Best High Schools in Zip Code 95926

This analysis examines six high schools in zip code 95926, serving Chico, California, which collectively enroll over 4,200 students across traditional, specialized, and alternative educational models.

For families, the standout academic choice is Inspire School of Arts and Sciences, a specialized charter school that ranks in the state's top 12% and excels particularly in science. The two large comprehensive schools, Pleasant Valley High and Chico High, are very solid options, both earning 4-star ratings and maintaining graduation rates above 91% within the Chico Unified district. However, mathematics proficiency is an area for improvement across all schools, with none exceeding 45% proficiency.

The area also has three small alternative schools—Fair View High (Continuation), Center for Alternative Learning, and Academy for Change—which serve at-risk students with high needs. These schools have very low academic proficiency and severe chronic absenteeism, despite having much smaller class sizes and, in one case, significantly higher per-student spending. This highlights a distinct challenge in serving this student population that goes beyond basic resources.