Best Public Schools in Point Arena, CA

Point Arena, California, has four listed schools serving kindergarten through grade 12: Arena Elementary (K–8), Point Arena High (grades 9–12), Pacific Community Charter (K–12), and South Coast Continuation (grades 9–12). Test-score coverage varies by school and year, and the state suppressed some results, including South Coast Continuation’s 2025–2026 science score. The clearest current concern is math: in 2025–2026, the two schools with results averaged 6% proficient, compared with 38% statewide—a 32-point shortfall.

In 2025–2026, Point Arena High led in ELA at 46%, versus 24% at Arena Elementary, a 23-point difference; the high school was still 3 points below California. Arena Elementary led in math, 9% to 3%, and science, 17% to 3%, but its results were 30 and 19 points below the state, respectively. The strongest reported 2024–2025 results came from Pacific Community Charter: 52% in ELA and 39% in math, 3 and 2 points above California. At the lower end that year, Point Arena High had 9% in ELA and 3% in math; the charter’s results were 43 and 36 points higher.

Results changed unevenly at the two schools with scores in both years: from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, Arena Elementary declined 3 points in ELA and 5 in math but gained 11 in science, while Point Arena High gained 37 points in ELA and fell 17 in science. SchoolDigger’s latest percentile was 8 for the elementary school, down 6 points from the prior year, and 23 for the high school, close to its previous years’ ratings. Context also differs: the 2024–2025 student-teacher ratios were 21.8 at the elementary school, 10.4 at the high school, and 9.6 at the charter. The charter had the highest reported free/reduced lunch eligible share for that year, 67%, compared with 61% at the elementary school and 48% at the high school; these figures describe student populations, not reasons for test results. Point Arena High also reported a 100% graduation rate in 2025–2026 alongside 3% math and science proficiency, showing that these measures tell different stories about the school.