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6.3 avg / 10

Best Schools in Fullerton, California

42 schools · 27 Elementary · 3 Middle · 10 High · 2 Other

Public: 25
Private: 17
Districts: 2
Avg Rating: 6.3/10
Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Fullerton?

Use this page to compare every school in Fullerton by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Troy High

8.8/10

High · Fullerton Joint Union High. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Robert C. Fisler Elementary

8.5/10

Elementary · Fullerton Elementary. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Acacia Elementary

8.4/10

Elementary · Fullerton Elementary. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Fullerton for 2026 are Troy High (8.8/10), Robert C. Fisler Elementary (8.5/10), and Acacia Elementary (8.4/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 32 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Schools

42

25 public · 17 private

Avg Score

6.3

out of 10

Median Home

$855,025

home value · ACS

Districts

2

serving the city

Best value · beats the odds
Nicolas Junior High

Rates 6.5/10 despite 85% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.7 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Fullerton schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Woodcrest Elementary

STAAR proficiency rose +16.4 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Fullerton schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Fullerton

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (32 of 42). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

# School Rating
1 Troy High 8.8 / 10
2 Robert C. Fisler Elementary 8.5 / 10
3 Acacia Elementary 8.4 / 10
4 Ivycrest Montessori Private School - Chapman 8.2 / 10
5 Laguna Road Elementary 8.1 / 10
6 D. Russell Parks Junior High 7.9 / 10
7 Beechwood Elementary 7.7 / 10
8 Sunny Hills High 7.6 / 10
9 Raymond Elementary 7.1 / 10
10 Sunset Lane Elementary 7.1 / 10

See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

Family Snapshot

At a glance
Avg school rating
6.3/10

38% of schools rated 7+

Median household income
$108,456

Census ACS, ZIPs in this city

Median home value
$855,025

Owner-occupied units

Bachelor's degree or higher
44%

Adults 25+

Avg commute
30 min

Workers age 16+

Owner-occupied homes
51%

Of occupied housing units

How Fullerton compares

California rank

#312 of 597

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

+0.0

above California avg (6.3)

Median household income

$108k

109% of California median

Schools in this city

32

About Schools in Fullerton, California

Fullerton's public school landscape gives parents real options. The city has 25 ranked public schools spanning elementary through high school, and the overall quality sits above average — the citywide mean score is 6.8 out of 10, with 14 of 25 schools, or 56 percent, scoring 7 or higher. That concentration of strong performers is a meaningful signal for families weighing a move or an intradistrict transfer.

The top performer is D. Russell Parks Junior High, a middle school scoring 8.5 out of 10 — the highest mark in the city. At the high school level, parents have several competitive choices. Sunny Hills High and Troy High both score 8.1 and 8.0 respectively and carry strong academic reputations, while La Sierra High, an alternative high school, scores 8.2, making it worth a serious look for students who thrive outside the traditional classroom structure. On the elementary side, Golden Hill School for Creative and Performing Arts stands out with a 7.9, giving families an arts-focused option that still clears the high-performance threshold.

Fullerton sits within two primary districts — Fullerton Elementary School District and Fullerton Joint Union High School District — which means elementary and secondary boundaries are set separately. Parents should verify their specific attendance zones early, since strong neighborhood elementary schools don't automatically feed into the highest-rated high schools. The alternative and magnet programs, like La Sierra and Golden Hill, often require applications and may draw students from across district boundaries.

The practical takeaway: Fullerton is a city where above-average school quality is the norm rather than the exception, but the gap between the top schools and the lower tier is real. Families who do boundary research upfront and explore the city's alternative programs will have the widest set of strong options. Start with Parks Junior High if you have a middle schooler, and compare Troy and Sunny Hills side by side if you're planning ahead for high school — both score within a point of each other, so factors like program offerings and commute will likely drive the final call.

Elementary Schools

27 schools
# School Rating
1 891 students · Kindergarten–8th 8.5
2 668 students · Kindergarten–6th 8.4
3 622 students · Kindergarten–6th 8.1
4 921 students · Kindergarten–8th 7.7
5 611 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.1
6 716 students · Kindergarten–6th 7.1
7 302 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.2
8 478 students · Kindergarten–6th 6.1
9 530 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.7
10 609 students · Kindergarten–6th 5.4
Show all 27 elementary schools in Fullerton

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.

Middle Schools

3 schools
# School Rating
1 771 students · 7th–8th 7.9
2 615 students · 7th–8th 6.5
3 822 students · 7th–8th 5.7

High Schools

10 schools
# School Rating
1 2,545 students · 9th–12th 8.8
2 2,434 students · 9th–12th 7.6
3 1,848 students · 9th–12th 6.9
4 262 students · 9th–12th 6.1
5 307 students · 9th–12th 6.0
Private Schools 5 schools

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.

1 465 students · 9th–12th 6.0
2 90 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
3 120 students · Kindergarten–12th Not Rated
4 17 students · 6th–12th
5 462 students · 9th–12th Not Rated

Other Schools

2 schools
# School Rating
1 105 students · Kindergarten–12th 7.0
2 70 students · Kindergarten–12th 6.3

Schools in Fullerton

Fullerton, California · 42 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 4 ZIP codes

Median Income

$108,456

Median Home Value

$855,025

Median Rent

$2,171/mo

Population

140,986

College Educated

44%

Homeownership

51%

Avg Commute

30 min

Poverty Rate

12.3%

Community Profile

Fullerton has a median household income of $108,456. It is a well-educated community where 44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $855,025, with a median rent of $2,171/month. The area has a poverty rate of 12.3%. The average commute for residents is 30 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Fullerton, California

How many schools are in Fullerton, California?

Fullerton has 42 schools, including 25 public and 17 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Fullerton, California?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Fullerton is 6.3 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

What is the top-ranked school in Fullerton, California?

The top-ranked school in Fullerton on MySchoolScout is Troy High with a composite score of 8.8/10.

What is the best elementary school in Fullerton, California?

The top-ranked elementary school in Fullerton on MySchoolScout is Robert C. Fisler Elementary with a composite score of 8.5/10.

What is the best middle school in Fullerton, California?

The top-ranked middle school in Fullerton on MySchoolScout is D. Russell Parks Junior High with a composite score of 7.9/10.

What is the best high school in Fullerton, California?

The top-ranked high school in Fullerton on MySchoolScout is Troy High with a composite score of 8.8/10.

How many school districts serve Fullerton, California?

Fullerton is served by 2 school districts: Fullerton Elementary, Fullerton Joint Union High.

What is the education level in Fullerton, California?

According to Census data, 44% of adults in Fullerton have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Fullerton, California?

The median household income in Fullerton is approximately $108,456 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Fullerton, California?

Yes, Fullerton has 17 private schools alongside 25 public schools. The top-rated private school is Ivycrest Montessori Private School - Chapman with a score of 8.2/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Fullerton, California?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Fullerton is 18.6:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Fullerton, California?

MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.

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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.