Best Schools in Richmond, California

Richmond, California has 31 ranked public schools, spanning elementary through high school. The city's schools average 5.4 out of 10, and only 2 schools — 6% of the total — score 7 or above. That's a narrow band of strong performance across a fairly large public school landscape, which means school selection matters considerably for families here.

At the top sits Mira Vista Elementary, the city's highest-rated school at 7.6 out of 10. Richmond College Preparatory follows at 7.4, making these two the standout elementary options and the only schools clearing the 7-point threshold. For older students, Making Waves Academy leads the high school options at 6.7, Manzanita Middle scores 6.5 at the middle school level, and Michelle Obama Elementary also lands at 6.5. Below those leaders, performance drops off more sharply — the citywide average of 5.4 reflects a significant number of schools scoring in the mid-range and below.

Practically speaking, parents of elementary-age children have the clearest high-performing options: Mira Vista and Richmond College Preparatory both rank well above the city average. Families with middle schoolers should look closely at Manzanita Middle, currently the strongest option at that level. For high school, Making Waves Academy is the top-rated choice in the city. Because strong schools are concentrated rather than spread evenly across Richmond, where you live relative to attendance boundaries or charter enrollment windows will directly affect your options.

Parents researching Richmond should check each school's specific enrollment policies early — charter schools like Richmond College Preparatory and Making Waves Academy often have application deadlines and lottery processes separate from the standard district calendar. The West Contra Costa Unified School District serves most of the city's traditional public schools, so families zoned for lower-performing schools may want to explore intradistrict transfer options alongside charter alternatives. With only 6% of schools scoring 7 or above, doing that research well before enrollment season gives families the best chance of securing a spot at one of Richmond's top performers.