Best Public Schools in Ridgecrest, CA

Ridgecrest, California, is served by 10 public schools across two districts—Sierra Sands Unified and Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language Music and Sci Di—educating around 4,650 students from elementary through high school, including a specialized charter and a continuation high school.

Academic performance varies widely across the city. Burroughs High stands out as the top performer with strong test scores and the highest graduation rate, while Las Flores Elementary leads among elementary schools. In contrast, both middle schools—Murray Middle and James Monroe Middle—rank significantly lower, particularly in math, and Mesquite Continuation High faces severe challenges with very low graduation rates and proficiency.

Key issues for parents to consider include a district-wide struggle with mathematics proficiency and high chronic absenteeism at most schools, which is closely linked to lower performance. Interestingly, per-student spending and class size do not clearly predict success, as some higher-funded schools have poorer outcomes. The data suggests that individual school environment and attendance are critical factors, with elementary schools like Richmond Elementary and Faller Elementary achieving different results despite serving students with similar economic needs.