Public schools in Atherton, CA
5 open public schools with an address in Atherton, operated by 4 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
5
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
4,524
5 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
17.9:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
0
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Atherton public schools
The federal directory lists 5 public schools in Atherton, CA: 4 elementary, 1 high. The 5 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 4,524 students, an average of 905 per school. The largest campus is Menlo-Atherton High (2,158 students), and the largest elementary school is Laurel Elementary (658).
Menlo Park City Elementary operates the most schools here (2), and 4 regular districts have at least one Atherton campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 17.9:1, lower than the statewide school median of 21.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
About 28% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Atherton
Elementary schools in Atherton
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelante Selby Spanish Immersion Redwood City Elementary · Magnet | KG–05 | 582 | 25.3:1 | |
| Encinal Elementary Menlo Park City Elementary | KG–05 | 604 | 15.4:1 | |
| Las Lomitas Elementary Las Lomitas Elementary | KG–03 | 522 | 20.1:1 | |
| Laurel Elementary Menlo Park City Elementary | KG–05 | 658 | 17.6:1 |
High schools in Atherton
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Menlo-Atherton High Sequoia Union High | 09–12 | 2,158 | 17.9:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White33.7%
- Hispanic39.9%
- Black1.9%
- Asian12.7%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.8%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander2.5%
- Multiracial8.3%
Enrollment-weighted across 5 Atherton schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (4,524 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Atherton
How many public schools are in Atherton, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 5 open public schools with a location address in Atherton: 4 elementary, 1 high. Together they reported 4,524 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Atherton?
Schools with an address in Atherton belong to 4 education agencies, led by Menlo Park City Elementary (2 schools), Las Lomitas Elementary (1 school), Redwood City Elementary (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Atherton?
Menlo-Atherton High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Atherton, with 2,158 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Atherton?
No school with an address in Atherton is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in California.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Atherton schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Atherton public schools is 17.9:1, lower than the California school median of 21.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Atherton guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby California cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All California cities