Public schools in Grass Valley, CA
24 open public schools with an address in Grass Valley, operated by 9 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
24
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
7,605
21 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
20.2:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
6
0 virtual
An overview of Grass Valley public schools
The federal directory lists 24 public schools in Grass Valley, CA: 10 elementary, 3 middle, 7 high, 4 combined or other. The 21 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 7,605 students, an average of 362 per school. The largest campus is Nevada Union High (1,561 students), and the largest elementary school is Grass Valley Charter (546).
Grass Valley Elementary operates the most schools here (5), and 7 regular districts have at least one Grass Valley campus, plus 2 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 20.2:1, 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 6 charter schools. 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 2 of 7 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 46% 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 Grass Valley
Grass Valley Elementary
Public school district
5 schools in Grass Valley
Nevada Joint Union High
Public school district
5 schools in Grass Valley
Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary
Public school district
5 schools in Grass Valley
Chicago Park Elementary
Public school district
2 schools in Grass Valley
Nevada County Office of Education
Public school district
2 schools in Grass Valley · 5 total
Union Hill Elementary
Public school district
2 schools in Grass Valley
Clear Creek Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Grass Valley
John Muir Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Grass Valley
Yuba River Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Grass Valley
Elementary schools in Grass Valley
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alta Sierra Elementary Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary | KG–05 | 338 | 24.1:1 | |
| Bell Hill Academy Grass Valley Elementary | KG–04 | 246 | 22.4:1 | |
| Chicago Park Community Charter Chicago Park Elementary · Charter | KG–08 | 43 | 16.7:1 | |
| Chicago Park Elementary Chicago Park Elementary | KG–08 | 120 | 15.9:1 | |
| Clear Creek Elementary Clear Creek Elementary | KG–08 | 173 | 17.3:1 | |
| Cottage Hill Elementary Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary | KG–05 | 485 | 23.1:1 | |
| Grass Valley Charter Grass Valley Elementary · Charter | KG–08 | 546 | 23.7:1 | |
| Margaret G. Scotten Elementary Grass Valley Elementary | KG–04 | 357 | 19.3:1 | |
| Union Hill Elementary Union Hill Elementary · Charter | KG–06 | 542 | 20.2:1 | |
| Yuba River Charter Yuba River Charter District · Charter | KG–08 | 323 | 26.4:1 |
Middle schools in Grass Valley
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyman Gilmore Middle Grass Valley Elementary | 05–08 | 464 | 19.2:1 | |
| Magnolia Intermediate Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary | 06–08 | 410 | 21.6:1 | |
| Union Hill Middle Union Hill Elementary | 07–08 | 146 | 19.8:1 |
High schools in Grass Valley
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear River High Nevada Joint Union High | 09–12 | 664 | 24.2:1 | |
| Earle Jamieson Educational Options Nevada County Office of Education · Alternative School | 06–12 | 5 | 4.9:1 | |
| John Muir Charter John Muir Charter District · Charter | 06–12 | 629 | 16.6:1 | |
| Nevada Union High Nevada Joint Union High | 09–12 | 1,561 | 20.1:1 | |
| North Point Academy Nevada Joint Union High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 111 | 20.5:1 | |
| Silver Springs High (Continuation) Nevada Joint Union High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 80 | 8.5:1 | |
| William & Marian Ghidotti High Nevada Joint Union High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 155 | 32.1:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Grass Valley
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arete Charter Academy Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary · Charter | KG–12 | 207 | 22.6:1 | |
| Early Childhood Education Nevada County Office of Education | Not reported | — | — | |
| Grass Valley Preschool Grass Valley Elementary | Not reported | — | — | |
| Pleasant Ridge Special Education Preschool Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White66.3%
- Hispanic21.7%
- Black1.3%
- Asian1.2%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.8%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial8.1%
Enrollment-weighted across 21 Grass Valley schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (7,605 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Grass Valley
How many public schools are in Grass Valley, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 24 open public schools with a location address in Grass Valley: 10 elementary, 3 middle, 7 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 7,605 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Grass Valley?
Schools with an address in Grass Valley belong to 9 education agencies, led by Grass Valley Elementary (5 schools), Nevada Joint Union High (5 schools), Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary (5 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Grass Valley?
Nevada Union High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Grass Valley, with 1,561 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Grass Valley?
Yes. 6 of the 24 public schools in Grass Valley are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Arete Charter Academy, Chicago Park Community Charter, Grass Valley Charter. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Grass Valley schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Grass Valley public schools is 20.2:1, 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 Grass Valley 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