Public schools in Tulare, CA
31 open public schools with an address in Tulare, operated by 8 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
31
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
18,061
31 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
21.9:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
2
0 virtual
An overview of Tulare public schools
The federal directory lists 31 public schools in Tulare, CA: 18 elementary, 6 middle, 7 high. The 31 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 18,061 students, an average of 583 per school. The largest campus is Tulare Western High (1,927 students), and the largest elementary school is Liberty Elementary (861).
Tulare City operates the most schools here (18), and 8 regular districts have at least one Tulare campus. 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 2 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 0 of 7 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 74% 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 Tulare
Tulare City
Public school district
18 schools in Tulare
Tulare Joint Union High
Public school district
7 schools in Tulare
Buena Vista Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Tulare
Liberty Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Tulare
Oak Valley Union Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Tulare
Palo Verde Union Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Tulare
Sundale Union Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Tulare
Waukena Joint Union Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Tulare
Elementary schools in Tulare
18| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine Vista Tulare City | KG–04 | 659 | 22:1 | |
| Buena Vista Elementary Buena Vista Elementary | KG–08 | 180 | 18:1 | |
| Cypress Elementary Tulare City | KG–06 | 562 | 24.3:1 | |
| Frank Kohn Elementary Tulare City | KG–06 | 617 | 22.8:1 | |
| Garden Elementary Tulare City | KG–06 | 689 | 24.1:1 | |
| Heritage Elementary Tulare City | KG–06 | 597 | 24.9:1 | |
| Liberty Elementary Liberty Elementary | KG–08 | 861 | 22.6:1 | |
| Lincoln Elementary Tulare City | KG–06 | 309 | 20.6:1 | |
| Maple Elementary Tulare City | KG–06 | 574 | 22.1:1 | |
| Mission Valley Elementary Tulare City | KG–06 | 671 | 23.8:1 | |
| Oak Valley Elementary Oak Valley Union Elementary | KG–08 | 562 | 17.9:1 | |
| Palo Verde Elementary Palo Verde Union Elementary | KG–08 | 511 | 22.2:1 | |
| Pleasant Elementary Tulare City | KG–05 | 668 | 23.9:1 | |
| Roosevelt Elementary Tulare City | KG–04 | 561 | 20.8:1 | |
| Sundale Elementary Sundale Union Elementary | KG–08 | 840 | 25.5:1 | |
| Tulare Support Tulare City · Alternative School | KG–08 | 19 | 6.2:1 | |
| Waukena Joint Union Elementary Waukena Joint Union Elementary | KG–08 | 220 | 22:1 | |
| Wilson Elementary Tulare City | KG–06 | 487 | 22.7:1 |
Middle schools in Tulare
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine Vista Middle Tulare City | 05–08 | 617 | 21.9:1 | |
| Cherry Avenue Middle Tulare City | 07–08 | 483 | 21.1:1 | |
| Live Oak Middle Tulare City | 07–08 | 458 | 22.2:1 | |
| Los Tules Middle Tulare City | 06–08 | 569 | 22.5:1 | |
| Mulcahy Middle Tulare City | 05–08 | 745 | 21.9:1 | |
| Tulare City Community Day Tulare City · Alternative School | 06–08 | 4 | 3.8:1 |
High schools in Tulare
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accelerated Charter High Tulare Joint Union High · Charter | 09–12 | 152 | 16.6:1 | |
| Countryside Community Day Tulare Joint Union High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 24 | 8.8:1 | |
| Mission Oak High Tulare Joint Union High | 09–12 | 1,678 | 20.9:1 | |
| Sierra Vista Charter High Tulare Joint Union High · Charter | 09–12 | 166 | 14.9:1 | |
| Tulare Technical Preparatory High Tulare Joint Union High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 35 | 9.3:1 | |
| Tulare Union High Tulare Joint Union High | 09–12 | 1,616 | 21.2:1 | |
| Tulare Western High Tulare Joint Union High | 09–12 | 1,927 | 21.8:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White15.4%
- Hispanic78.3%
- Black2.3%
- Asian1.7%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial1.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 31 Tulare schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (18,061 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Tulare
How many public schools are in Tulare, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 31 open public schools with a location address in Tulare: 18 elementary, 6 middle, 7 high. Together they reported 18,061 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Tulare?
Schools with an address in Tulare belong to 8 education agencies, led by Tulare City (18 schools), Tulare Joint Union High (7 schools), Buena Vista Elementary (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Tulare?
Tulare Western High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Tulare, with 1,927 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Tulare?
Yes. 2 of the 31 public schools in Tulare are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Accelerated Charter High, Sierra Vista Charter High. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Tulare schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Tulare 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 Tulare 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