Public schools in Ceres, CA
22 open public schools with an address in Ceres, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
22
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
12,265
21 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
22.9:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
2
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Ceres public schools
The federal directory lists 22 public schools in Ceres, CA: 11 elementary, 3 middle, 5 high, 3 combined or other. The 21 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 12,265 students, an average of 584 per school. The largest campus is Central Valley High (2,317 students), and the largest elementary school is Lucas Elementary (668).
Ceres Unified operates the most schools here (21), and 2 regular districts have at least one Ceres 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 22.9:1, higher 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 2 charter schools, 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 7 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 7 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 85% 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 Ceres
Elementary schools in Ceres
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll Fowler Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 522 | 24.9:1 | |
| Caswell Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 653 | 25.6:1 | |
| Don Pedro Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 439 | 23.7:1 | |
| Joel J. Hidahl Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 393 | 24.6:1 | |
| La Rosa Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 516 | 23.6:1 | |
| Lucas Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 668 | 26.7:1 | |
| Patricia Kay Beaver Elementary Ceres Unified · Magnet | KG–08 | 503 | 22.9:1 | |
| Samuel Vaughn Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 570 | 23.8:1 | |
| Sinclear Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 581 | 23.2:1 | |
| Walter White Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 526 | 21.9:1 | |
| Whitmore Charter School of Art & Technology Ceres Unified · Charter | KG–08 | 435 | 19.6:1 |
Middle schools in Ceres
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaker-Kinser Junior High Ceres Unified | 07–08 | 603 | 21.4:1 | |
| Cesar Chavez Junior High Ceres Unified | 07–08 | 685 | 21.9:1 | |
| Mae Hensley Junior High Ceres Unified | 07–08 | 636 | 23.1:1 |
High schools in Ceres
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argus High (Continuation) Ceres Unified · Alternative School | 09–12 | 189 | 18.6:1 | |
| Central Valley High Ceres Unified | 09–12 | 2,317 | 23.4:1 | |
| Ceres High Ceres Unified | 09–12 | 1,660 | 22.6:1 | |
| Petersen Alternative Center for Education at John B Allard Stanislaus County Office of Education · Alternative School | 06–12 | 138 | 16.5:1 | |
| Whitmore Charter High Ceres Unified · Charter | 09–12 | 96 | 19.4:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Ceres
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caswell State Preschool Ceres Unified | Not reported | — | — | |
| Ceres Special Education Ceres Unified · Special Education School | KG–12 | 37 | 18.5:1 | |
| Endeavor Alternative Ceres Unified · Alternative School | KG–12 | 98 | 19.6:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White10%
- Hispanic81.4%
- Black1.1%
- Asian5.9%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.4%
- Multiracial0.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 21 Ceres schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (12,265 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Ceres
How many public schools are in Ceres, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 22 open public schools with a location address in Ceres: 11 elementary, 3 middle, 5 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 12,265 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Ceres?
Schools with an address in Ceres belong to 2 education agencies, led by Ceres Unified (21 schools), Stanislaus County Office of Education (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 Ceres?
Central Valley High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Ceres, with 2,317 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Ceres?
Yes. 2 of the 22 public schools in Ceres are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Whitmore Charter High, Whitmore Charter School of Art & Technology. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Ceres schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Ceres public schools is 22.9:1, higher 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 Ceres 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