Public schools in Colton, CA
16 open public schools with an address in Colton, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
16
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
10,678
15 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
22.8:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
1
0 virtual
An overview of Colton public schools
The federal directory lists 16 public schools in Colton, CA: 10 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high, 3 combined or other. The 15 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 10,678 students, an average of 712 per school. The largest campus is Colton High (1,729 students), and the largest elementary school is Alice Birney Elementary (681).
Colton Joint Unified operates the most schools here (12), and 2 regular districts have at least one Colton campus, plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. 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 22.8:1, 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 1 charter school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 87% 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 Colton
Elementary schools in Colton
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abraham Lincoln Elementary Colton Joint Unified | KG–06 | 587 | 22.6:1 | |
| Alice Birney Elementary Colton Joint Unified | KG–06 | 681 | 22.7:1 | |
| Cooley Ranch Elementary Colton Joint Unified | KG–06 | 530 | 22.8:1 | |
| Dr. Ernest Garcia Elementary Rialto Unified | KG–05 | 608 | 25.2:1 | |
| Georgia F. Morris Elementary Rialto Unified | KG–05 | 604 | 25.7:1 | |
| Paul Rogers Elementary Colton Joint Unified | KG–06 | 602 | 22.3:1 | |
| Reche Canyon Elementary Colton Joint Unified | KG–06 | 547 | 23.6:1 | |
| Ulysses Grant Elementary Colton Joint Unified | KG–06 | 589 | 23.6:1 | |
| William McKinley Elementary Colton Joint Unified | KG–06 | 495 | 22.3:1 | |
| Woodrow Wilson Elementary Colton Joint Unified | KG–06 | 465 | 24.2:1 |
Middle schools in Colton
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colton Middle Colton Joint Unified | 07–08 | 870 | 21.9:1 | |
| William G. Jehue Middle Rialto Unified | 06–08 | 1,444 | 25.4:1 |
High schools in Colton
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colton High Colton Joint Unified | 09–12 | 1,729 | 19.4:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Colton
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mojave River Academy - National Trails Mojave River Academy - National Trails District · Charter | KG–12 | 801 | 24.9:1 | |
| San Salvador Preschool Colton Joint Unified | Not reported | — | — | |
| Washington High Colton Joint Unified · Alternative School | KG–12 | 126 | 7.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White3.4%
- Hispanic89.5%
- Black4.5%
- Asian1.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial1.1%
Enrollment-weighted across 15 Colton schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (10,678 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Colton
How many public schools are in Colton, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 16 open public schools with a location address in Colton: 10 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 10,678 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Colton?
Schools with an address in Colton belong to 3 education agencies, led by Colton Joint Unified (12 schools), Rialto Unified (3 schools), Mojave River Academy - National Trails District (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 Colton?
Colton High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Colton, with 1,729 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Colton?
Yes. 1 of the 16 public schools in Colton are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Mojave River Academy - National Trails. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Colton schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Colton public schools is 22.8:1, 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 Colton 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