Best Schools in Colton, California

Colton's public school system spans 14 ranked schools across the elementary, middle, and high school levels, all operating within the Colton Joint Unified School District. The city's average school score sits at 6.0 out of 10, a figure that reflects a real performance spread — from solid neighborhood elementaries to a standout high school that outpaces much of the surrounding area.

Only 3 of Colton's 14 ranked schools, or 21%, clear the 7-out-of-10 threshold. That signals a system where bright spots are concentrated in specific schools rather than distributed evenly across the district. Colton High leads the city with an 8.5 score, the highest-rated school in Colton by a meaningful margin. For families with high schoolers, that makes it the district's clearest asset and worth factoring into a housing search.

At the elementary level, Dr. Ernest Garcia Elementary and Georgia F. Morris Elementary both score 7.7, placing them among the top performers citywide. Families with younger children have two comparable strong options there. William G. Jehue Middle comes in at 6.7 — above the city average, and a logical pipeline between the stronger elementaries and Colton High. Woodrow Wilson Elementary rounds out the top five at 6.5, just above the district mean.

Parents researching Colton should account for the fact that quality here is concentrated rather than consistent. Colton High's 8.5 sits nearly two and a half points above the 6.0 city average, so the gap between the district's best and its median is substantial. Families prioritizing elementary placement have the strongest footing in Garcia and Morris. Those zoned elsewhere should look into boundary options and open enrollment within the district early — in a system where fewer than one in four schools scores 7 or above, your address in Colton carries significant weight in determining which school your child attends.