3 Bay Area school districts among best in America: Niche

( KRON ) — Niche released its “2025 Best School Districts in America” list , and three Bay Area school districts were named in the Top 25.

• No. 8: Palo Alto Unified School District
• No. 11: Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District
• No. 23: Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District

All three of these Bay Area school districts received an overall Niche grade of A+. Many school districts ranked in the top 25 were either in New York or Illinois. Only one other California school district was ranked: San Dieguito Union High School District in San Diego County.

Here’s how the three major school districts in the Bay Area — San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD) — fared in Niche’s view. None of them ranked among the best nationally.

SFUSD received an overall grade of A. It was rated by Niche as the 21st-best school district in the Bay Area. SJUSD received an overall grade of B+. Niche rated it as the ninth-best school district in Santa Clara County. OUSD received an overall grade of B-.

Niche: 2025 Best School Districts in America

1. Adlai E. Stevenson High School District (IL)
2. Glenbrook High School District (IL)
3. Evanston Township High School District (IL)
4. East Williston Union Free School District (NY)
5. Syosset Central School District (NY)
6. Ladue School District (MO)
7. Eanes Independent School District (TX)
8. Palo Alto Unified School District (CA)
9. Township High School District No. 113 (IL)
10. Jericho Union Free School District (NY)
11. Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District (CA)
12. Hinsdale Township High School District No. 86 (IL)
13. San Dieguito Union High School District (CA)
14. West Lafayette Community School Corporation (IN)
15. Rosyln Union Free School District (NY)
16. Community High School District 128 (IL)
17. Radnor Township School District (PA)
18. Township High School District No. 211 (IL)
19. Scarsdale Union Free School District (NY)
20. Half Hollow Hills Central School District (NY)
21. Novi Community School District (MI)
22. Buford City Schools (GA)
23. Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District (CA)
24. North Allegheny School District (PA)
25. Great Neck Public Schools (NY)

Methodology

“The 2025 Best School Districts ranking is based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education,” Niche wrote on its website.

The rankings looked at factors such as state test scores, “college readiness” and graduation rates.

Academics was the factor that held the most weight and accounted for 50% of a school district’s overall score. Niche said that is “based on state assessment proficiency, college enrollment data, and survey responses on academics from students and parents.”

Other factors considered include the following:

• Teachers: 15%
• Culture & Diversity: 12.5%
• Parent/Student Surveys on Overall Experience: 12.5%
• Resources & Facilities: 5%
• Clubs & Activities: 2.5%
• Sports: 2.5%

More on how the ranking was calculated can be viewed here .

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