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Public high school · West Contra Costa Unified · EL Cerrito, California

EL Cerrito High

EL Cerrito High rates 5.9, below most West Contra Costa Unified high schools, whose rated median is 6.6.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.9this school

5.9 on a one-to-ten scale; the West Contra Costa Unified median is 6.6.

#5,977 of 9,557 schools in California · West Contra Costa Unified: 8 high schools rated, median 6.6

The brief

A West Contra Costa Unified high school where students score 17 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 5,977 of 9,557 schools in California and 24 of 52 in West Contra Costa Unified.

EL Cerrito High is listed in West Contra Costa Unified, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math30%4 points below the California average of 34%2025 CAASPP
Reading45%8 points below the California average of 53%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency is down 7 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 37% recently.2025 CAASPP; 30 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
2.7
25% of the rating
Academics
5.2
25% of the rating
College Readiness
7.8
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
7.7
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 35% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 48% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 94530; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
EL Cerrito High and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$127,731
Median home value
$1,097,300
Median rent
$2,434/mo
College educated
66.4%
Homeownership
57.8%
Poverty rate
7.6%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 94530; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
66
Somewhat Walkable
Transit Score
56
Good Transit
Bike Score
72
Very Bikeable
City reported crime
3,178/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for EL Cerrito. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (EL Cerrito), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
3 AP courses
31.4% participation · state average 2.6 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
22 sports
11 boys' · 11 girls' · 25 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
39.6%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 8.5Compare →
  2. 8.3Compare →
  3. 7.4Compare →
  4. 6.7Compare →
  5. John Henry High3.3 mi · charter
    6.6Compare →
  6. EL Cerrito Highthis school
    5.9
  7. 4.9Compare →
  8. Summit Public School K21.6 mi · charter
    4.6Compare →
  9. not ratedCompare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and five rate higher than EL Cerrito High among the rated peers.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does EL Cerrito High serve?

EL Cerrito High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend EL Cerrito High?

EL Cerrito High has an enrollment of approximately 1,476 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at EL Cerrito High?

The student-teacher ratio at EL Cerrito High is 22.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does EL Cerrito High rank in CA?

EL Cerrito High ranks #5,977 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is EL Cerrito High's MySchoolScout rating?

EL Cerrito High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at EL Cerrito High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, EL Cerrito High has 35% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is EL Cerrito High a charter school?

No, EL Cerrito High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is EL Cerrito High a Title I school?

No, EL Cerrito High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for EL Cerrito High?

39.6% of students at EL Cerrito High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,476
Student-teacher ratio
22.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
66
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Contra Costa County
4-year graduation
93.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#24 of 52
Schools in district
54
District spending per student
$19,205
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.2%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 94530)
26,229
Area average commute
33.2 min
Area median age
42.5

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.