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Modesto High

Q: Is Modesto High a good school?

Modesto High ranks 1289 th of 2137 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

1289^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,137 California High Schools

Better than 40% of California high schools

Summary

Modesto High is a public high school in Modesto, California, serving grades 9–12 in the Modesto City High district, with 2,292 students. In 2025–26, students were proficient in ELA at a rate of 46%, close to the state’s 49%, while math proficiency was 21% compared with 38% statewide, and science was 20% compared with 36%. Science is the clearest concern: proficiency was 8 points below the district and 16 points below the state.

Compared with five nearby comprehensive high schools, Modesto High is strongest in math: it ranked third of six, with 21% proficiency, close to the group average of 22%. It ranked fifth of six in both ELA and science, scoring 7 points below the group’s 53% ELA average and 11 points below its 31% science average. Graduation is a relative strength: the rate was 92% in 2025–26, 5 points above the state and 3 below the district. Chronic absenteeism was higher than both, at 25% compared with 18% statewide and 24% in the district.

Math has improved substantially, rising 10 points from 2022–23 to 2025–26, while ELA was essentially unchanged. Science gained 12 points over those years but fell 3 points in the latest year. SchoolDigger ranked Modesto High at the 40th percentile with two stars in 2025–26, down 29 percentile points from 2015–16. In 2024–25, 84% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible, and the student-teacher ratio was 22. SchoolDigger’s statewide measure of how well it serves African American students was at the 18th percentile in 2025–26, compared with the school’s 40th-percentile overall ranking; that subgroup ranking was at the 75th percentile in 2021–22.

2,292

Students ?

22.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$26,578

Per pupil spending ?

83.7%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in California receive free school meals.

18 H St.
Modesto, CA 95351-3203

(209) 574-1776

District: Modesto City High

Feeder schools for Modesto High:

Elementary:	Burbank Elementary
	Franklin Elementary
	Harriette Kirschen Elementary
	Hart-Ransom Elementary
	More...
	James Marshall Elementary
	Paradise Elementary
	Robertson Road Elementary
	Shiloh Elementary
Middle:	Mark Twain Junior High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

77.1%

Asian:

7.3%

Two or more races:

6.5%

See top rated California high schools

Compare Modesto High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 69th percentile in 2016 → 40th in 2026

Strengths

✓92% graduate in 4 years — above the California average (88%)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (29% vs 42% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 29 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school29%

District avg34%

California avg42%

1,289^th of 2,137

California public high schools ?

Bottom 40%▼ down 29 pts since 2016

From top 31% (2016) to bottom 40% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of California High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 8High Schools in the Modesto City High

566^th of 968Modesto City High among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	39.5	1289 of 2137	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.5	1179 of 2162	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.1	1367 of 2159	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	36.1	1322 of 2170	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.4	1251 of 2123	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	49.8	608 of 1290	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	46.8	1060 of 2133	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.1	756 of 2017	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	58.5	828 of 2021	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2016	66.7	635 of 2039	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2015	66.4	628 of 1994	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	56.4	620 of 2426	74.4%	★★★★☆
2012	57.6	601 of 2354	74.5%	★★★★☆
2011	62.7	448 of 2367	81.1%	★★★★☆
2010	61.5	479 of 2281	79.0%	★★★★☆
2009	65.7	327 of 2238	85.4%	★★★★☆
2008	69.9	274 of 2117	87.1%	★★★★☆
2007	72.7	216 of 2063	89.5%	★★★★☆
2006	70.7	273 of 1968	86.1%	★★★★☆
2005	65.4	333 of 1901	82.5%	★★★★☆
2004	68.1	218 of 1653	86.8%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	22.2	404 of 491	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.9	318 of 521	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	66.4	130 of 522	75.1%	★★★★☆
2019	83.9	68 of 592	88.5%	★★★★☆
2018	34.0	375 of 582	35.6%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	34.1	416 of 575	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.5	465 of 585	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	14.1	492 of 573	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	11.7	529 of 591	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.0	472 of 581	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	24.2	465 of 582	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	42.2	371 of 581	36.1%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	26.1	948 of 1161	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	36.4	323 of 555	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	32.3	714 of 1117	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	25.2	815 of 1052	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	44.4	473 of 1085	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	44.0	464 of 1064	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	37.7	597 of 1044	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	52.0	166 of 467	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	31.9	697 of 941	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.0	636 of 938	32.2%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	38.4	1152 of 1865	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	35.5	1226 of 1906	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.1	1267 of 1915	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.9	1230 of 1915	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.3	1096 of 1858	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.1	549 of 1054	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.4	934 of 1833	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	57.4	765 of 1760	56.5%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	37.7	1203 of 1880	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.7	1075 of 1900	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.1	1283 of 1902	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	36.3	1219 of 1917	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.4	1168 of 1861	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	50.3	866 of 1814	52.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.6	668 of 1742	61.7%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	39.5	1221 of 1999	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.9	1162 of 2013	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.6	1350 of 2026	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.1	1320 of 2030	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.0	1247 of 1943	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.9	578 of 1126	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.9	1030 of 1937	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	59.7	732 of 1862	60.7%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	35.8	1223 of 1932	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	47.0	977 of 1942	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.1	1261 of 1948	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.0	1237 of 1963	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	33.5	1210 of 1916	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	43.6	597 of 1122	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.5	944 of 1880	49.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	61.0	702 of 1834	61.7%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	33.2	407 of 588	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	36.3	377 of 577	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	6.3	546 of 574	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	27.5	397 of 541	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.7	443 of 515	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	73.5	105 of 422	75.1%	★★★★☆
2018	36.9	243 of 366	33.6%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	24.4	999 of 1235	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	23.3	1047 of 1252	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.4	927 of 1216	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.4	741 of 1197	38.1%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	61.6	451 of 1132	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	48.3	628 of 1155	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	58.3	486 of 1173	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	38.8	743 of 1193	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	56.1	519 of 1204	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	64.1	432 of 1222	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	73.4	329 of 1173	72.0%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2026)60th percentile+20 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)56th percentile+20 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)39th percentile~ school

Female (2026)38th percentile~ school

Male (2026)37th percentile-3 vs school

Hispanic (2026)36th percentile-4 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)31st percentile-9 vs school

Asian (2026)28th percentile-12 vs school

Special Education (2026)19th percentile-21 vs school

Disabled (2022)18th percentile-23 vs school

African American (2026)18th percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs California (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy46%-3 vs state

Mathematics21%-17 vs state

Science20%-16 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a student
Monday, April 23, 2012

Modesto High School offers an excellent education for the aspiring student, a plethora of sports and clubs, and a wide sense of community. Although some look down on the school because of its undesirable location, Modesto High is very secure. I have attended the school for four years and have never once encountered any of the rumored gang fights or shootings that some say Modesto High is notorious for. That is a lie. I have received a great education here from a wonderful staff of well-experienced and concerned teachers. The arts programs, including drama, dance, band, orchestra, and choir, are all outstanding. Each performance I see feels like a real professional show. Our sports teams are also very accomplished. The IB Program, similar, yet perhaps more demanding than AP classes, has taught me very much and has helped me find my way into a career that I will enjoy. Close Quote

Schools Near Modesto High

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CAST Science (2026)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2026)		Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 10th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Modesto High	Public	9-12	18 H St.	Modesto	95351	Stanislaus County	Modesto City High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 574-1776	2,292	104	22.0	83.7%	146 (6.4%)	46 (2.0%)	1,767 (77.1%)	168 (7.3%)	5 (0.2%)	10 (0.4%)	150 (6.5%)	39.5	1289^th of 2137 public high schools	39.7%		43.5	1179^th of 2162 public high schools	45.5%	110	8.3	24.2	0.0	19.7	46.2	46.2	21.3	21.3	$26,578	$24,374	$2,204
Yosemite Regional Occupational Program	Public	11-12	1100 H St.	Modesto	95354	Stanislaus County	Yosemite Regional Occupational Program	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(209) 238-1500	0			—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	819 Sunset Ave.	Modesto	94606	Alameda County	Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 521-3010	617	27	22.7	77.5%	35 (5.7%)	16 (2.6%)	491 (79.6%)	20 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	53 (8.6%)								(n/a)
Stanislaus Alternative Charter	Public, Charter	9-12	1325 H St.	Modesto	95354	Stanislaus County	Stanislaus Alternative Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 238-8650	651	25	26.4	64.8%	134 (20.6%)	36 (5.5%)	433 (66.5%)	16 (2.5%)	7 (1.1%)	7 (1.1%)	15 (2.3%)								(n/a)
Thomas Downey High	Public	9-12	1000 Coffee Rd.	Modesto	95355	Stanislaus County	Modesto City High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 574-1685	2,192	92	23.8	76.0%	396 (18.1%)	36 (1.6%)	1,514 (69.1%)	46 (2.1%)	7 (0.3%)	8 (0.4%)	185 (8.4%)	44.3	1159^th of 2137 public high schools	45.8%		46.1	1113^th of 2162 public high schools	48.5%	46	13.0	30.3		25.6	47.7	47.7	22.6	22.6	$23,476	$21,580	$1,896
Robert Elliott Alternative Education Center	Public	9-12	1440 Sunrise Ave.	Modesto	95350	Stanislaus County	Modesto City High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 574-1701	479	33	14.4	87.9%	66 (13.8%)	19 (4.0%)	346 (72.2%)	7 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.0%)	34 (7.1%)	9.4	1983^rd of 2137 public high schools	7.2%		8.5	2095^th of 2162 public high schools	3.1%	112		6.9		8.4	3.4	3.4	3.9	3.9	$37,437	$35,284	$2,153
Grace M. Davis High	Public	9-12	1200 West Rumble Rd.	Modesto	95350	Stanislaus County	Modesto City High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 574-1668	2,083	95	21.9	80.2%	319 (15.3%)	63 (3.0%)	1,304 (62.6%)	170 (8.2%)	11 (0.5%)	18 (0.9%)	198 (9.5%)	27.7	1530^th of 2137 public high schools	28.4%		32.5	1436^th of 2162 public high schools	33.6%	94	7.5	20.6	13.3	16.9	37.2	37.2	12.5	12.5	$23,241	$21,060	$2,181
Ceres High	Public	9-12	2320 Central Ave.	Ceres	95307	Stanislaus County	Ceres Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 556-1920	1,660	74	22.5	87.0%	186 (11.2%)	23 (1.4%)	1,343 (80.9%)	80 (4.8%)	6 (0.4%)	6 (0.4%)	16 (1.0%)	61.5	787^th of 2137 public high schools	63.2%		59.8	828^th of 2162 public high schools	61.7%	41		42.2		42.1	63.0	63.0	21.2	21.2	$22,538	$20,518	$2,020
Argus High (Continuation)	Public	9-12	2555 Lawrence St.	Ceres	95307	Stanislaus County	Ceres Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 556-1800	189	10	18.5	93.1%	13 (6.9%)	1 (0.5%)	167 (88.4%)	4 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	6.9	2105^th of 2137 public high schools	1.5%		7.7	2129^th of 2162 public high schools	1.5%	24		0.0		1.2	7.5	7.5	0.0	0.0	$33,901	$31,362	$2,539
Central Valley High	Public	9-12	4033 Central Ave.	Ceres	95307	Stanislaus County	Ceres Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 556-1900	2,317	99	23.4	87.4%	168 (7.3%)	18 (0.8%)	1,953 (84.3%)	148 (6.4%)	7 (0.3%)	12 (0.5%)	11 (0.5%)	58.4	851^st of 2137 public high schools	60.2%		58.7	857^th of 2162 public high schools	60.4%	6		38.6		38.4	61.7	61.7	20.7	20.7	$20,689	$18,878	$1,811

Frequently Asked Questions about Modesto High

How many students attend Modesto High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 2,292 students attended Modesto High.

What district is Modesto High in?

Modesto City High

What schools feed into Modesto High?

Modesto High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Burbank Elementary
Elementary : Franklin Elementary
Elementary : Harriette Kirschen Elementary
Elementary : Hart-Ransom Elementary
Elementary : James Marshall Elementary
Elementary : Paradise Elementary
Elementary : Robertson Road Elementary
Elementary : Shiloh Elementary
Middle : Mark Twain Junior High

Is Modesto High a good school?

Modesto High ranks 1289^th of 2137 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Modesto High?

Students at Modesto High are 77% Hispanic, 7% Asian, 7% Two or more races, 6% White, 2% African American.

Rate Modesto High!

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Latest California data All new data »

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 15, 2026

2025–26 CAST, CSA Spanish & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresNewOct 15, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJul 1, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataMar 13, 2026

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.