Best Schools in Tulare, California
32 schools · 19 Elementary · 6 Middle · 7 High
Choosing a school in Tulare?
Use this page to compare every school in Tulare 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.
Oak Valley Elementary
Elementary · Oak Valley Union Elementary. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Pleasant Elementary
Elementary · Tulare City. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Tulare Western High
High · Tulare Joint Union High. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Tulare for 2026 are Oak Valley Elementary (8.2/10), Pleasant Elementary (8.2/10), and Tulare Western High (8.2/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 28 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
32
31 public · 1 private
Avg Score
6.3
out of 10
Median Home
$300,900
home value · ACS
Districts
8
serving the city
Schools
32
31 public · 1 private
Avg Score
6.3
out of 10
Median Home
$300,900
home value · ACS
Districts
8
serving the city
Rates 8.2/10 despite 81% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.9 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 Tulare schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +12.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Tulare schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Tulare
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 28 rated schools; 32 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oak Valley Elementary | 8.2 / 10 |
| 2 | Pleasant Elementary | 8.2 / 10 |
| 3 | Tulare Western High | 8.2 / 10 |
| 4 | Alpine Vista | 7.8 / 10 |
| 5 | Tulare Union High | 7.6 / 10 |
| 6 | Buena Vista Elementary | 7.4 / 10 |
| 7 | Maple Elementary | 7.4 / 10 |
| 8 | Wilson Elementary | 7.3 / 10 |
| 9 | Waukena Joint Union Elementary | 7.2 / 10 |
| 10 | Roosevelt 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
- Median household income
- $69,905
- Median home value
- $300,900
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 11%
- Avg commute
- 22 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 58%
38% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Tulare compares
California rank
#310 of 599
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
+0.0
above California avg (6.3)
Median household income
$70k
70% of California median
Schools in this city
29
8 districts draw attendance lines through Tulare
Tulare is not one school system. 8 districts cut across the city limits, and the largest still holds only 58% of the public campuses.
Tulare City is the largest slice at 18 of 31 public schools — not a majority. Choosing a Tulare address is choosing a district first.
Among 28 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 3.9 to 8.2 — the spread is inside Tulare, not a citywide average.
- Tulare City18 public · 58%
- Tulare Joint Union High7 public · 23%
- Buena Vista Elementary1 public · 3%
- Liberty Elementary1 public · 3%
- Oak Valley Union Elementary1 public · 3%
About Schools in Tulare, California
Tulare, California runs 28 ranked public schools spanning elementary through high school, giving families a range of options within a mid-sized Central Valley city. The system's average score sits at 6.1 out of 10, which tells parents to look carefully — performance varies meaningfully from one campus to the next, and school choice here can make a real difference in your child's experience.
The strongest performers are concentrated at the elementary level. Palo Verde Elementary leads the city with a score of 8.5 out of 10, the highest mark among all 28 ranked schools. Buena Vista Elementary follows at 8.0, and Lincoln Elementary earns a 7.5. Alpine Vista rounds out the top elementary tier at 7.1. Altogether, five schools — 18% of Tulare's ranked public campuses — score 7.0 or above, meaning the majority of schools fall below that threshold. Parents targeting above-average academics should map their address against attendance boundaries for these five campuses early in their search.
At the secondary level, Tulare Union High scores 7.4 out of 10, making it the city's top-rated high school and one of only five schools citywide to crack the 7.0 mark. That puts it well above the city average and signals a stronger academic environment for families planning ahead to high school. The gap between Tulare Union and the city's 6.1 average is worth noting when weighing long-term school options.
Practically speaking, parents new to Tulare should identify which elementary schools fall within their neighborhood boundaries before finalizing a home or rental. The performance gap between the city's top-rated elementaries and the overall average is significant enough that location decisions carry real academic weight. Families outside top-school boundaries should ask districts directly about open enrollment options. For high school, Tulare Union stands out as the clear performance leader in the city. Use MySchoolScout to compare individual school pages, check updated ratings, and filter by grade level to build a shortlist that fits your family's specific address.
Elementary Schools
19 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 574 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.2 |
| 2 | 593 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.2 |
| 3 | 629 students · Kindergarten–4th | 7.8 |
| 4 | 180 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.4 |
| 5 | 563 students · Kindergarten–5th | 7.4 |
| 6 | 537 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.3 |
| 7 | 223 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.2 |
| 8 | 589 students · Kindergarten–4th | 7.1 |
| 9 | 625 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.5 |
| 10 | 661 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.3 |
Show all 19 elementary schools in Tulare
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
6 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 456 students · 6th–8th | 6.7 |
| 2 | 619 students · 6th–8th | 6.3 |
| 3 | 694 students · 5th–8th | 6.2 |
| 4 | 445 students · 7th–8th | 5.2 |
| 5 | 725 students · 5th–8th | 4.0 |
| 6 | 11 students · 6th–8th | — |
High Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,886 students · 9th–12th | 8.2 |
| 2 | 1,622 students · 9th–12th | 7.6 |
| 3 | 1,741 students · 9th–12th | 7.1 |
| 4 | 181 students · 9th–12th | 6.7 |
| 5 | 35 students · 9th–12th | 5.3 |
| 6 | 179 students · 9th–12th | 4.7 |
| 7 | 29 students · 9th–12th | — |
Schools in Tulare
Tulare, California · 32 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code
Median Income
$69,905
Median Home Value
$300,900
Median Rent
$1,334/mo
Population
79,154
College Educated
11%
Homeownership
58%
Avg Commute
22 min
Poverty Rate
17.6%
Community Profile
Tulare has a median household income of $69,905. It is a community where 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $300,900, with a median rent of $1,334/month. The area has a poverty rate of 17.6%. The average commute for residents is 22 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- California
- Elementary
- 19
- Middle
- 6
- High
- 7
Resources
School Districts (8)
Buena Vista Elementary
1 school · 180 students
Liberty Elementary
1 school · 819 students
Oak Valley Union Elementary
1 school · 574 students
Palo Verde Union Elementary
1 school · 502 students
Sundale Union Elementary
1 school · 844 students
Tulare City
18 schools · 9,253 students
Tulare Joint Union High
7 schools · 5,673 students
Waukena Joint Union Elementary
1 school · 223 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 Tulare, California
How many schools are in Tulare, California?
Tulare has 32 schools, including 31 public and 1 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Tulare, California?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Tulare 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 Tulare, California?
The top-ranked school in Tulare on MySchoolScout is Oak Valley Elementary with a composite score of 8.2/10.
What is the best elementary school in Tulare, California?
The top-ranked elementary school in Tulare on MySchoolScout is Oak Valley Elementary with a composite score of 8.2/10.
What is the best middle school in Tulare, California?
The top-ranked middle school in Tulare on MySchoolScout is Cherry Avenue Middle with a composite score of 6.7/10.
What is the best high school in Tulare, California?
The top-ranked high school in Tulare on MySchoolScout is Tulare Western High with a composite score of 8.2/10.
How many school districts serve Tulare, California?
Tulare is served by 8 school districts: Buena Vista Elementary, Liberty Elementary, Oak Valley Union Elementary, Palo Verde Union Elementary, Sundale Union Elementary, Tulare City, Tulare Joint Union High, Waukena Joint Union Elementary.
What is the education level in Tulare, California?
According to Census data, 11% of adults in Tulare have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Tulare, California?
The median household income in Tulare is approximately $69,905 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Tulare, California?
Yes, Tulare has 1 private school alongside 31 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Aloysius Elementary School with a score of 6.0/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Tulare, California?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Tulare is 20.6:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Tulare, 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.