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Wilson Alternative

Q: Is Wilson Alternative a good school?

Wilson Alternative ranks 1575 th of 2162 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public, Alternative Grades K-12

1575^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,162 California Alternative Schools

Better than 27% of California alternative schools

Summary

Wilson Alternative is a small, K-12 alternative school serving 131 students within the Santa Clara Unified School District, characterized by very high per-student funding and a low student-teacher ratio of 9-to-1.

The school faces significant challenges, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 58% far exceeding the district and state averages, and a graduation rate of 55.2% that is both low and has fluctuated dramatically in recent years. Academic proficiency, particularly in mathematics where only 5.88% of students are proficient, is critically low compared to the district and other alternative programs. This creates a notable paradox: despite having resources that dwarf nearby schools like Ocean Grove Charter or Circle of Independent Learning, key outcomes are significantly weaker.

This combination of high investment and poor results suggests Wilson Alternative serves a student population with exceptionally high needs, similar to specialized programs like Santa Clara County Special Education. For parents, the data indicates the school's primary focus is on addressing fundamental barriers like attendance, which likely underpin its struggles with graduation and academics, rather than achieving traditional academic benchmarks.

131

Students ?

9.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$53,702

Per pupil spending ?

42%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1840 Benton St.
Santa Clara, CA 95050-5215

(408) 423-3600

District: Santa Clara Unified

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

51.1%

White:

22.1%

Asian:

14.5%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Wilson Alternative to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 32nd percentile in 2015 → 27th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (22% vs 43% meeting standards)

!Graduation rate below the California average (55% vs 88%)

!Dropout rate above the California average (12% vs 8%)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school22%

District avg55%

California avg43%

1,575^th of 2,162

California public high schools ?

Bottom 27%▼ down 5 pts since 2015

From bottom 32% (2015) to bottom 27% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

401^st of 1,543Santa Clara Unified 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)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	90.6	270 of 2740	90.1%	★★★★★
2007	38.2	1160 of 1999	42.0%	★★☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	25.8	1575 of 2162	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.3	1547 of 2159	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	51.2	958 of 2170	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	35.1	1302 of 2123	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	39.2	1228 of 2133	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	19.3	1517 of 2017	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	29.9	1384 of 2021	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	27.3	1412 of 2039	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2015	29.7	1348 of 1994	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	16.6	1800 of 2426	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	19.4	1649 of 2354	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	30.2	1308 of 2367	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	27.2	1357 of 2281	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	36.7	1133 of 2238	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	20.8	1511 of 2117	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	29.7	1141 of 2063	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2006	30.6	1075 of 1968	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2005	59.4	421 of 1901	77.9%	★★★★☆
2004	42.9	639 of 1653	61.3%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	9.5	1804 of 1915	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	41.6	1070 of 1915	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	29.0	1299 of 1858	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	31.9	1240 of 1833	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	18.6	1392 of 1760	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	16.8	1584 of 1902	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	37.0	1206 of 1917	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.8	1344 of 1861	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	22.4	1371 of 1814	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.0	1322 of 1742	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2023	40.7	1154 of 2030	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	29.3	1373 of 1943	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	31.1	1338 of 1937	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	16.3	1452 of 1862	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	48.7	911 of 1948	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	35.4	1160 of 1916	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	39.5	1091 of 1880	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	15.9	1442 of 1834	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2019	63.4	440 of 1222	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	5.9	1087 of 1173	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

High school

White (2019)64th percentile+22 vs school

Male (2024)53rd percentile+25 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)43rd percentile-13 vs school

Hispanic (2024)17th percentile-12 vs school

Female (2024)6th percentile-23 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy37%-12 vs state

Mathematics6%-31 vs state

★

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Schools Near Wilson Alternative

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				CSA Spanish Overall (2025)			CSA Spanish Listening (2025)			CSA Spanish Writing (2025)			CSA Spanish Reading (2025)			CAST Science (2025)					Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)								Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)								% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	CSA Spanish Overall 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall All Grades	CSA Spanish Listening 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening All Grades	CSA Spanish Writing 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing All Grades	CSA Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading All Grades	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Wilson Alternative	Public, Alternative	K-12	1840 Benton St.	Santa Clara	95050	Santa Clara County	Santa Clara Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 423-3600	131	14	9.4	42.0%	29 (22.1%)	4 (3.1%)	67 (51.1%)	19 (14.5%)	2 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.9%)								(n/a)																								36.8	36.8							5.9	5.9							$53,702	$681	$53,021
Santa Clara County Special Education	Public, Alternative	K-12	1290 Ridder Park Dr. MC273	San Jose	95131	Santa Clara County	Santa Clara County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 453-6542	771	108	7.1	47.6%	108 (14.0%)	34 (4.4%)	343 (44.5%)	269 (34.9%)	3 (0.4%)	6 (0.8%)	8 (1.0%)								(n/a)																	0.0				0.0				0.0				0.0				0.0	70.0	75.0	82.5	70.0	70.0	70.0	$145,936	$2,591	$143,345
Escuela Popular Accelerated Family Learning	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	149 North White Rd.	San Jose	95127	Santa Clara County	Escuela Popular Accelerated Family Learning District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 275-7190	396	22	18.0	92.2%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	395 (99.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)								(n/a)	6.7	0.0	3.0	13.3	2.8	7.6	6.7	11.1	9.1	3.3	0.0	1.5	6.7	3.3			5.0	3.5	3.6	10.7	15.2	18.0	11.1		10.6	9.7	0.0	3.3	22.2	11.9	6.7		9.4	83.3	93.3	93.3				$21,492	$3,527	$17,965
Circle of Independent Learning	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	4700 Calaveras Ave.	Fremont	94538	Alameda County	Fremont Unified	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 797-0100	394	17	23.7	46.2%	50 (12.7%)	20 (5.1%)	102 (25.9%)	195 (49.5%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.3%)	17 (4.3%)								(n/a)													38.5	35.0		38.3	38.7		57.1	61.5	70.0	47.4	42.5	67.3	57.8		42.9	30.8	50.0	21.1	32.5	50.9	40.5							$22,030	$78	$21,952
Packard Children's Hospital/Stanford	Public, Alternative	K-12	725 Welch Rd.	Palo Alto	94304	Santa Clara County	Palo Alto Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(650) 497-8230	15	3	4.9	20.0%	4 (26.7%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (53.3%)	1 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (13.3%)								(n/a)																																								$67,732	$947	$66,785
California School for the Deaf-Fremont	Public, Alternative	K-12	39350 Gallaudet Dr.	Fremont	94538	Alameda County	California School for the Deaf-Fremont (State Special Schl)	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 794-3666	279	65	4.3	98.9%	50 (17.9%)	16 (5.7%)	161 (57.7%)	30 (10.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	18 (6.5%)								(n/a)														0.0	0.0		5.7				0.0		8.3	15.8	11.4				0.0		0.0	0.0	4.2
California School for the Blind	Public, Alternative	K-12	500 Walnut Ave.	Fremont	94536	Alameda County	California School for the Blind (State Special Schl)	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 794-3800	42	8	5.2	40.5%	5 (11.9%)	1 (2.4%)	25 (59.5%)	9 (21.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.4%)	1 (2.4%)								(n/a)																									22.2								6.3
Ocean Grove Charter	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	16900 North Highway Nine	Boulder Creek	95006	Santa Cruz County	Ocean Grove Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(530) 295-3566	3,378	144	23.4	26.7%	1,263 (37.4%)	38 (1.1%)	1,010 (29.9%)	350 (10.4%)	3 (0.1%)	26 (0.8%)	685 (20.3%)								(n/a)													54.7	57.2	58.6	64.7	56.7	55.4	60.6	66.3	67.8	67.3	68.6	75.3	65.2	52.7	47.6	50.2	53.7	50.9	48.3	50.7	50.5	39.9	49.5	63.6	43.8	49.1	46.3	$11,204	$214	$10,990
Connecting Waters Charter - East Bay	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	703 C St.	Union City	94587	Alameda County	Connecting Waters Charter - East Bay District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(209) 874-1119	540	30	17.9	30.4%	115 (21.3%)	21 (3.9%)	48 (8.9%)	242 (44.8%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	108 (20.0%)								(n/a)													57.9	40.5	57.9		52.5	60.0	55.6	71.1	73.8	66.7	69.1	92.1	69.8	55.0	66.7	55.3	50.0	57.1	47.6	50.0	54.3	56.8	65.9	81.8	65.9	61.4	65.9	$12,990	$143	$12,847
Decoto School for Independent Study	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	725 Whipple Rd.	Union City	94587	Alameda County	New Haven Unified	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(510) 476-2696	233	10	23.0	65.2%	21 (9.0%)	15 (6.4%)	101 (43.3%)	73 (31.3%)	1 (0.4%)	8 (3.4%)	13 (5.6%)								(n/a)															48.7		42.9					57.1		53.9	60.0					35.7		43.6	43.5							$23,914	$2,348	$21,566

Frequently Asked Questions about Wilson Alternative

What is the racial makeup of Wilson Alternative?

Students at Wilson Alternative are 51% Hispanic, 22% White, 15% Asian, 7% Two or more races, 3% African American, 2% American Indian.

What district is Wilson Alternative in?

Santa Clara Unified

Is Wilson Alternative a good school?

Wilson Alternative ranks 1575^th of 2162 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Wilson Alternative?

In the 2024-25 school year, 131 students attended Wilson Alternative.

Rate Wilson Alternative!

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CACalifornia Alternative School Rankings

CACalifornia District Rankings

Schools in Santa Clara, CA

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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.