Best Schools in Tulare, California
31 schools · 18 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.
Buena Vista Elementary
Elementary · Buena Vista Elementary. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Sierra Vista Charter High
High · Tulare Joint Union High. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Oak Valley Elementary
Elementary · Oak Valley Union Elementary. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Tulare for 2026 are Buena Vista Elementary (8.4/10), Sierra Vista Charter High (8.1/10), and Oak Valley Elementary (7.8/10), 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
31
in this city
Avg Score
5.7
out of 10
Median Home
$300,900
home value · ACS
Districts
8
serving the city
Schools
31
in this city
Avg Score
5.7
out of 10
Median Home
$300,900
home value · ACS
Districts
8
serving the city
Rates 8.1/10 despite 91% 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 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 (28 of 31). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buena Vista Elementary | 8.4 / 10 |
| 2 | Sierra Vista Charter High | 8.1 / 10 |
| 3 | Oak Valley Elementary | 7.8 / 10 |
| 4 | Palo Verde Elementary | 7.7 / 10 |
| 5 | Tulare Union High | 7.7 / 10 |
| 6 | Liberty Elementary | 7.6 / 10 |
| 7 | Alpine Vista | 7.5 / 10 |
| 8 | Tulare Western High | 7.4 / 10 |
| 9 | Mission Oak High | 7.0 / 10 |
| 10 | Waukena Joint Union Elementary | 7.0 / 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
- 5.7/10
- Median household income
- $69,905
- Median home value
- $300,900
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 11%
- Avg commute
- 22 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 58%
36% 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
#433 of 597
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.5
below California avg (6.3)
Median household income
$70k
70% of California median
Schools in this city
28
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
18 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 180 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.4 |
| 2 | 574 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.8 |
| 3 | 502 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.7 |
| 4 | 819 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.6 |
| 5 | 629 students · Kindergarten–4th | 7.5 |
| 6 | 223 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.0 |
| 7 | 844 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.6 |
| 8 | 593 students · Kindergarten–5th | 6.6 |
| 9 | 549 students · Kindergarten–6th | 4.3 |
| 10 | 661 students · Kindergarten–6th | 4.2 |
Show all 18 elementary schools in Tulare
Middle Schools
6 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 619 students · 6th–8th | 6.5 |
| 2 | 445 students · 7th–8th | 6.2 |
| 3 | 694 students · 5th–8th | 4.7 |
| 4 | 725 students · 5th–8th | 4.1 |
| 5 | 456 students · 6th–8th | 3.7 |
| 6 | 11 students · 6th–8th | — |
High Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 181 students · 9th–12th | 8.1 |
| 2 | 1,622 students · 9th–12th | 7.7 |
| 3 | 1,886 students · 9th–12th | 7.4 |
| 4 | 1,741 students · 9th–12th | 7.0 |
| 5 | 35 students · 9th–12th | 6.7 |
| 6 | 179 students · 9th–12th | 6.5 |
| 7 | 29 students · 9th–12th | — |
Schools in Tulare
Tulare, California · 31 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
- 18
- 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
Nearby Cities
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 31 schools, including 31 public and 0 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 5.7 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 Buena Vista Elementary with a composite score of 8.4/10.
What is the best elementary school in Tulare, California?
The top-ranked elementary school in Tulare on MySchoolScout is Buena Vista Elementary with a composite score of 8.4/10.
What is the best middle school in Tulare, California?
The top-ranked middle school in Tulare on MySchoolScout is Los Tules Middle with a composite score of 6.5/10.
What is the best high school in Tulare, California?
The top-ranked high school in Tulare on MySchoolScout is Sierra Vista Charter High with a composite score of 8.1/10.
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.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Tulare, California?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Tulare is 20.8:1. 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 Public Schools in California 2026: Top-Ranked Elementary, Middle & High Schoolsbest schools
- Best School Districts to Move To in 2026: A Data-Driven Guidebest schools
- Best Schools in Los Angeles, CA — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best Schools in San Diego, CA — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
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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.