Best Schools for Low-income Students in California (2026)

These are the California public schools where low-income students scored highest on the state reading and math tests, ranked by the average of the two proficiency rates. Only schools with at least 20 tested low-income students are included. The list reflects how students in this group perform at each school; it is not a ranking of schools by their demographic makeup.

Other lists: Hispanic · White · Asian · Multiracial · Black · American Indian / Alaska Native

Elementary schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	La Jolla Elementary La Jolla	95%	95%	40	A+
2	Bird Rock Elementary La Jolla	90%	—	20	A
3	Carver Elementary San Marino	90%	90%	23	A+
4	Wonderland Avenue Elementary Los Angeles	95%	85%	52	A+
5	Richard Henry Lee Elementary Los Alamitos	92%	82%	62	A+
6	Pacific Rim Elementary Carlsbad	85%	85%	34	A
7	KIPP Iluminar Academy Los Angeles	77%	87%	189	A+
8	Welby Way Charter Elem Sch And Gifted-High Ability Magnet West Hills	82%	82%	85	A+
9	Chaparral Elementary Ladera Ranch	90%	70%	28	A+
10	Carmel River Elementary Carmel	90%	70%	22	B+
11	Top of the World Elementary Laguna Beach	90%	70%	29	A+
12	Fairburn Avenue Elementary Los Angeles	90%	70%	26	A+
13	Kenter Canyon Elementary Charter Los Angeles	90%	70%	27	A+
14	Overland Avenue Elementary Los Angeles	90%	70%	22	A+
15	Point Vicente Elementary Rancho Palos Verdes	90%	70%	30	A+
16	Dingeman Elementary San Diego	70%	90%	23	A+
17	Francis Hopkinson Elementary Los Alamitos	75%	85%	35	B
18	Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary Northridge	77%	82%	151	A+
19	Warner Avenue Elementary Los Angeles	75%	85%	35	B
20	Maple Hill Elementary Diamond Bar	85%	75%	57	A+
21	Quail Summit Elementary Diamond Bar	77%	82%	70	A
22	Marengo Elementary South Pasadena	77%	77%	76	A+
23	Tulita Elementary Redondo Beach	75%	75%	39	A+
24	Equitas Academy #3 Charter Los Angeles	77%	72%	75	A+
25	Arma J. Shull Elementary San Dimas	77%	72%	105	B+

Middle schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	Elkhorn Stockton	98%	92%	115	A
2	Manchester Gate Fresno	95%	92%	421	B+
3	Ethan B. Allen Elementary Fountain Valley	92%	92%	203	A+
4	Yu Ming Charter Oakland	90%	90%	27	B
5	Petaluma Accelerated Charter Petaluma	90%	90%	30	A+
6	Teach Elementary San Luis Obispo	90%	90%	26	B
7	North Star Academy Redwood City	85%	95%	49	A+
8	Accelerated Achievement Academy Hollister	92%	87%	72	A+
9	Los Coyotes Elementary La Palma	87%	87%	74	A+
10	Richardson PREP HI Middle San Bernardino	90%	81%	502	A+
11	Montecito Union Santa Barbara	85%	85%	39	A+
12	Huntington Middle San Marino	85%	85%	48	B
13	Edison Computech Fresno	86%	75%	585	A+
14	Sage Canyon San Diego	90%	70%	20	A+
15	Ocean Air San Diego	90%	70%	24	A+
16	Silver Oak Elementary San Jose	90%	70%	21	A
17	Palm Crest Elementary La Canada	90%	70%	26	A+
18	Joaquin Moraga Intermediate Moraga	90%	70%	29	A
19	Newport Coast Elementary Newport Beach	70%	90%	30	A+
20	Robert C. Fisler Elementary Fullerton	82%	77%	133	A+
21	Mission Preparatory San Francisco	82%	72%	197	C+
22	Laguna Road Elementary Fullerton	82%	72%	62	A+
23	Holmes Elementary San Diego	82%	72%	63	A+
24	Elevate San Diego	75%	75%	47	C+
25	Cerritos Elementary Cerritos	82%	67%	89	A+

High schools

#	School	Reading	Math	Tested	Overall Repit grade
1	Whitney (Gretchen) High Cerritos	98%	98%	127	A+
2	Science Academy STEM Magnet North Hollywood	95%	95%	57	A+
3	Oxford Academy Cypress	98%	92%	249	A+
4	University High Fresno	90%	90%	24	A+
5	Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy Gilroy	90%	90%	25	A+
6	San Marino High San Marino	90%	90%	27	A+
7	Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy Wilmington	95%	85%	58	A+
8	California Academy of Mathematics and Science Carson	87%	92%	77	A+
9	Riverside STEM Academy Riverside	92%	82%	151	A+
10	Hawthorne Math and Science Academy Hawthorne	98%	72%	104	A+
11	Middle College High Stockton	95%	75%	45	A+
12	Eunice Sato Academy of Math & Science Long Beach	95%	75%	39	A+
13	Lowell High San Francisco	92%	77%	269	A+
14	Anderson W. Clark Magnet High La Crescenta	92%	72%	145	A+
15	SOAR High (Students On Academic Rise) Lancaster	95%	65%	54	A+
16	Lynbrook High San Jose	70%	90%	29	A+
17	Oak Park High Oak Park	90%	70%	23	A+
18	Design Science Middle College High Fresno	85%	75%	55	A+
19	Western Center Academy Hemet	87%	72%	151	A+
20	La Canada High La Canada	85%	75%	50	A+
21	Canyon Crest Academy San Diego	85%	75%	42	A+
22	OCSA Santa Ana	82%	72%	125	A+
23	Stockton Early College Academy Stockton	92%	62%	62	A+
24	Early College High Costa Mesa	95%	55%	36	A+
25	Clovis North High Fresno	92%	57%	123	A+

Source: U.S. Department of Education EDFacts (state assessment results by student group) via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Small schools report results as ranges; we use the midpoint. Methodology

Best Schools for Low-income Students in California (2026)

Elementary schools

Middle schools

High schools

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