These are California’s best public K-8 schools, US News says. See 2027 list

California is home to some of the nation’s top-rated elementary and middle schools, according to new rankings from U.S. News & World Report.

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The publication recently released its 2027 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings, evaluating schools based on students’ performance in math and reading.

The rankings aim to identify schools that help students from a range of backgrounds build the academic skills they need to succeed.

The best schools “educate their students from all socioeconomic backgrounds with the goal of setting them up for success,” U.S. News said in its report, published Monday, Oct. 19.

The publication added that students at these schools develop key skills to help prepare them for high school.

U.S. News’ 2027 rankings evaluated a total of 46,713 elementary schools and 24,756 middle schools nationwide.

“This refined approach gives families, educators and community leaders an even clearer view of academic achievement, helping them identify standard-setting schools and support continued success for all students,” Eric Brooks, U.S. News director of education data analysis, said in a news release.

Here’s a look at California’s top-ranked public elementary and middle schools for 2027:

What is the best public elementary school in California?

Buckeye Union Mandarin Immersion Charter in El Dorado Hills ranked No. 1 among California elementary schools for 2027, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The El Dorado County school serves 180 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, according to U.S. News, and has a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.

At Buckeye Union Mandarin Immersion Charter, 96% of students scored at or above the proficient level in math, while 98% reached that level in reading, the rankings show.

The school is a charter school, meaning it is publicly funded but operates with independence from some rules that apply to traditional public schools.

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Charter schools are part of the public school system and are distinct from private schools.

What are other top-rated public elementary schools in California?

According to U.S. News, these are California’s 10 highest-ranked public elementary schools for 2027:

1. Buckeye Union Mandarin Immersion Charter in El Dorado Hills
2. Cold Spring Elementary in Santa Barbara
3. Murdock-Portal Elementary in San Jose
4. William Faria Elementary in Cupertino
5. North Star Academy in Redwood City
6. Herbert Hoover Elementary in Palo Alto
7. Covington Elementary in Los Altos
8. Bullis Charter in Los Altos
9. Elkhorn in Stockton
10. Jack L. Weaver Elementary in Los Alamitos

What is the best middle school in California?

Whitney High in Cerritos ranked first among California middle schools in the 2027 U.S. News rankings.

The Los Angeles County school serves 1,024 students in seventh through 12th grade and has a student-teacher ratio of 26 to 1, according to U.S. News.

At Whitney High, 99% of students scored at or above the proficient level in both math and reading, the rankings show.

What are the other top-rated public middle schools in California?

U.S. News said these were California’s top 10 public middle schools for 2027:

1. Whitney High in Cerritos
2. Science Academy Stem Magnet in North Hollywood
3. Oxford Academy in Cypress
4. North Star Academy in Redwood City
5. Joaquin Miller Middle in San Jose
6. Elkhorn in Stockton
7. Bullis Charter in Los Altos
8. John F. Kennedy Middle in Cupertino
9. William Hopkins Middle in Fremont
10. Petaluma Accelerated Charter in Petaluma

How did US News come up with its rankings?

For the 2027 rankings, U.S. News evaluated schools based on student performance in math and reading on state standardized tests.

The rankings draw on publicly available data collected from state education agencies, along with data from the U.S. Department of Education.

The analysis considered both test scores and students’ socioeconomic backgrounds, according to U.S. News.