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Best Public Schools in Chico, CA


At a glance
33
Schools
15,171
Students
12
Districts
1
5-star school
Top rankedSierra View Elementary523rd of 5,857 California elementary schools
Biggest riser
Sherwood Montessori up 697 spots statewide this year
Smallest classes
Inspire School of Arts and Sciences 14.8 students per teacher
SchoolDigger ratings
4★
3★
7 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)
Summary:

Chico, California, is served by 32 public schools across 11 districts, including 18 elementary, 3 middle, 7 high, and 4 alternative schools, educating students from kindergarten through 12th grade in this Northern California city.

The educational landscape in Chico is diverse, with standout high-performing schools like Sierra View Elementary and Inspire School of Arts and Sciences ranking in the top 10-15% of the state, alongside comprehensive high schools Pleasant Valley High and Chico High which boast graduation rates above 91%. In contrast, some schools, particularly alternative programs like Fair View High (Continuation), face significant challenges with very low academic proficiency and extremely high chronic absenteeism.

Key trends for parents to consider include a notable gap where math proficiency lags behind English across most schools, and a widespread issue with chronic absenteeism that exceeds the state average. While charter school performance varies, the traditional Chico Unified district operates the majority of schools and shows both areas of excellence and need, with elementary school performance often correlating with economic disadvantage, though exceptions like Neal Dow Elementary demonstrate success is possible across demographics.

Ranking:
Map legend
E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private




Cities Near Chico

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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.





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