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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 93555

At a glance

Schools

4,562

Students

Districts

Top rankedSherman E. Burroughs High680^th of 2,135 California high schools

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Biggest riser

Pierce Academy of the Arts up 705 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Richmond Elementary 16.5 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

3★

2★

1★

2 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

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Summary:

ZIP code 93555 has nine schools—six elementary, one middle and two high—covering elementary through high school. Results vary considerably across the area, both between school types and among elementary schools. The biggest contrast is between the high schools: in grade 11, Sherman E. Burroughs High leads Mesquite Continuation High by 64 percentage points in ELA.

Burroughs stands out in grade 11 ELA and science: 75% and 39%, compared with 11% and 3% at Mesquite; both schools are below the state in math. Among elementary schools, Pierce Academy of the Arts leads in all-grades ELA at 43%, Las Flores Elementary leads in math at 35%, and Gateway Elementary leads in science at 38%, about 2 points above the state. Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language Music and Sci (REA) is lowest among elementary schools in all three subjects: 28% in ELA, 21% in math and 9% in science. The middle school, China Lake Junior High, is below the state in all three all-grades subjects.

Across the nine schools, the equal-school average declined from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026 by 2 points in ELA, 4 in math and 3 in science, though there were exceptions: Pierce’s ELA rose 14 points and Gateway’s science rose 8. SchoolDigger rankings also differ: Burroughs is at the 68th percentile and Mesquite at the 14th; Pierce rose from the 9th to the 41st percentile since 2023–2024. All nine report a free/reduced lunch eligible measure for 2024–2025 sy, ranging from 47% at Las Flores to 82% at Pierce; this is context, not an explanation for achievement. Attendance also varies sharply: chronic absenteeism is 88% at Mesquite, versus 7% at REA.

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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 Vaccination 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)								Vaccination (2024-25)		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 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	Vaccination: Kindergartners with all required immunizations	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language Music and Sci	Public, Charter	K-6	325 South Downs St.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language Music and Sci Di	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 375-1010	239	13	19.1	52.3%	68 (28.5%)	13 (5.4%)	125 (52.3%)	15 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (7.5%)	18.6	4933^rd of 5817 public elementary schools	15.2%		16.9	5106^th of 5857 public elementary schools	12.8%	173	8.7				8.7	32.4	22.9	33.3	20.0				27.9	32.4	22.9	8.3	7.1				20.9			$16,393	$1,689	$14,704
Gateway Elementary	Public	K-6	501 South Gateway	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1850	346	14	24.6	66.8%	161 (46.5%)	29 (8.4%)	117 (33.8%)	7 (2.0%)	2 (0.6%)	5 (1.4%)	25 (7.2%)	38.7	3316^th of 5817 public elementary schools	43.0%		44.8	2900^th of 5857 public elementary schools	50.5%	416	37.5				37.5	23.1	30.9	40.6	49.0				36.0	19.2	38.9	42.2	25.5				32.1	96%	0%	$17,186	$761	$16,425
Sherman E. Burroughs High	Public	9-12	500 East French Ave.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1800	1,536	75	20.4	52.9%	732 (47.7%)	120 (7.8%)	508 (33.1%)	62 (4.0%)	20 (1.3%)	11 (0.7%)	77 (5.0%)	66.7	680^th of 2135 public high schools	68.1%		73.2	531^st of 2162 public high schools	75.4%	149			39.0		38.1							75.1	75.1							25.0	25.0			$17,096	$993	$16,103
Las Flores Elementary	Public	K-6	720 West Las Flores	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1860	526	21	25.4	47.3%	274 (52.1%)	18 (3.4%)	165 (31.4%)	19 (3.6%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (8.4%)	39.4	3265^th of 5817 public elementary schools	43.9%		58.7	2134^th of 5857 public elementary schools	63.6%	1131	32.8				32.8	47.0	32.5	41.0	30.2				37.6	40.3	38.6	33.9	24.5				35.1	98%	0%	$15,810	$727	$15,083
Mesquite Continuation High	Public	9-12	140 West Drummond	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1810	95	7	13.8	76.8%	49 (51.6%)	6 (6.3%)	33 (34.7%)	2 (2.1%)	3 (3.2%)	1 (1.1%)	1 (1.1%)	12.4	1829^th of 2135 public high schools	14.3%		11.5	1941^st of 2162 public high schools	10.2%	112			3.5		3.5							11.1	11.1							9.1	9.1			$23,383	$1,274	$22,109
China Lake Junior High	Public	7-8	200 East Drummond Ave.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1820	643	30	21.6	56.1%	279 (43.4%)	43 (6.7%)	234 (36.4%)	32 (5.0%)	9 (1.4%)	4 (0.6%)	42 (6.5%)	27.3	1942^nd of 2740 public middle schools	29.1%		24.5	2036^th of 2761 public middle schools	26.3%	94		21.5			21.5					30.4	42.4		36.6					14.8	24.6		19.9			$16,133	$1,091	$15,042
Pierce Academy of the Arts	Public	K-6	674 North Gold Canyon	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1670	297	16	19.0	82.2%	97 (32.7%)	55 (18.5%)	119 (40.1%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	20 (6.7%)	37.1	3435^th of 5817 public elementary schools	40.9%		27.9	4140^th of 5857 public elementary schools	29.3%	705	19.2				19.2	48.2	56.7	34.6	30.8				43.1	40.7	40.0	19.2	11.5				28.4	80%	0%	$18,174	$1,031	$17,143
Richmond Elementary	Public	K-6	100 N. Richmond Rd.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1890	364	22	16.5	61.0%	160 (44.0%)	36 (9.9%)	132 (36.3%)	9 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (7.1%)	35.1	3576^th of 5817 public elementary schools	38.5%		55.5	2276^th of 5857 public elementary schools	61.1%	1300	28.1				28.1	33.3	30.8	33.3	45.8				36.6	32.8	32.1	15.5	40.3				30.7	83%	0%	$18,478	$1,545	$16,933
Faller Elementary	Public	K-6	1500 West Upjohn St.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1690	516	22	23.8	61.8%	222 (43.0%)	37 (7.2%)	198 (38.4%)	13 (2.5%)	3 (0.6%)	4 (0.8%)	39 (7.6%)	21.6	4675^th of 5817 public elementary schools	19.6%		35.1	3562^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	39.2%	1113	20.3				20.3	30.8	25.0	39.2	21.8				29.2	33.9	23.4	18.9	12.8				21.7	98%	0%	$15,340	$770	$14,570
High Desert	Public	7-12	140 West Drummond Ave.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(760) 499-1810	0			—															(n/a)			35.7		33.3							46.2	40.0							0.0	12.9
Vieweg STEM Academy	Public	K-8	348 Rowe St.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(760) 499-1840	0			—															(n/a)	50.0	50.0			50.0	69.2	64.5	57.1	41.5	64.3	60.0		57.9	80.8	54.8	54.8	37.7	58.2	45.0		53.7

Cities Near Zip Code 93555

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Ridgecrest	0.34 mi	14	641^st
Inyokern	7.2 mi	1	418^th
Trona	20.74 mi	2	860^th
Weldon	32.78 mi	2	508^th
California City	37.11 mi	4	812^th

See the top CA California cities

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.