Best Schools in Visalia, California
62 schools · 37 Elementary · 6 Middle · 15 High · 4 Other
Choosing a school in Visalia?
Use this page to compare every school in Visalia 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.
University Preparatory High
High · Tulare County Office of Education. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Visalia Technical Early College
High · Visalia Unified. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
Visalia Charter Independent Study
High · Visalia Unified. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Visalia for 2026 are University Preparatory High (9.4/10), Visalia Technical Early College (9.1/10), and Visalia Charter Independent Study (8.6/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 50 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
62
52 public · 10 private
Avg Score
5.9
out of 10
Median Home
$336,450
home value · ACS
Districts
9
serving the city
Schools
62
52 public · 10 private
Avg Score
5.9
out of 10
Median Home
$336,450
home value · ACS
Districts
9
serving the city
Rates 9.4/10 despite 79% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.7 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 Visalia schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +11.8 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Visalia schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Visalia
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (50 of 62). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Preparatory High | 9.4 / 10 |
| 2 | Visalia Technical Early College | 9.1 / 10 |
| 3 | Visalia Charter Independent Study | 8.6 / 10 |
| 4 | Shannon Ranch Elementary | 8.6 / 10 |
| 5 | Riverway Elementary | 7.6 / 10 |
| 6 | Oak Grove Elementary | 7.6 / 10 |
| 7 | Redwood High | 7.5 / 10 |
| 8 | Mountain View Elementary | 7.4 / 10 |
| 9 | EL Diamante High | 7.3 / 10 |
| 10 | Outside Creek Elementary | 7.2 / 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
- 5.9/10
- Median household income
- $78,201
- Median home value
- $336,450
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 21%
- Avg commute
- 22 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 63%
26% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Visalia compares
California rank
#390 of 597
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.3
below California avg (6.3)
Median household income
$78k
78% of California median
Schools in this city
54
Education Snapshot
Visalia, CaliforniaVisalia distributes 34,859 students across 62 schools and 9 school districts, with a level mix that tilts sharply toward elementary — 37 of 62 campuses operate at the elementary level, compared to 15 high schools and just 6 middle schools to bridge the transition. Across 54 scored schools, the city averages 5.9/10 on MySchoolScout's composite rating, sitting 0.4 points below California's state average of 6.3/10. Eleven charter schools expand the choice landscape, accounting for roughly 18% of all campuses. The economic backdrop adds context: Visalia's median household income of $81,868 runs 22% below the California state median of $105,206, and only 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Both figures place the city noticeably below state benchmarks, giving the 5.9/10 composite average meaningful weight for parents comparing school systems across California.
About Schools in Visalia, California
Visalia's public school system spans 50 ranked schools, giving parents a wide field to evaluate. The city's average school score sits at 5.6 out of 10, which reflects a broad performance range rather than a uniformly strong or weak system. Parents who dig past the average will find real opportunity: 12 schools — 24% of the total — score 7 or higher, a meaningful cluster of strong options concentrated mostly at the elementary level.
Shannon Ranch Elementary leads the city with an 8.3 out of 10, the highest score among all ranked Visalia public schools. Charter Home School Academy (8.0) and Highland Elementary (7.9) follow closely, with Golden Oak Elementary at 7.8 rounding out the top elementary tier. At the secondary level, Visalia Charter Independent Study earns a 7.6, making it the top-rated high school option in the city and a practical choice for families who want flexible, self-directed learning with strong academic outcomes.
The elementary landscape is clearly where Visalia's highest performers concentrate. Families prioritizing academic ratings at the K–5 or K–6 level have multiple 7-plus options to compare, and the gap between the city's top schools and its average is significant — Shannon Ranch Elementary scores nearly three full points above the citywide mean. That gap signals that school selection within Visalia matters considerably. A student's assigned neighborhood school and a top-rated school across town can represent very different academic environments.
Practically speaking, parents new to Visalia should cross-reference school scores with attendance boundaries early in the housing search, since the strongest-rated schools are not evenly distributed across the city. Families open to charter or independent study models gain additional options: both Charter Home School Academy and Visalia Charter Independent Study rank among the city's top five, expanding choices beyond traditional district assignments. With a quarter of the city's schools clearing the 7-out-of-10 threshold, Visalia offers a competitive set of options — but finding them requires active research rather than relying on the citywide average as a guide.
Elementary Schools
37 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 648 students · Kindergarten–6th | 8.6 |
| 2 | 859 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.6 |
| 3 | 739 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.6 |
| 4 | 598 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.4 |
| 5 | 141 students · Kindergarten–8th | 7.2 |
| 6 | 593 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.0 |
| 7 | 422 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.0 |
| 8 | 698 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.9 |
| 9 | 112 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.7 |
| 10 | 773 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.6 |
Show all 37 elementary schools in Visalia
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 | 717 students · 7th–8th | 5.7 | ||
| 2 | 769 students · 6th–8th | 5.2 | ||
| 3 | 759 students · 7th–8th | 5.0 | ||
| 4 | 932 students · 7th–8th | 4.9 | ||
| 5 | 930 students · 7th–8th | 2.9 | ||
| Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Visalia Montessori School
Private
42 students · 1st–6th | 7.2 | ||
High Schools
15 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 247 students · 9th–12th | 9.4 |
| 2 | 230 students · 9th–12th | 9.1 |
| 3 | 552 students · 7th–12th | 8.6 |
| 4 | 2,468 students · 9th–12th | 7.5 |
| 5 | 1,942 students · 9th–12th | 7.3 |
| 6 | 189 students · 7th–12th | 7.0 |
| 7 | 1,629 students · 9th–12th | 6.6 |
| 8 | 2,009 students · 9th–12th | 6.4 |
| 9 | 335 students · 9th–12th | 5.9 |
| 10 | 68 students · 7th–12th | 5.1 |
Show all 15 high schools in Visalia
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Other Schools
4 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 678 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.3 |
| 2 | 416 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.1 |
| 3 | 757 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.4 |
| 4 | 1,089 students · Kindergarten–12th | 3.1 |
Schools in Visalia
Visalia, California · 62 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 4 ZIP codes
Median Income
$78,201
Median Home Value
$336,450
Median Rent
$1,407/mo
Population
164,170
College Educated
21%
Homeownership
63%
Avg Commute
22 min
Poverty Rate
13.4%
Community Profile
Visalia has a median household income of $78,201. It is a community where 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $336,450, with a median rent of $1,407/month. The area has a poverty rate of 13.4%. The average commute for residents is 22 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- California
- Elementary
- 37
- Middle
- 6
- High
- 15
- Other
- 4
Resources
School Districts (9)
Sycamore Valley Academy District
1 school · 410 students
Crescent Valley Public Charter II District
1 school · 757 students
Valley Life Charter District
1 school · 678 students
Eleanor Roosevelt Community Learning Center District
1 school · 416 students
Blue Oak Academy District
1 school · 414 students
Outside Creek Elementary
1 school · 141 students
Stone Corral Elementary
1 school · 112 students
Visalia Unified
41 schools · 28,893 students
Tulare County Office of Education
5 schools · 1,605 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 Visalia, California
How many schools are in Visalia, California?
Visalia has 62 schools, including 52 public and 10 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Visalia, California?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Visalia is 5.9 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 Visalia, California?
The top-ranked school in Visalia on MySchoolScout is University Preparatory High with a composite score of 9.4/10.
What is the best elementary school in Visalia, California?
The top-ranked elementary school in Visalia on MySchoolScout is Shannon Ranch Elementary with a composite score of 8.6/10.
What is the best middle school in Visalia, California?
The top-ranked middle school in Visalia on MySchoolScout is Visalia Montessori School with a composite score of 7.2/10.
What is the best high school in Visalia, California?
The top-ranked high school in Visalia on MySchoolScout is University Preparatory High with a composite score of 9.4/10.
How many school districts serve Visalia, California?
Visalia is served by 9 school districts: Sycamore Valley Academy District, Crescent Valley Public Charter II District, Valley Life Charter District, Eleanor Roosevelt Community Learning Center District, Blue Oak Academy District, Outside Creek Elementary, Stone Corral Elementary, Visalia Unified, Tulare County Office of Education.
What is the education level in Visalia, California?
According to Census data, 21% of adults in Visalia have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Visalia, California?
The median household income in Visalia is approximately $78,201 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Visalia, California?
Yes, Visalia has 10 private schools alongside 52 public schools. The top-rated private school is Visalia Montessori School with a score of 7.2/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Visalia, California?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Visalia is 20.5:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Visalia, 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
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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.