Public schools in Ventura, CA
28 open public schools with an address in Ventura, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
28
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
15,018
28 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
24.2:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
2
8 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Ventura public schools
The federal directory lists 28 public schools in Ventura, CA: 18 elementary, 4 middle, 5 high, 1 combined or other. The 28 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 15,018 students, an average of 536 per school. The largest campus is Ventura High (1,939 students), and the largest elementary school is Citrus Glen Elementary (491).
Ventura Unified operates the most schools here (26), 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 24.2:1, higher 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 2 charter schools, 8 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 57% 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 Ventura
Elementary schools in Ventura
18| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Technology & Leadership at Saticoy Ventura Unified · Magnet | KG–08 | 461 | 25.3:1 | |
| Citrus Glen Elementary Ventura Unified | KG–05 | 491 | 25.8:1 | |
| E. P. Foster Elementary Ventura Unified · Magnet | KG–05 | 299 | 26:1 | |
| Elmhurst Elementary Ventura Unified | KG–05 | 378 | 21:1 | |
| Homestead (Alternative) Ventura Unified · Alternative School | KG–08 | 52 | 17.2:1 | |
| Juanamaria Elementary Ventura Unified | KG–05 | 397 | 24.1:1 | |
| Junipero Serra Elementary Ventura Unified | KG–05 | 418 | 23.2:1 | |
| Lemon Grove Ventura Unified | KG–08 | 299 | 21.4:1 | |
| Lincoln Elementary Ventura Unified | KG–05 | 202 | 25.3:1 | |
| Loma Vista Elementary Ventura Unified | KG–05 | 396 | 22:1 | |
| Montalvo Elementary Ventura Unified · Magnet | KG–05 | 397 | 24.8:1 | |
| Mound Elementary Ventura Unified · Magnet | KG–05 | 490 | 23.3:1 | |
| Pierpont Elementary Ventura Unified | KG–05 | 304 | 26.4:1 | |
| Poinsettia Elementary Ventura Unified | KG–05 | 351 | 23.4:1 | |
| Portola Elementary Ventura Unified | KG–05 | 444 | 26.1:1 | |
| Sheridan Way Elementary Ventura Unified · Magnet | KG–05 | 325 | 25:1 | |
| Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education District · Charter | KG–08 | 455 | 22.6:1 | |
| Will Rogers Elementary Ventura Unified · Magnet | KG–05 | 426 | 28.4:1 |
Middle schools in Ventura
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anacapa Middle Ventura Unified | 06–08 | 592 | 23.8:1 | |
| Balboa Middle Ventura Unified | 06–08 | 845 | 24.3:1 | |
| Cabrillo Middle Ventura Unified | 06–08 | 936 | 29.4:1 | |
| De Anza Academy of Technology and the Arts Ventura Unified · Magnet | 06–08 | 577 | 22.7:1 |
High schools in Ventura
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buena High Ventura Unified | 09–12 | 1,585 | 22.1:1 | |
| El Camino High Ventura Unified · Alternative School | 09–12 | 221 | 30.5:1 | |
| Foothill Technology High Ventura Unified · Magnet | 09–12 | 951 | 26.7:1 | |
| Pacific High Ventura Unified · Alternative School | 09–12 | 213 | 14.3:1 | |
| Ventura High Ventura Unified | 09–12 | 1,939 | 23.4:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Ventura
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Valley Charter Golden Valley Charter District · Charter | KG–12 | 574 | 30.2:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White35.9%
- Hispanic53.9%
- Black1.2%
- Asian3.5%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.4%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial4.7%
Enrollment-weighted across 28 Ventura schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (15,018 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Ventura
How many public schools are in Ventura, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 28 open public schools with a location address in Ventura: 18 elementary, 4 middle, 5 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 15,018 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Ventura?
Schools with an address in Ventura belong to 3 education agencies, led by Ventura Unified (26 schools), Golden Valley Charter District (1 school), Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education District (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 Ventura?
Ventura High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Ventura, with 1,939 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Ventura?
Yes. 2 of the 28 public schools in Ventura are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Golden Valley Charter, Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Ventura schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Ventura public schools is 24.2:1, higher 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 Ventura 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