| District | City | Rating | Students | Schools | Grades | Zip Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paradise Elementary School District | Modesto | 9/10 Excellent · 85th pct | 193 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Gratton Elementary School District | Denair | 9/10 Excellent · 84th pct | 142 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Hart-Ransom Union Elementary School District | Modesto | 8/10 Good · 71st pct | 1,176 | 2 | K–12 | 0 |
| Roberts Ferry Union Elementary School District | Waterford | 8/10 Good · 70th pct | 198 | 2 | K–8 | 1 |
| Knights Ferry Elementary School District | Knights Ferry | 7/10 Good · 65th pct | 118 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Shiloh Elementary School District | Modesto | 7/10 Good · 64th pct | 170 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Hickman Community Charter School District | Hickman | 7/10 Good · 62nd pct | 985 | 3 | K–8 | 0 |
| Oakdale Joint Unified School District | Oakdale | 7/10 Good · 62nd pct | 5,227 | 9 | K–12 | 1 |
| Sylvan Union Elementary School District | Modesto | 6/10 Average · 54th pct | 7,972 | 13 | K–8 | 0 |
| Chatom Union Elementary School District | Turlock | 6/10 Average · 52nd pct | 565 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Hughson Unified School District | Hughson | 6/10 Average · 50th pct | 2,157 | 6 | K–12 | 2 |
| Keyes Union Elementary School District | Keyes | 5/10 Average · 47th pct | 1,020 | 3 | K–12 | 0 |
| Stanislaus Union Elementary School District | Modesto | 5/10 Average · 45th pct | 3,392 | 6 | K–8 | 0 |
| Modesto City High School District | Modesto | 5/10 Average · 44th pct | 15,579 | 8 | 6–12 | 7 |
| Salida Union Elementary School District | Salida | 5/10 Average · 43rd pct | 2,171 | 5 | K–8 | 0 |
| Turlock Unified School District | Turlock | 4/10 Below Average · 39th pct | 13,377 | 14 | K–12 | 3 |
| Waterford Unified School District | Waterford | 4/10 Below Average · 36th pct | 1,810 | 5 | K–12 | 0 |
| Valley Home Joint Elementary School District | Valley Home | 4/10 Below Average · 31st pct | 169 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Ceres Unified School District | Ceres | 3/10 Below Average · 29th pct | 13,894 | 24 | K–12 | 1 |
| Modesto City Elementary School District | Modesto | 3/10 Below Average · 25th pct | 14,049 | 26 | K–12 | 1 |
| Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District | Crows Landing | 3/10 Below Average · 25th pct | 3,189 | 9 | K–12 | 2 |
| Patterson Joint Unified School District | Patterson | 3/10 Below Average · 24th pct | 6,177 | 10 | K–12 | 3 |
| Empire Union Elementary School District | Empire | 3/10 Below Average · 22nd pct | 2,875 | 6 | K–8 | 1 |
| Riverbank Unified School District | Riverbank | 2/10 Poor · 18th pct | 2,972 | 6 | K–12 | 1 |
| Denair Unified School District | Denair | 2/10 Poor · 15th pct | 1,300 | 5 | K–12 | 1 |
How Stanislaus County compares
Together they enroll 100,877 students across 172 schools. The largest is Modesto City High School District with 15,579 students. Districts here average 5.2/10, below the California average of 5.7/10. Ratings range from 2/10 to 9/10.
School Districts in Stanislaus County, California
Stanislaus County has 25 public school districts covering 24 zip codes. The top-rated district in Stanislaus County is Paradise Elementary School District (9/10). Ratings are based on the share of students proficient in reading and math on state assessments (CAASPP 2023–24), ranked against all districts in California. Directory details come from NCES CCD 2024–25.
Enter your zip code on any page to confirm your exact district assignment — district boundaries are address-specific and may not follow county or city lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many school districts are in Stanislaus County, CA?
25 school districts serve zip codes in Stanislaus County, CA. This page lists each one with its rating, enrollment, grade span and the zip codes it covers.
What is the best-rated school district in Stanislaus County, CA?
Of the districts serving Stanislaus County, Paradise Elementary School District has the highest rating on this site at 9/10. That places it in the 85th percentile among California school districts.
How are these school district ratings calculated?
Each rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above on California reading and math assessments, ranked against other districts in California and converted to a 1–10 scale. Percentiles compare districts within California only, never across state lines.