%)	23 (1.5%)	256 (16.6%)	258 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (0.5%)	287 (18.6%)	89.5	207^th of 2162 public high schools	90.4%		93.5	143^rd of 2159 public high schools	93.4%	64		53.7		53.7				73.7	73.7				51.0	51.0	$2,108	$463	$1,645
Miramonte High	Public	9-12	750 Moraga Way	Orinda	94563	Contra Costa County	Acalanes Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(925) 280-3930	1,167	61	18.9	4.6%	648 (55.5%)	13 (1.1%)	104 (8.9%)	251 (21.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	145 (12.4%)	98.4	29^th of 2162 public high schools	98.7%		98.3	30^th of 2159 public high schools	98.6%	1		80.8	54.6	79.8				89.8	89.8				78.7	78.7	$20,533	$1,119	$19,414
Contra Costa School of Performing Arts	Public, Charter	6-12	2730 Mitchell Dr.	Walnut Creek	94598	Contra Costa County	Contra Costa School of Performing Arts District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(925) 235-1130	285	13	21.9	29.1%	76 (26.7%)	34 (11.9%)	122 (42.8%)	11 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (14.4%)	59.9	826^th of 2162 public high schools	61.8%		72.4	533^rd of 2159 public high schools	75.3%	293	22.5	42.1		28.8	35.7	35.9	37.8	66.7	40.8	24.1	16.0	23.3	10.0	19.0	$19,772	$1,631	$18,141
Ygnacio Valley High	Public	9-12	755 Oak Grove Rd.	Concord	94518	Contra Costa County	Mt. Diablo Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(925) 685-8414	1,059	56	18.9	81.5%	52 (4.9%)	34 (3.2%)	827 (78.1%)	85 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (0.8%)	51 (4.8%)	24	1613^th of 2162 public high schools	25.4%		29.8	1495^th of 2159 public high schools	30.8%	118		13.6	9.1	13.4				29.2	29.2				11.8	11.8	$3,819	$1,495	$2,324

Frequently Asked Questions about Acalanes Center for Independent Study

Is Acalanes Center for Independent Study a good school?

Acalanes Center for Independent Study ranks 947^th of 2162 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Acalanes Center for Independent Study?

In the 2024-25 school year, 61 students attended Acalanes Center for Independent Study.

What is the racial makeup of Acalanes Center for Independent Study?

Students at Acalanes Center for Independent Study are 64% White, 18% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 5% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What district is Acalanes Center for Independent Study in?

Acalanes Union High

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.