Public schools in Modesto, CA
77 open public schools with an address in Modesto, operated by 19 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
77
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
50,942
76 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
21.9:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
10
0 virtual
An overview of Modesto public schools
The federal directory lists 77 public schools in Modesto, CA: 53 elementary, 9 middle, 11 high, 4 combined or other. The 76 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 50,942 students, an average of 670 per school. The largest campus is Joseph A. Gregori High (2,346 students), and the largest elementary school is Great Valley Academy (972).
Modesto City Elementary operates the most schools here (26), and 11 regular districts have at least one Modesto campus, plus 8 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 21.9:1, similar to 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 10 charter schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 13 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 7 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 10 of 14 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 73% 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 Modesto
Modesto City Elementary
Public school district
26 schools in Modesto
Sylvan Union Elementary
Public school district
12 schools in Modesto · 13 total
Modesto City High
Public school district
8 schools in Modesto
Stanislaus Union Elementary
Public school district
6 schools in Modesto
Empire Union Elementary
Public school district
5 schools in Modesto · 6 total
Ceres Unified
Public school district
3 schools in Modesto · 24 total
Hart-Ransom Union Elementary
Public school district
2 schools in Modesto
Paradise Elementary
Public school district
2 schools in Modesto
Shiloh Elementary
Public school district
2 schools in Modesto
Stanislaus County Office of Education
Public school district
2 schools in Modesto · 4 total
Aspire Summit Charter Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Modesto
Aspire University Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Modesto
Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Modesto
Connecting Waters Charter School - Central Valley District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Modesto
Great Valley Academy - Salida District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Modesto
Great Valley Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Modesto
Salida Union Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Modesto · 5 total
Stanislaus Alternative Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Modesto
Yosemite ROP
Specialized public school district
1 school in Modesto
Elementary schools in Modesto
53| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agnes M. Baptist Elementary Stanislaus Union Elementary | KG–06 | 606 | 21.3:1 | |
| Alberta Martone Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 627 | 21.4:1 | |
| Alice N. Stroud Elementary Empire Union Elementary | KG–06 | 379 | 23.7:1 | |
| Aspire Summit Charter Academy Aspire Summit Charter Academy District · Charter | KG–05 | 355 | 21.8:1 | |
| Aspire University Charter Aspire University Charter District · Charter | KG–05 | 423 | 22.7:1 | |
| Bernard L. Hughes Elementary Empire Union Elementary | KG–06 | 455 | 26.8:1 | |
| Bret Harte Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 867 | 22.8:1 | |
| Burbank Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 572 | 25.1:1 | |
| Capistrano Elementary Empire Union Elementary | KG–06 | 469 | 26.1:1 | |
| Catherine Everett Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 428 | 20.9:1 | |
| Christine Sipherd Elementary Empire Union Elementary | KG–06 | 505 | 24:1 | |
| Coleman F. Brown Elementary Sylvan Union Elementary | KG–05 | 378 | 21.6:1 | |
| El Vista Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 447 | 20.6:1 | |
| Elihu Beard Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 467 | 20.8:1 | |
| Enslen Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 385 | 22.1:1 | |
| Fairview Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 786 | 24.8:1 | |
| Franklin Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 777 | 22.7:1 | |
| Freedom Elementary Sylvan Union Elementary | KG–05 | 713 | 25:1 | |
| George Eisenhut Elementary Stanislaus Union Elementary | KG–06 | 513 | 23:1 | |
| Great Valley Academy Great Valley Academy District · Charter | KG–08 | 972 | 23.1:1 | |
| Great Valley Academy - Salida Great Valley Academy - Salida District · Charter | KG–08 | 927 | 24.7:1 | |
| Harriette Kirschen Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 503 | 22.5:1 | |
| Hart-Ransom Elementary Hart-Ransom Union Elementary | KG–08 | 705 | 21.6:1 | |
| James Marshall Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 611 | 22.3:1 | |
| John Fremont Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 625 | 20.2:1 | |
| John Muir Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 567 | 23.2:1 | |
| Josephine Chrysler Elementary Stanislaus Union Elementary | KG–06 | 621 | 21.9:1 | |
| Lakewood Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 395 | 22.3:1 | |
| M. Robert Adkison Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 531 | 25.3:1 | |
| Mary Ann Sanders Elementary Sylvan Union Elementary | KG–05 | 558 | 21.1:1 | |
| Mary Lou Dieterich Elementary Stanislaus Union Elementary | KG–06 | 532 | 22.8:1 | |
| Mildred Perkins Elementary Salida Union Elementary | KG–05 | 362 | 24.1:1 | |
| Orchard Elementary Sylvan Union Elementary | KG–05 | 579 | 20.7:1 | |
| Orville Wright Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 399 | 24.7:1 | |
| Paradise Charter Paradise Elementary · Charter | KG–08 | 118 | 26.2:1 | |
| Paradise Elementary Paradise Elementary | KG–08 | 59 | 13.1:1 | |
| Robertson Road Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 306 | 16.4:1 | |
| Rose Avenue Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 561 | 23:1 | |
| Shackelford Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 495 | 21.1:1 | |
| Sherwood Elementary Sylvan Union Elementary | KG–05 | 489 | 20.4:1 | |
| Shiloh Charter Shiloh Elementary · Charter | KG–08 | 163 | 15.5:1 | |
| Shiloh Elementary Shiloh Elementary | KG–08 | 23 | 63.9:1 | |
| Sonoma Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 536 | 21.1:1 | |
| Standiford Elementary Sylvan Union Elementary | KG–05 | 433 | 20.1:1 | |
| Stanislaus Elementary Stanislaus Union Elementary | KG–06 | 307 | 19.1:1 | |
| Stockard Coffee Elementary Sylvan Union Elementary | KG–05 | 461 | 21.9:1 | |
| Sylvan Elementary Sylvan Union Elementary | KG–05 | 326 | 18.1:1 | |
| Tuolumne Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–08 | 624 | 24.4:1 | |
| Virginia Parks Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 643 | 24.6:1 | |
| Westport Elementary Ceres Unified | KG–06 | 364 | 24.3:1 | |
| William Garrison Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 352 | 16.5:1 | |
| Wilson Elementary Modesto City Elementary | KG–06 | 283 | 21.8:1 | |
| Woodrow Elementary Sylvan Union Elementary | KG–05 | 416 | 23.9:1 |
Middle schools in Modesto
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel J. Savage Middle Sylvan Union Elementary | 06–08 | 906 | 21.3:1 | |
| Elizabeth Ustach Middle Sylvan Union Elementary | 06–08 | 1,016 | 20.4:1 | |
| Evelyn Hanshaw Middle Modesto City Elementary | 07–08 | 650 | 19.8:1 | |
| La Loma Junior High Modesto City Elementary | 07–08 | 705 | 20.4:1 | |
| Mark Twain Junior High Modesto City Elementary | 07–08 | 658 | 21.6:1 | |
| Norman N. Glick Middle Empire Union Elementary | 05–08 | 602 | 20.7:1 | |
| Prescott Junior High Stanislaus Union Elementary | 07–08 | 746 | 20.5:1 | |
| Roosevelt Junior High Modesto City Elementary | 07–08 | 818 | 21.7:1 | |
| Somerset Middle Sylvan Union Elementary | 06–08 | 947 | 20.9:1 |
High schools in Modesto
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy District · Charter | 06–12 | 617 | 22.8:1 | |
| Fred C. Beyer High Modesto City High | 09–12 | 1,609 | 21.9:1 | |
| Grace M. Davis High Modesto City High | 09–12 | 2,083 | 22:1 | |
| James C. Enochs High Modesto City High | 09–12 | 2,304 | 23.5:1 | |
| Joseph A. Gregori High Modesto City High | 09–12 | 2,346 | 23:1 | |
| Modesto High Modesto City High | 09–12 | 2,292 | 22:1 | |
| Peter Johansen High Modesto City High | 09–12 | 2,029 | 22.3:1 | |
| Robert Elliott Alternative Education Center Modesto City High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 479 | 14.5:1 | |
| Stanislaus Alternative Charter Stanislaus Alternative Charter District · Charter · Alternative School | 09–12 | 651 | 26.4:1 | |
| Thomas Downey High Modesto City High | 09–12 | 2,192 | 23.9:1 | |
| Yosemite ROP Yosemite ROP · Career and Technical School | 11–12 | 0 | — |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Modesto
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecting Waters Charter School - Central Valley Connecting Waters Charter School - Central Valley District · Charter | KG–12 | 776 | 17.7:1 | |
| Hart-Ransom Charter Hart-Ransom Union Elementary · Charter | KG–12 | — | — | |
| Stanislaus County Special Education Stanislaus County Office of Education · Special Education School | KG–12 | 462 | 10.4:1 | |
| Stanislaus County West Campus Stanislaus County Office of Education · Alternative School | KG–12 | 56 | 10:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White17.5%
- Hispanic64.3%
- Black2.6%
- Asian6.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.7%
- Multiracial8%
Enrollment-weighted across 75 Modesto schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (50,942 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Modesto
How many public schools are in Modesto, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 77 open public schools with a location address in Modesto: 53 elementary, 9 middle, 11 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 50,942 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Modesto?
Schools with an address in Modesto belong to 19 education agencies, led by Modesto City Elementary (26 schools), Sylvan Union Elementary (12 schools), Modesto City High (8 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Modesto?
Joseph A. Gregori High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Modesto, with 2,346 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Modesto?
Yes. 10 of the 77 public schools in Modesto are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Aspire Summit Charter Academy, Aspire University Charter, Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Modesto schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Modesto public schools is 21.9:1, similar to 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 Modesto 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