Best High Schools in Zip Code 95212

Zip code 95212 in Stockton, California, is home to two public high schools serving grades 9-12, which present a striking contrast in performance and educational model within the same community.

The standout school is Aspire Benjamin Holt College Preparatory Academy, a charter school that ranks among the top 10% in the state, earning 5-star ratings and significantly outperforming state averages in English, math, and science. The other school, Cesar Chavez High, part of the larger Stockton Unified district, serves over three times as many students but faces significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates well below state averages, particularly in mathematics where only about 10% of students are proficient.

Key differences include Aspire Benjamin Holt's much lower chronic absenteeism rate (17.9% vs. 35.0%) and its ability to achieve superior results despite a higher student-teacher ratio and lower per-student spending than Cesar Chavez High. Both schools, however, report similarly high graduation rates above 93%. This comparison within one zip code highlights how different school structures and cultures can lead to vastly different academic outcomes, with Aspire Benjamin Holt operating as its own district and demonstrating that high performance is possible even while serving a population with substantial economic need.