Public schools in Madera, CA
48 open public schools with an address in Madera, operated by 8 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
48
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
24,958
48 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
20:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
6
0 virtual
An overview of Madera public schools
The federal directory lists 48 public schools in Madera, CA: 24 elementary, 5 middle, 11 high, 8 combined or other. The 48 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 24,958 students, an average of 520 per school. The largest campus is Matilda Torres High (2,017 students), and the largest elementary school is Lincoln Elementary (816).
Madera Unified operates the most schools here (28), and 4 regular districts have at least one Madera 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 20:1, 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 16 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 17 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 83% 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 Madera
Madera Unified
Public school district
28 schools in Madera
Golden Valley Unified
Public school district
10 schools in Madera
Madera County Superintendent of Schools
Public school district
5 schools in Madera
Chawanakee Unified
Public school district
1 school in Madera · 9 total
Liberty Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Madera
Sherman Thomas Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Madera
Sherman Thomas Charter High District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Madera
Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Madera
Elementary schools in Madera
24| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 735 | 20.9:1 | |
| Berenda Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 709 | 20.4:1 | |
| Cesar Chavez Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 659 | 20.2:1 | |
| Dixieland Madera Unified | KG–08 | 266 | 18.1:1 | |
| Eastin Arcola Madera Unified | KG–08 | 225 | 16.7:1 | |
| George Washington Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 578 | 20:1 | |
| Hillside Elementary Chawanakee Unified | KG–08 | 310 | 21.9:1 | |
| Howard Madera Unified | KG–08 | 487 | 18.8:1 | |
| James Madison Madera Unified | KG–08 | 739 | 20.5:1 | |
| James Monroe Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 624 | 20.8:1 | |
| John Adams Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 736 | 21.8:1 | |
| John J. Pershing Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 788 | 20.7:1 | |
| La Vina Madera Unified | KG–08 | 203 | 14.2:1 | |
| Liberty Charter Liberty Charter District · Charter | KG–08 | 704 | 24.3:1 | |
| Lincoln Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 816 | 19:1 | |
| Millview Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 594 | 19.9:1 | |
| Nishimoto Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 704 | 19.4:1 | |
| Parkwood Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 635 | 20:1 | |
| Sherman Thomas Charter Sherman Thomas Charter District · Charter | KG–08 | 233 | 23.3:1 | |
| Sierra View Elementary Golden Valley Unified | KG–06 | 365 | 24.3:1 | |
| Sierra Vista Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 740 | 19.5:1 | |
| Stone Creek Elementary Golden Valley Unified | KG–06 | 672 | 24:1 | |
| Virginia Lee Rose Elementary Madera Unified | KG–06 | 714 | 22.6:1 | |
| Webster Elementary Golden Valley Unified | KG–06 | 634 | 21.9:1 |
Middle schools in Madera
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack G. Desmond Middle Madera Unified | 07–08 | 838 | 18.4:1 | |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Middle Madera Unified | 07–08 | 865 | 17.7:1 | |
| Ranchos Middle Golden Valley Unified | 07–08 | 452 | 23:1 | |
| Sherman Thomas STEM Academy Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District · Charter | 06–08 | 75 | 27.3:1 | |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle Madera Unified | 07–08 | 948 | 19:1 |
High schools in Madera
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Secondary Madera County Superintendent of Schools · Alternative School | 06–12 | 0 | — | |
| Independence Continuation High Golden Valley Unified · Alternative School | 09–12 | 45 | 11.8:1 | |
| Juvenile Hall (Endeavor/Voyager Secondary) Madera County Superintendent of Schools · Alternative School | 07–12 | 29 | 6.9:1 | |
| Liberty High Golden Valley Unified | 09–12 | 748 | 20.4:1 | |
| Lincoln Community Day Golden Valley Unified · Alternative School | 07–12 | 0 | — | |
| Madera High Madera Unified | 09–12 | 1,869 | 20.6:1 | |
| Madera South High Madera Unified | 09–12 | 1,859 | 20:1 | |
| Matilda Torres High Madera Unified | 09–12 | 2,017 | 20.5:1 | |
| Mountain Vista High Madera Unified · Alternative School | 10–12 | 162 | 12.4:1 | |
| Ripperdan Community Day Madera Unified · Alternative School | 07–12 | 49 | 6.8:1 | |
| Sherman Thomas Charter High Sherman Thomas Charter High District · Charter | 09–12 | 69 | 14.1:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Madera
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial Independent Study Golden Valley Unified · Alternative School | 01–12 | 25 | 12.8:1 | |
| Duane E. Furman Independent Study Madera Unified · Alternative School | KG–12 | 348 | 19.7:1 | |
| Freedom Home Golden Valley Unified · Alternative School | KG–12 | 53 | 27.7:1 | |
| Gould Educational Center Madera County Superintendent of Schools · Special Education School | KG–12 | 351 | 7.8:1 | |
| Madera County Independent Academy Madera County Superintendent of Schools · Charter · Alternative School | KG–12 | 61 | 25.4:1 | |
| Madera Unified Adult Transition Program Madera Unified · Special Education School | Not reported | 15 | 7.5:1 | |
| Pioneer Technical Center Madera County Superintendent of Schools · Charter · Alternative School | KG–12 | 207 | 18.2:1 | |
| Valley Children's Hospital Golden Valley Unified | KG–12 | 3 | 16.7:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White8.9%
- Hispanic85.2%
- Black1.3%
- Asian2.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.5%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial1.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 46 Madera schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (24,958 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Madera
How many public schools are in Madera, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 48 open public schools with a location address in Madera: 24 elementary, 5 middle, 11 high, 8 combined or other. Together they reported 24,958 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Madera?
Schools with an address in Madera belong to 8 education agencies, led by Madera Unified (28 schools), Golden Valley Unified (10 schools), Madera County Superintendent of Schools (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 Madera?
Matilda Torres High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Madera, with 2,017 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Madera?
Yes. 6 of the 48 public schools in Madera are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Liberty Charter, Madera County Independent Academy, Pioneer Technical Center. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Madera schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Madera public schools is 20:1, 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 Madera 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