5.5 avg / 10

Best Schools in Ventura, California

42 schools · 27 Elementary · 4 Middle · 8 High · 3 Other

Last updated: May 2026

Public: 28

Private: 14

Districts: 3

Avg Rating: 5.5/10

Estimated Scores: 20%

Family Snapshot

At a glance

Avg school rating: 5.5/10
Median household income: $95,717
Median home value: $795,425
Bachelor's degree or higher: 40%
Avg commute: 26 min
Owner-occupied homes: 61%

How Ventura compares

California rank

#490 of 596

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.8

below California avg (6.3)

Median household income

$96k

96% of California median

Schools in this city

35

About Schools in Ventura, California

Ventura's public school system spans 28 ranked schools with a citywide average score of 5.5 out of 10 — a spread that signals meaningful performance variation and rewards careful research. The elementary tier carries most of the city's top performers, and five schools, 18% of the ranked pool, clear the 7-out-of-10 threshold that marks consistently strong academic outcomes. That concentration at the top is encouraging, but it also means the majority of schools land in the middle of the scale or below.

Will Rogers Elementary leads the city at 7.9 out of 10, the highest score in Ventura's public system. Lemon Grove (7.8) and Loma Vista Elementary (7.7) cluster just behind it, giving families in those attendance zones a strong option without a private-school premium. Elmhurst Elementary (7.1) and the Academy of Technology & Leadership at Saticoy (7.0) round out the top five. The Academy's specialized tech-and-leadership focus adds an academic pathway dimension that the other top schools don't offer — worth noting for parents who want more than a strong general curriculum at the elementary level.

Below the top five, scores drift toward the 5.5 citywide average. That number sits in the middle of the national scale — not a red flag in isolation, but not a safe default. Parents whose address falls outside a high-scoring attendance zone should verify their assigned school's score directly rather than assuming proximity to strong performers means similar results.

For anyone benchmarking Ventura against comparable Southern California cities, the 18% rate of 7-plus schools is the sharpest comparison point. Roughly one in five public schools performs well above the midpoint; four in five do not. Families with K–5 children have the most leverage here, since the city's highest-scoring options concentrate at the elementary level. Identify which top-five school your address feeds into early — transfer waitlists at high-demand schools fill quickly, and choice options require lead time to navigate.

Filter by Level: All Levels (42) Elementary (27) Middle (4) High (8)

Filter by Type: All Types (42) Public (28) Private (14)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (42) Academics (42) Growth (28) Diversity (28) Resources (28)

Filter by ZIP: 93003 (23) 93001 (12) 93004 (5)

Elementary Schools

27 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Lemon Grove 304 students · Kindergarten–8th	304	Kindergarten–8th	8.0
2	Will Rogers Elementary 404 students · Kindergarten–5th	404	Kindergarten–5th	7.6
3	Loma Vista Elementary 404 students · Kindergarten–5th	404	Kindergarten–5th	7.4
4	Elmhurst Elementary 364 students · Kindergarten–5th	364	Kindergarten–5th	7.3
5	Academy of Technology & Leadership at Saticoy 424 students · Kindergarten–7th	424	Kindergarten–7th	7.0
6	Pierpont Elementary 293 students · Kindergarten–5th	293	Kindergarten–5th	6.7
7	Homestead (Alternative) 49 students · Kindergarten–8th	49	Kindergarten–8th	5.9
8	Montalvo Elementary 374 students · Kindergarten–5th	374	Kindergarten–5th	5.8
9	Mound Elementary 525 students · Kindergarten–5th	525	Kindergarten–5th	5.4
10	Juanamaria Elementary 400 students · Kindergarten–5th	400	Kindergarten–5th	5.1
11	Portola Elementary 501 students · Kindergarten–5th	501	Kindergarten–5th	4.3
12	Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education 449 students · Kindergarten–8th	449	Kindergarten–8th	3.9
13	Lincoln Elementary 202 students · Kindergarten–5th	202	Kindergarten–5th	3.9
14	Poinsettia Elementary 359 students · Kindergarten–5th	359	Kindergarten–5th	3.7
15	Sheridan Way Elementary 355 students · Kindergarten–5th	355	Kindergarten–5th	3.5
16	Junipero Serra Elementary 448 students · Kindergarten–5th	448	Kindergarten–5th	3.4
17	E. P. Foster Elementary 308 students · Kindergarten–5th	308	Kindergarten–5th	3.2
18	Citrus Glen Elementary 469 students · Kindergarten–5th	469	Kindergarten–5th	2.9
Private Schools 9 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	HOLY CROSS SCHOOL @ SAN BUENAVENTURA MISSION Private 87 students · Kindergarten–8th	87	Kindergarten–8th	Not Rated
2	CITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Private 179 students · Kindergarten–8th	179	Kindergarten–8th	Not Rated
3	SACRED HEART ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Private 199 students · Kindergarten–8th	199	Kindergarten–8th	Not Rated
4	VENTURA MISSIONARY SCHOOL Private 400 students · Kindergarten–8th	400	Kindergarten–8th	Not Rated
5	OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION SCHOOL Private 226 students · Pre-K–8th	226	Pre-K–8th	Not Rated
6	Ventura Missionary Christian Private 419 students · Kindergarten–8th	419	Kindergarten–8th	Not Rated
7	COASTLINE BIBLE DAY SCHOOL Private 20 students · Pre-K–TK	20	Pre-K–TK	Not Rated

Show 2 more elementary schools

8	VENTURA MONTESSORI SCHOOL Private 3 students · Pre-K–Kindergarten	3	Pre-K–Kindergarten	Not Rated
9	GOLDENWEST MONTESSORI SCHOOLS Private 7 students · Pre-K–2nd	7	Pre-K–2nd	Not Rated

Middle Schools

4 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Anacapa Middle 635 students · 6th–8th	635	6th–8th	6.3
2	De Anza Academy of Technology and the Arts 548 students · 6th–8th	548	6th–8th	5.7
3	Cabrillo Middle 867 students · 6th–8th	867	6th–8th	4.7
4	Balboa Middle 941 students · 6th–8th	941	6th–8th	4.6

High Schools

8 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Pacific High 198 students · 9th–12th	198	9th–12th	6.4
2	Buena High 1,685 students · 9th–12th	1,685	9th–12th	6.4
3	Foothill Technology High 962 students · 9th–12th	962	9th–12th	6.2
4	Ventura High 2,036 students · 9th–12th	2,036	9th–12th	6.1
5	El Camino High 218 students · 9th–12th	218	9th–12th	5.7
Private Schools 3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	ST BONAVENTURE HIGH SCHOOL Private 378 students · 9th–12th	378	9th–12th	Not Rated
2	Ditch School Private 65 students · 8th–12th	65	8th–12th	Not Rated
3	Saint Bonaventure High School Private 412 students · 9th–12th	412	9th–12th	Not Rated

Other Schools

3 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Golden Valley Charter 502 students · Kindergarten–12th	502	Kindergarten–12th	4.6
Private Schools 2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	VENTURA COUNTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Private 159 students · Pre-K–12th	159	Pre-K–12th	Not Rated
2	VENTURA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY Private 19 students · Kindergarten–12th	19	Kindergarten–12th	Not Rated

Schools in Ventura

Ventura, California · 42 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 4 ZIP codes

Median Income

$95,717

Median Home Value

$795,425

Median Rent

$2,066/mo

Population

137,281

College Educated

40%

Homeownership

61%

Avg Commute

26 min

Poverty Rate

10.9%

Community Profile

Ventura has a median household income of $95,717. It is a well-educated community where 40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $795,425, with a median rent of $2,066/month. The area has a poverty rate of 10.9%. The average commute for residents is 26 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Quick Facts

State: California
Total Schools: 42
Elementary: 27
Middle: 4
High: 8
Districts: 3
Avg Rating: 5.5/10

Resources

🔍 Google "Ventura schools" 🏫 GreatSchools Ventura 📊 Niche Ventura Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School Districts (3)

Golden Valley Charter District

1 school · 502 students

Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education District

1 school · 449 students

Ventura Unified

27 schools · 14,672 students

Nearby Cities

San Buenaventura (ventura) (1 school)

Port Hueneme (4 schools)

Santa Paula (14 schools)

11 mi

Somis (2 schools)

11 mi

Camarillo (29 schools)

13 mi

Carpinteria (8 schools)

18 mi

Newbury Park (13 schools)

18 mi

Fillmore (7 schools)

20 mi

Moorpark (11 schools)

21 mi

Summerland (1 school)

23 mi

Thousand Oaks (35 schools)

22 mi

Other Major Cities in California

Top metros statewide by school count.

Los Angeles 928 schools San Diego 412 schools San Jose 335 schools San Francisco 297 schools Sacramento 273 schools

How We Rate Schools

Every school receives a composite score from 1 to 10 based on four pillars: Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Scores are built from publicly available data including standardized test results, enrollment figures, and school climate indicators.

Read our full methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Ventura, California

How many schools are in Ventura, California?

Ventura has 42 schools, including 28 public and 14 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Ventura, California?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Ventura is 5.5 out of 10, based on academic achievement, student growth, equity, and school environment.

What is the top-ranked school in Ventura, California?

The top-ranked school in Ventura on MySchoolScout is Lemon Grove with a composite score of 8.0/10.

What is the best elementary school in Ventura, California?

The top-ranked elementary school in Ventura on MySchoolScout is Lemon Grove with a composite score of 8.0/10.

What is the best middle school in Ventura, California?

The top-ranked middle school in Ventura on MySchoolScout is Anacapa Middle with a composite score of 6.3/10.

What is the best high school in Ventura, California?

The top-ranked high school in Ventura on MySchoolScout is Pacific High with a composite score of 6.4/10.

How many school districts serve Ventura, California?

Ventura is served by 3 school districts: Golden Valley Charter District, Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education District, Ventura Unified.

What is the education level in Ventura, California?

According to Census data, 40% of adults in Ventura have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Ventura, California?

The median household income in Ventura is approximately $95,717 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Ventura, California?

Yes, Ventura has 14 private schools alongside 28 public schools. The top-rated private school is Holy Cross School @ San Buenaventura Mission with a score of 6.8/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Ventura, California?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Ventura 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 Ventura, 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 based on four components: Academic Achievement, Student Growth, Equity, and School Environment.