Best Schools in Vallejo, California
40 schools · 22 Elementary · 3 Middle · 12 High · 3 Other
Choosing a school in Vallejo?
Use this page to compare every school in Vallejo 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.
Griffin Academy High
High · Griffin Academy High District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Cave Language Academy
Elementary · Vallejo City Unified. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Jesse M. Bethel High
High · Vallejo City Unified. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Vallejo for 2026 are Griffin Academy High (7.8/10), Cave Language Academy (6.5/10), and Jesse M. Bethel High (6.4/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 24 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
40
25 public · 15 private
Avg Score
5.1
out of 10
Median Home
$568,250
home value · ACS
Districts
6
serving the city
Schools
40
25 public · 15 private
Avg Score
5.1
out of 10
Median Home
$568,250
home value · ACS
Districts
6
serving the city
Rates 7.8/10 despite 60% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.2 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 Vallejo schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +15.1 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Vallejo schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Vallejo
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 24 rated schools; 40 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Griffin Academy High | 7.8 / 10 |
| 2 | Cave Language Academy | 6.5 / 10 |
| 3 | Jesse M. Bethel High | 6.4 / 10 |
| 4 | Elite Public | 6.2 / 10 |
| 5 | Mit Academy | 5.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Vallejo High | 5.8 / 10 |
| 7 | Steffan Manor Elementary | 5.7 / 10 |
| 8 | John Finney High (continuation) | 5.6 / 10 |
| 9 | Johnston Cooper Elementary | 5.1 / 10 |
| 10 | Solano Widenmann Leadership Academy | 5.1 / 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
- 5.1/10
- Median household income
- $97,186
- Median home value
- $568,250
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 32%
- Avg commute
- 36 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 66%
7% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Vallejo compares
California rank
#569 of 599
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-1.2
below California avg (6.3)
Median household income
$97k
97% of California median
Schools in this city
29
Vallejo City Unified runs 80% of Vallejo's public schools
Vallejo touches 6 districts, but Vallejo City Unified is the one most addresses actually attend.
Vallejo City Unified accounts for 20 of 25 public schools (80%). The other 5 districts hold the remaining 5.
Among 24 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 3.2 to 7.8 — the spread is inside Vallejo, not a citywide average.
6 of the 25 public schools are charters (24%), so the district split is not the whole market.
- Vallejo City Unified20 public · 80%
- Elite Public District1 public · 4%
- Griffin Academy High District1 public · 4%
- Mare Island Technology Academy District1 public · 4%
- Mit Academy District1 public · 4%
About Schools in Vallejo, California
Vallejo's public school system spans 24 ranked schools, and the performance spread is wide. The citywide average sits at 4.9 out of 10 — a middle-of-the-road figure that masks real variation between the top performers and the rest of the field. Only 3 schools, or 12% of the ranked total, clear the 7-point threshold, so strong options exist but require deliberate searching.
At the top of that list is Cave Language Academy, an elementary school scoring 7.5 — the highest mark in the city. Glen Cove Elementary follows at 7.3, and Griffin Academy High rounds out the upper tier at 7.1. These three schools represent the clear leaders in Vallejo's landscape. That parents can find both a strong elementary pathway and a competitive high school option in the same city is worth noting, though the middle-grade transition between them will demand attention during the search.
Just below the top tier, Elite Public scores 6.2 and Loma Vista Environmental Science Academy — a specialty elementary with an environmental science focus — comes in at 5.9. Both sit above the city average, giving families additional options if the top three schools aren't accessible by geography or enrollment. Loma Vista's thematic curriculum is the only specialized program visible in the data and may appeal to families looking for science-forward instruction at the elementary level.
The practical takeaway for parents is straightforward: Vallejo has pockets of solid performance, but the average score of 4.9 means most schools in the city fall below what many families would consider a strong baseline. The 12% of schools scoring 7 or above is a narrow band. Parents who prioritize academics should focus their search on Cave Language Academy and Glen Cove at the elementary level, plan early for the Griffin Academy High pathway, and treat Loma Vista as a viable alternative if the top two are out of reach. Families zoned to lower-scoring schools may want to research open enrollment or magnet access before committing to a neighborhood.
Elementary Schools
22 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 450 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.5 |
| 2 | 403 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.7 |
| 3 | 320 students · Kindergarten–5th | 5.1 |
| 4 | 592 students · Kindergarten–8th | 5.1 |
| 5 | 689 students · Kindergarten–6th | 4.8 |
| 6 | 380 students · Kindergarten–6th | 4.7 |
| 7 | 415 students · Kindergarten–8th | 4.4 |
| 8 | 491 students · Kindergarten–6th | 4.1 |
| 9 | 418 students · Kindergarten–8th | 3.9 |
| 10 | 353 students · Kindergarten–6th | 3.8 |
Show all 22 elementary schools in Vallejo
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 259 students · 6th–8th | 4.9 |
| 2 | 849 students · 6th–8th | 4.2 |
| 3 | 66 students · 6th–8th | 3.9 |
High Schools
12 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 178 students · 9th–12th | 7.8 | ||
| 2 | 1,441 students · 9th–12th | 6.4 | ||
| 3 | 479 students · 9th–12th | 5.8 | ||
| 4 | 1,193 students · 9th–12th | 5.8 | ||
| 5 | 143 students · 9th–12th | 5.6 | ||
| 6 | 41 students · 12th–12th | — | ||
Private Schools6 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 321 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 80 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | Life and Truth AcademyPrivate 8 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | Village for Life AcademyPrivate 6 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
Show all 12 high schools in Vallejo
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Other Schools
3 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 680 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.2 | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | North Hills Christian SchoolPrivate 393 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Jia Christian AcademyPrivate 7 students · 3rd–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Vallejo
Vallejo, California · 40 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 4 ZIP codes
Median Income
$97,186
Median Home Value
$568,250
Median Rent
$2,205/mo
Population
127,038
College Educated
32%
Homeownership
66%
Avg Commute
36 min
Poverty Rate
12.5%
Community Profile
Vallejo has a median household income of $97,186. It is an area where 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $568,250, with a median rent of $2,205/month. The area has a poverty rate of 12.5%. The average commute in the area is 36 minutes, which is above the national average. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- California
- Elementary
- 22
- Middle
- 3
- High
- 12
- Other
- 3
Resources
School Districts (6)
Mare Island Technology Academy District
1 school · 259 students
MIT Griffin Academy Middle District
1 school · 66 students
MIT Academy District
1 school · 479 students
Elite Public District
1 school · 680 students
Griffin Academy High District
1 school · 178 students
Vallejo City Unified
20 schools · 9,856 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 Vallejo, California
How many schools are in Vallejo, California?
Vallejo has 40 schools, including 25 public and 15 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Vallejo, California?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Vallejo is 5.1 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 Vallejo, California?
The top-ranked school in Vallejo on MySchoolScout is Griffin Academy High with a composite score of 7.8/10.
What is the best elementary school in Vallejo, California?
The top-ranked elementary school in Vallejo on MySchoolScout is Cave Language Academy with a composite score of 6.5/10.
What is the best middle school in Vallejo, California?
The top-ranked middle school in Vallejo on MySchoolScout is Mare Island Technology Academy with a composite score of 4.9/10.
What is the best high school in Vallejo, California?
The top-ranked high school in Vallejo on MySchoolScout is Griffin Academy High with a composite score of 7.8/10.
How many school districts serve Vallejo, California?
Vallejo is served by 6 school districts: Mare Island Technology Academy District, Mit Griffin Academy Middle District, Mit Academy District, Elite Public District, Griffin Academy High District, Vallejo City Unified.
What is the education level in Vallejo, California?
According to Census data, 32% of adults in Vallejo have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Vallejo, California?
The median household income in Vallejo is approximately $97,186 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Vallejo, California?
Yes, Vallejo has 15 private schools alongside 25 public schools. The top-rated private school is North Hills Christian School with a score of 7.2/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Vallejo, California?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Vallejo 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 Vallejo, 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.