The brief
The top-rated high schools in Oakland for 2026 are Lighthouse Community Charter High (8.3/10), Arise High (8.1/10), and Kipp Esperanza High (8.1/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 42 high schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Oakland's 43 ranked high schools span a wide performance range, with an average composite score of 5.9/10 — but the top of the table pulls well above that mark. Oakland Technical High and Skyline High both score 8.7/10, leading a group of eight schools that clear the 7/10 threshold, roughly 19% of the ranked pool. That gap between the average and the leaders makes school selection here especially consequential. Families willing to look across district and charter options will find meaningful differences in outcomes. Oakland Unity High, LIFE Academy, and Latitude 37.8 High all land in the upper tier, showing that strong performers aren't limited to a single school type. Use the table below to sort by score, school type, or other factors that matter to your student — the spread in the data rewards a close look.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 18.3
- 28.1
- 38.1
- 48.0
- 57.7
- 67.6
- 77.4
- 87.1
- 97.0
- 107.0
All 42 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.Top 25 of 42
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Lighthouse Community Charter HighcharterLighthouse Community Charter High Districtstudents 302student-teacher ratio 17.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 2Arise HighcharterArise High Districtstudents 400student-teacher ratio 16.0:1grades 9th–12th
- 3Kipp Esperanza HighcharterKipp Esperanza High Districtstudents 241student-teacher ratio 10.0:1grades 9th–12th
- 4Leadership Public Schools: RichmondcharterLeadership Public Schools: Richmond Districtstudents 525student-teacher ratio 23.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 5Oakland Technical HighOakland Unifiedstudents 1,813student-teacher ratio 18.7:1grades 9th–12th
- 6Latitude 37.8 HighcharterLatitude 37.8 High Districtstudents 350student-teacher ratio 12.5:1grades 9th–12th
- 7Skyline HighOakland Unifiedstudents 1,432student-teacher ratio 17.0:1grades 9th–12th
- 8Oakland Charter HighcharterOakland Charter High Districtstudents 359student-teacher ratio 18.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 9Aspire Lionel Wilson College Preparatory AcademycharterAspire Lionel Wilson College Preparatory Academy Districtstudents 406student-teacher ratio 20.3:1grades 6th–12th
- 10Oakland HighOakland Unifiedstudents 1,525student-teacher ratio 18.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 11Lps Oakland R & D CampuscharterLps Oakland R & D Campus Districtstudents 218student-teacher ratio 27.2:1grades 9th–12th
- 12Aspire Benjamin Holt College Preparatory AcademycharterAspire Benjamin Holt College Preparatory Academy Districtstudents 694student-teacher ratio 24.8:1grades 9th–12th
- 13John Henry HighcharterJohn Henry High Districtstudents 285student-teacher ratio 25.9:1grades 9th–12th
- 14Leadership Public Schools - HaywardcharterLeadership Public Schools - Hayward Districtstudents 557student-teacher ratio 29.3:1grades 9th–12th
- 15Aspire Pacific AcademycharterAspire Pacific Academy Districtstudents 560student-teacher ratio 32.9:1grades 6th–12th
- 16East Bay Innovation AcademycharterEast Bay Innovation Academy Districtstudents 502student-teacher ratio 20.1:1grades 6th–12th
- 17Mcclymonds HighOakland Unifiedstudents 265student-teacher ratio 12.6:1grades 9th–12th
- 18Aspire Golden State College Preparatory AcademycharterAspire Golden State College Preparatory Academy Districtstudents 436student-teacher ratio 18.2:1grades 6th–12th
- 19Oakland Unity HighcharterOakland Unity High Districtstudents 304student-teacher ratio 19.0:1grades 9th–12th
- 20Life AcademyOakland Unifiedstudents 441student-teacher ratio 14.7:1grades 6th–12th
- 21Envision Academy for Arts & TechnologycharterEnvision Academy For Arts & Technology Districtstudents 223student-teacher ratio 20.3:1grades 6th–12th
- 22Coliseum College Prep AcademyOakland Unifiedstudents 780student-teacher ratio 14.7:1grades 6th–12th
- 23Oakland Military Institute College Preparatory AcademycharterOakland Military Inst College Prep Acad Diststudents 518student-teacher ratio 15.7:1grades 6th–12th
- 24Aspire Richmond Ca. College Preparatory AcademycharterAspire Richmond Ca. College Preparatory Academy Districtstudents 595student-teacher ratio 24.8:1grades 6th–12th
- 25Dewey Academy HighOakland Unifiedstudents 89student-teacher ratio 11.1:1grades 9th–12th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and California education department. Rankings are relative to all public high schools in California. Learn about our methodology.
The map
The top 25 pinned; open a pin for the campus.Campus by campus
What each of the top ten reports.- 1
Lighthouse Community Charter High
Lighthouse Community Charter High District
302 students · 17.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 8% in California · charter
- Academics
- 7.4
- Growth
- 9.9
- Environment
- 9.1
- 2
Arise High
Arise High District
400 students · 16.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 11% in California · charter
- Academics
- 7.2
- Growth
- 9.3
- Environment
- 9.7
- 3
Kipp Esperanza High
Kipp Esperanza High District
241 students · 10.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 11% in California · charter
- Academics
- 7.8
- Growth
- 9.5
- Environment
- 9.9
- 4
Leadership Public Schools: Richmond
Leadership Public Schools: Richmond District
525 students · 23.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 13% in California · charter
- Academics
- 7.4
- Growth
- 9.1
- Environment
- 5.5
- 5
Oakland Technical High
Oakland Unified
1,813 students · 18.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 20% in California
- Academics
- 8.2
- Growth
- 7.8
- Environment
- 7.2
- 6
Latitude 37.8 High
Latitude 37.8 High District
350 students · 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 20% in California · charter
- Academics
- 6.3
- Growth
- 8.9
- Environment
- 9.9
- 7
Skyline High
Oakland Unified
1,432 students · 17.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 26% in California
- Academics
- 7.4
- Growth
- 9.3
- Environment
- 6.0
- 8
Oakland Charter High
Oakland Charter High District
359 students · 18.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 32% in California · charter
- Academics
- 6.6
- Growth
- 5.9
- Environment
- 7.8
- 9
Aspire Lionel Wilson College Preparatory Academy
Aspire Lionel Wilson College Preparatory Academy District
406 students · 20.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–12th
Top 34% in California · charter
- Academics
- 5.2
- Growth
- 6.8
- Environment
- 7.8
- 10
Oakland High
Oakland Unified
1,525 students · 18.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 9th–12th
Top 35% in California
- Academics
- 7.0
- Growth
- 9.2
- Environment
- 7.3
Questions
What is the best high school in Oakland, California?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Lighthouse Community Charter High is the top-rated high school in Oakland with a composite score of 8.3/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.
How many high schools are in Oakland, California?
Oakland has 56 high schools, including 26 charter schools. Of these, 47 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average high school rating in Oakland?
Among 47 Oakland high schools with a composite score, the average is 6.1/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in California).
How does MySchoolScout rate high schools?
Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within California, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.
What is a good school rating on MySchoolScout?
A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in California, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the Oakland high school rankings?
Oakland has 26 charter high schools in its directory. Charter schools that meet this ranking's data requirements are included alongside traditional public schools using the same composite scoring methodology.
How should I use this ranking?
Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.
Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.
Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.
Explore more
- Best elementary schools in Oakland2026 rankings and ratings
- Best middle schools in Oakland2026 rankings and ratings
- All 196 schools in OaklandElementary, middle and high
- California schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings