Best Schools in Grass Valley, California
25 schools · 12 Elementary · 4 Middle · 9 High
Choosing a school in Grass Valley?
Use this page to compare every school in Grass Valley 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.
Chicago Park Community Charter
Elementary · Chicago Park Elementary. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Chicago Park Elementary
Elementary · Chicago Park Elementary. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Clear Creek Elementary
Elementary · Clear Creek Elementary. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Grass Valley for 2026 are Chicago Park Community Charter (9.3/10), Chicago Park Elementary (8.9/10), and Clear Creek Elementary (8.7/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 21 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
25
21 public · 4 private
Avg Score
6.4
out of 10
Median Home
$714,200
home value · ACS
Districts
9
serving the city
Schools
25
21 public · 4 private
Avg Score
6.4
out of 10
Median Home
$714,200
home value · ACS
Districts
9
serving the city
Rates 9.3/10 despite 37% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.7 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 Grass Valley schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +30.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Grass Valley schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Grass Valley
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 21 rated schools; 25 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago Park Community Charter | 9.3 / 10 |
| 2 | Chicago Park Elementary | 8.9 / 10 |
| 3 | Clear Creek Elementary | 8.7 / 10 |
| 4 | Bear River High | 8.1 / 10 |
| 5 | William & Marian Ghidotti High | 7.9 / 10 |
| 6 | Bell Hill Academy | 7.8 / 10 |
| 7 | Magnolia Intermediate | 6.8 / 10 |
| 8 | Arete Charter Academy | 6.7 / 10 |
| 9 | Bitney Prep High | 6.5 / 10 |
| 10 | Nevada Union High | 6.2 / 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
- 6.4/10
- Median household income
- $87,042
- Median home value
- $714,200
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 39%
- Avg commute
- 26 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 71%
29% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Grass Valley compares
California rank
#270 of 599
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.1
above California avg (6.3)
Median household income
$87k
87% of California median
Schools in this city
21
9 districts draw attendance lines through Grass Valley
Grass Valley is not one school system. 9 districts cut across the city limits, and the largest still holds only 24% of the public campuses.
Nevada Joint Union High is the largest slice at 5 of 21 public schools — not a majority. Choosing a Grass Valley address is choosing a district first.
Among 21 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 3.9 to 9.3 — the spread is inside Grass Valley, not a citywide average.
7 of the 21 public schools are charters (33%), so the district split is not the whole market.
- Nevada Joint Union High5 public · 24%
- Grass Valley Elementary4 public · 19%
- Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary4 public · 19%
- Chicago Park Elementary2 public · 10%
- Union Hill Elementary2 public · 10%
About Schools in Grass Valley, California
Grass Valley, California offers parents a public school landscape that punches above its small-city weight. Across 21 ranked public schools, the city posts an average score of 6.5 out of 10 — a solid baseline — with 38 percent of schools, eight in total, clearing the 7-out-of-10 threshold. That concentration of higher-performing options gives families real choices rather than a single standout surrounded by a wide gap.
Bitney Prep High leads the city at 8.2 out of 10, making it the top-ranked public school in Grass Valley. It earns that position among high schools, with William and Marian Ghidotti High close behind at 8.0. Parents of high schoolers have two strong options — an unusually competitive pairing for a city this size. On the elementary side, Bell Hill Academy (8.1) and Chicago Park Community Charter (8.0) sit at the top, with Yuba River Charter rounding out the leading group at 7.8. Three of the five highest-rated schools in the city are elementary programs, which signals a strong foundation for younger students entering the system.
The charter sector plays a meaningful role here. Bitney Prep, Chicago Park Community Charter, and Yuba River Charter are all charter schools, and together they occupy three of the five top spots. Parents who prioritize alternative instructional models will find genuinely competitive options, not just niche alternatives. That said, the city's traditional district schools — Ghidotti High among them — hold their own at the upper tier.
For families moving to Grass Valley, the practical read is this: school quality is distributed across multiple grade levels and school types, so assignment boundaries and enrollment windows matter. If you are zoned for one of the eight schools scoring 7 or above, you are in strong shape. If not, the charter programs are open-enrollment pathways worth investigating early. Start with the elementary tier — Bell Hill, Chicago Park, and Yuba River all score 8.0 or above — and work backward from there when evaluating neighborhoods.
Elementary Schools
12 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35 students · Kindergarten–8th | 9.3 |
| 2 | 121 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.9 |
| 3 | 163 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.7 |
| 4 | 231 students · Kindergarten–4th | 7.8 |
| 5 | 239 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.7 |
| 6 | 331 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.2 |
| 7 | 521 students · Kindergarten–8th | 5.4 |
| 8 | 346 students · Kindergarten–4th | 5.4 |
| 9 | 543 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.0 |
| 10 | 494 students · Kindergarten–5th | 4.3 |
Show all 12 elementary schools in Grass Valley
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 362 students · 6th–8th | 6.8 | ||
| 2 | 453 students · 5th–8th | 6.0 | ||
| 3 | 146 students · 7th–8th | 4.8 | ||
Private Schools1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 8 students · 1st–6th | Not Rated | ||
High Schools
9 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 634 students · 9th–12th | 8.1 | ||
| 2 | 154 students · 9th–12th | 7.9 | ||
| 3 | 91 students · 9th–12th | 6.5 | ||
| 4 | 1,457 students · 9th–12th | 6.2 | ||
| 5 | 130 students · 9th–12th | 6.2 | ||
| 6 | 589 students · 6th–12th | 5.9 | ||
| 7 | 164 students · 9th–12th | 5.3 | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 9 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 8 students · Kindergarten–9th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Grass Valley
Grass Valley, California · 25 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes
Median Income
$87,042
Median Home Value
$714,200
Median Rent
$1,805/mo
Population
65,664
College Educated
39%
Homeownership
71%
Avg Commute
26 min
Poverty Rate
10.3%
Community Profile
Grass Valley has a median household income of $87,042. It is an area where 39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $714,200, with a median rent of $1,805/month. The area has a poverty rate of 10.3%. The average commute for residents is 26 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- California
- Elementary
- 12
- Middle
- 4
- High
- 9
Resources
School Districts (9)
John Muir Charter District
1 school · 589 students
Yuba River Charter District
1 school · 322 students
Chicago Park Elementary
2 schools · 156 students
Clear Creek Elementary
1 school · 163 students
Grass Valley Elementary
5 schools · 1,551 students
Nevada Joint Union High
5 schools · 2,544 students
Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary
5 schools · 1,428 students
Union Hill Elementary
2 schools · 689 students
Nevada County Office of Education
6 schools · 1,188 students
Other Major Cities in California
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Grass Valley, California
How many schools are in Grass Valley, California?
Grass Valley has 25 schools, including 21 public and 4 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Grass Valley, California?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Grass Valley is 6.4 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 Grass Valley, California?
The top-ranked school in Grass Valley on MySchoolScout is Chicago Park Community Charter with a composite score of 9.3/10.
What is the best elementary school in Grass Valley, California?
The top-ranked elementary school in Grass Valley on MySchoolScout is Chicago Park Community Charter with a composite score of 9.3/10.
What is the best middle school in Grass Valley, California?
The top-ranked middle school in Grass Valley on MySchoolScout is Magnolia Intermediate with a composite score of 6.8/10.
What is the best high school in Grass Valley, California?
The top-ranked high school in Grass Valley on MySchoolScout is Bear River High with a composite score of 8.1/10.
How many school districts serve Grass Valley, California?
Grass Valley is served by 9 school districts: John Muir Charter District, Yuba River Charter District, Chicago Park Elementary, Clear Creek Elementary, Grass Valley Elementary, Nevada Joint Union High, Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary, Union Hill Elementary, Nevada County Office of Education.
What is the education level in Grass Valley, California?
According to Census data, 39% of adults in Grass Valley have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Grass Valley, California?
The median household income in Grass Valley is approximately $87,042 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Grass Valley, California?
Yes, Grass Valley has 4 private schools alongside 21 public schools.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Grass Valley, California?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Grass Valley is 18.4:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Grass Valley, 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.
Related reading
- Best Elementary Schools in America: 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best School Districts to Move To in 2026: A Data-Driven Guidebest schools
- Best States for Public Schools in 2026: A Complete Rankingdata insights
- Charter Schools vs Public Schools: What the Data Actually Shows (2026)school choice
- Moving before 2027? The federal school choice tax credit follows the state, not youschool choice
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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.