Public schools in Sonora, CA
12 open public schools with an address in Sonora, operated by 6 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
12
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
2,697
10 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
18.3:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
1
0 virtual
An overview of Sonora public schools
The federal directory lists 12 public schools in Sonora, CA: 3 elementary, 3 high, 6 combined or other. The 10 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 2,697 students, an average of 270 per school. The largest campus is Sonora High (880 students), and the largest elementary school is Sonora Elementary (643).
Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools operates the most schools here (4), and 5 regular districts have at least one Sonora 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 18.3:1, 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 1 charter school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 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 Sonora
Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools
Public school district
4 schools in Sonora
Sonora Union High
Public school district
3 schools in Sonora
Belleview Elementary
Public school district
2 schools in Sonora
Curtis Creek Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Sonora
Gold Rush Home Study Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Sonora
Sonora Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Sonora
Elementary schools in Sonora
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belleview Elementary Belleview Elementary | KG–08 | 148 | 16.4:1 | |
| Curtis Creek Elementary Curtis Creek Elementary | KG–08 | 410 | 20.4:1 | |
| Sonora Elementary Sonora Elementary | KG–08 | 643 | 20.1:1 |
High schools in Sonora
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dario Cassina High Sonora Union High · Alternative School | 10–12 | 44 | 14.1:1 | |
| Sonora High Sonora Union High | 09–12 | 880 | 23:1 | |
| Theodore Bird High Sonora Union High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 65 | 21.7:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Sonora
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belleview Special Education Preschool Belleview Elementary | Not reported | — | — | |
| Gold Ridge Educational Center Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools · Alternative School | 01–12 | 8 | 8.3:1 | |
| Gold Rush Home Study Charter Gold Rush Home Study Charter District · Charter | KG–12 | 430 | 20.4:1 | |
| Tuolumne County Community/ISP Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools · Alternative School | KG–12 | 27 | 7.7:1 | |
| Tuolumne County Special Education Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools · Special Education School | KG–12 | 42 | 7:1 | |
| Tuolumne County Special Education Preschool Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White68.7%
- Hispanic19.5%
- Black1%
- Asian1.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial6.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 10 Sonora schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (2,697 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Sonora
How many public schools are in Sonora, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 12 open public schools with a location address in Sonora: 3 elementary, 3 high, 6 combined or other. Together they reported 2,697 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Sonora?
Schools with an address in Sonora belong to 6 education agencies, led by Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools (4 schools), Sonora Union High (3 schools), Belleview Elementary (2 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Sonora?
Sonora High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Sonora, with 880 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Sonora?
Yes. 1 of the 12 public schools in Sonora are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Gold Rush Home Study Charter. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Sonora schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Sonora public schools is 18.3:1, 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 Sonora 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