Best High Schools in Tehachapi, CA

This analysis covers three public high schools serving grades 9-12 in the city of Tehachapi, California, within the Tehachapi Unified and EPIC de Cesar Chavez District.

Tehachapi High is the district's traditional comprehensive high school and stands out with the strongest academic results, including a 94.7% graduation rate and the highest test scores, though its math proficiency is below the state average. In contrast, EPIC de Cesar Chavez, a charter school, shows severe challenges with an extremely low historical graduation rate of 13.8% and a chronic absenteeism rate over 91%. Monroe High (Continuation) serves a small population of at-risk students and achieves a high 92.9% graduation rate despite very low test scores and near-universal chronic absenteeism.

Key takeaways for parents include a significant attendance crisis at two of the three schools and a district-wide struggle with mathematics proficiency. While Tehachapi High is the clear academic leader, its statewide ranking has recently declined. The data suggests families should carefully consider the very different models and outcomes of these schools, with the traditional high school offering the most consistent pathway and the continuation school demonstrating success in graduating students who have struggled elsewhere.