Palo Alto Unified Schools

Statewide rankings: all 1051 high schools in California · all 513 middle schools in California · all 1758 elementary schools in California

The ten highest SchoolGrades in the district. Grades reward actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact.

1. A+ Henry M Gunn High (High school, greatly exceeds expectations)
2. A+ Herbert Hoover Elementary (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
3. A+ Palo Alto High (High school, greatly exceeds expectations)
4. A+ Ellen Fletcher Middle (Middle school, greatly exceeds expectations)
5. A+ Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle (Middle school, greatly exceeds expectations)
6. A+ Ohlone Elementary (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
7. A+ Lucille M Nixon Elementary (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
8. A+ Duveneck Elementary (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
9. A+ Fairmeadow Elementary (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
10. A+ Juana Briones Elementary (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)

High schools (2)

• A+ Henry M Gunn High, Palo Alto
• A+ Palo Alto High, Palo Alto

Middle and junior high schools (3)

• A+ Ellen Fletcher Middle, Palo Alto
• A+ Frank S Greene JR Middle, Palo Alto
• A+ Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle, Palo Alto

Elementary and primary schools (12)

• A+ Addison Elementary, Palo Alto
• B+ Barron Park Elementary, Palo Alto
• A+ Duveneck Elementary, Palo Alto
• A El Carmelo Elementary, Palo Alto
• A+ Escondido Elementary, Stanford
• A+ Fairmeadow Elementary, Palo Alto
• A+ Herbert Hoover Elementary, Palo Alto
• A+ Juana Briones Elementary, Palo Alto
• A+ Lucille M Nixon Elementary, Stanford
• A+ Ohlone Elementary, Palo Alto
• A+ Palo Verde Elementary, Palo Alto
• A Walter Hays Elementary, Palo Alto

Other schools and academies (2)

• A+ Greendell, Palo Alto
• Packard Childrens Hospitalstanford, Palo Alto

Cities and towns served (2)

• Palo Alto (17)
• Stanford (2)

• State: Best schools in California
• County: Santa Clara County
• Type: regular local school district
• Setting: small city (NCES locale of the district office)
• Enrollment: 10,271 students with 599 full-time-equivalent teachers and 1,387 total staff FTE (NCES CCD, 2023-24)
• NCES district ID: 0629610
• Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model: each school's actual proficiency against the level projected for its student context. How SchoolGrade works

• Mountain View-Los Altos Union High (3 schools, 3 mi)
• Menlo Park City Elementary (4 schools, 4 mi)
• Los Altos Elementary (9 schools, 4 mi)
• Mountain View Whisman (11 schools, 4 mi)
• Sequoia Union High (6 schools, 5 mi)
• Ravenswood City Elementary (4 schools, 6 mi)
• Redwood City Elementary (12 schools, 7 mi)
• Sunnyvale (10 schools, 7 mi)