Public schools in Eureka, CA

24 open public schools with an address in Eureka, operated by 11 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.

Public schools

NCES preliminary directory 2025–26

Reported students

6,115

24 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25

Median student–teacher ratio

19.6:1

California median 21.6:1

Charter schools

0 virtual

An overview of Eureka public schools

The federal directory lists 24 public schools in Eureka, CA: 10 elementary, 4 middle, 5 high, 5 combined or other. The 24 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 6,115 students, an average of 255 per school. The largest campus is Eureka Senior High (1,162 students), and the largest elementary school is Washington Elementary (426).

Eureka City Schools operates the most schools here (8), and 7 regular districts have at least one Eureka campus, plus 4 charter, service, or other agencies. 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 19.6:1, 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 5 charter schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.

Among 8 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 9 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Alice Birney Elementary Eureka City Schools	KG–05	375	25:1
Cutten Elementary Cutten Elementary	03–06	288	22.2:1
Freshwater Elementary Freshwater Elementary	KG–06	283	27:1
Garfield Elementary Garfield Elementary	KG–06	73	18.3:1
Grant Elementary Eureka City Schools	KG–05	278	23.2:1
Lafayette Elementary Eureka City Schools	KG–05	324	23.1:1
Pine Hill Elementary South Bay Union Elementary	KG–03	189	18:1
Ridgewood Elementary Cutten Elementary	KG–02	260	16.8:1
South Bay Charter South Bay Union Elementary · Charter	KG–08	44	19.4:1
Washington Elementary Eureka City Schools	KG–05	426	25.1:1

Middle schools in Eureka

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Catherine L. Zane Middle Eureka City Schools	06–08	417	20.3:1
Freshwater Charter Middle Freshwater Elementary · Charter	07–08	51	25.5:1
South Bay Elementary South Bay Union Elementary	04–06	141	23.5:1
Winship Middle Eureka City Schools	06–08	413	19:1

High schools in Eureka

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Academy of the Redwoods Fortuna Union High · Alternative School	09–12	154	23.3:1
Eureka Community Humboldt County Office of Education · Alternative School	07–12	70	19.7:1
Eureka Senior High Eureka City Schools	09–12	1,162	19.3:1
Humboldt County ROP Humboldt County ROP · Career and Technical School	10–12	0	—
Zoe Barnum High Eureka City Schools · Alternative School	10–12	67	10.8:1

Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Eureka

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Alder Grove Charter School 2 Alder Grove Charter School 2 District · Charter	KG–12	481	19.6:1
Glen Paul Humboldt County Office of Education · Special Education School	KG–12	128	7.5:1
Humboldt County Office of Education Juvenile Hall Court Humboldt County Office of Education · Alternative School	KG–12	9	8.7:1
Northern United - Humboldt Charter Northern United - Humboldt Charter District · Charter	KG–12	330	11.9:1
Pacific View Charter 2.0 Pacific View Charter 2.0 District · Charter	KG–12	152	14.8:1

Student demographics

Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment

White48.9%
Hispanic24.3%
Black1.3%
Asian6.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander1.1%
Multiracial13.3%

Enrollment-weighted across 23 Eureka schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (6,115 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.

Questions about public schools in Eureka

How many public schools are in Eureka, CA?

The current NCES directory lists 24 open public schools with a location address in Eureka: 10 elementary, 4 middle, 5 high, 5 combined or other. Together they reported 6,115 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.

Which school districts serve Eureka?

Schools with an address in Eureka belong to 11 education agencies, led by Eureka City Schools (8 schools), Humboldt County Office of Education (3 schools), South Bay Union Elementary (3 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.

What is the largest public high school in Eureka?

Eureka Senior High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Eureka, with 1,162 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.

Are there charter schools in Eureka?

Yes. 5 of the 24 public schools in Eureka are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Alder Grove Charter School 2, Freshwater Charter Middle, Northern United - Humboldt Charter. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.

What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Eureka schools?

The median reported student–teacher ratio across Eureka public schools is 19.6:1, 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 Eureka 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