Best 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.