Best Public Schools in Covina, CA

Covina, California, is served by 17 public schools across three main districts—Covina-Valley Unified, Charter Oak Unified, and Azusa Unified—educating students from kindergarten through 12th grade in a high-need area where over three-quarters of students on average qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Performance varies significantly between schools, with standout elementary schools like Manzanita Elementary (ranking in the 83rd percentile statewide with exceptional math scores) and Barranca Elementary demonstrating that high achievement is possible here. In contrast, Fairvalley High (Continuation) and Gladstone Middle face severe challenges, including very low test scores and, in Fairvalley's case, a chronic absenteeism rate over 70%.

Key patterns include strong high school graduation rates, notably at Charter Oak High (98.1%), but generally lower-than-state-average test proficiency, especially in middle school science. Chronic absenteeism is a widespread concern, exceeding the state average in 7 of the 17 schools. The Covina-Valley Unified district tends to outperform the others academically, showing that effective practices can lead to better outcomes even with similar student demographics.