Del Norte County Schools & Education
Del Norte County, California
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
61/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
90.4%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
90.4%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 87.5%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,212
National avg $13,239
State avg $8,762
School Score
61/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#17
of 58 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Del Norte County
Measured School Summary
Del Norte County performs at an average level with a school score of 61/100 and a solid graduation rate of 90.4%.
Funding Context
Del Norte County spends $8,212 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 11% above the California average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 6% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Del Norte County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
16 public schools and 4 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
61/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #17 of 58 California counties with school score data.
Completion
90.4%
2.9 pts above the state average
Funding context
$8,212
$550 below the state average
School coverage
16
4 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Del Norte County has 16 public schools across 4 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Del Norte County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Dominant-district county
Del Norte County Unified carries most of the listed public-school system, with 11 of 16 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#17
of 58 California counties with school score data. The county score is 6 points above the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Del Norte County Unified
Elementary to high school visible
3,500 students
11 listed schools in this county slice.
Del Norte County Office of Education
High school only in this slice
380 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Uncharted Shores Academy District
Other grade structure
276 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Del Norte County ROP
High school only in this slice
0 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Del Norte County Unified is the largest listed district slice, with 11 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Del Norte County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Del Norte County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Del Norte County, California
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Coastal Education in California's North
Del Norte County serves 4,156 students through a compact system of 16 public schools. The county infrastructure consists of 8 elementary schools and 4 high schools managed by 4 districts. This small-scale system serves the coastal and forest communities at the edge of the state.
Unified Management with Charter Options
Del Norte County Unified is the primary district, educating 3,500 students across 11 schools. Charter schools represent 12.5% of the local options, including institutions like Castle Rock which serves over 350 students. This mix provides a balance between a strong central district and alternative learning paths.
Town-Based Learning with a Community Feel
Schools are primarily located in town settings, providing a central gathering point for local families. The average school size is 277 students, though Del Norte High stands out as the major hub with 1,006 students. It is an environment where students enjoy small-town connections alongside modern high school facilities.
School Overview
Total Schools
16
in Del Norte County
Reported Enrollment
4,156
16 schools reporting
School Districts
4
districts
Charter Schools
2
13% of total
School Level Breakdown
4 School Districts in Del Norte County
Del Norte County Unified
GuideDel Norte County Office of Education
Uncharted Shores Academy District
Del Norte County ROP
16 Public Schools in Del Norte County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 16 of 16 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Del Norte High | Profile | Del Norte County Unified | Crescent City, 95531Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 1,006 |
| Crescent Elk Middle | Record | Del Norte County Unified | Crescent City, 95531Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 491 |
| Redwood Elementary | Record | Del Norte County Unified | Fort Dick, 95538Rural: Fringe | KG–8 | Primary | 477 |
| Castle Rock | Record | Del Norte County Office of Education | Crescent City, 95531Town: Remote | KG–12 | Charter | 351 |
| Joe Hamilton Elementary | Record | Del Norte County Unified | Crescent City, 95531Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 306 |
| Pine Grove Elementary | Record | Del Norte County Unified | Crescent City, 95531Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 280 |
| Uncharted Shores Academy | Record | Uncharted Shores Academy District | Crescent City, 95531Town: Remote | KG–9 | Charter | 276 |
| Smith River Elementary | Record | Del Norte County Unified | Smith River, 95567Rural: Distant | KG–8 | Primary | 245 |
| Bess Maxwell Elementary | Record | Del Norte County Unified | Crescent City, 95531Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 233 |
| Mary Peacock Elementary | Record | Del Norte County Unified | Crescent City, 95331Rural: Fringe | KG–5 | Primary | 230 |
| Sunset High | Record | Del Norte County Unified | Crescent City, 95531Town: Remote | 9–12 | Alternative | 98 |
| Margaret Keating Elementary | Record | Del Norte County Unified | Klamath, 95548Rural: Remote | KG–6 | Primary | 95 |
| Mountain Elementary | Record | Del Norte County Unified | Gasquet, 95543Rural: Distant | KG–8 | Primary | 39 |
| Del Norte Community | Record | Del Norte County Office of Education | Crescent City, 95531Town: Remote | KG–12 | Alternative | 27 |
| Elk Creek | Record | Del Norte County Office of Education | Crescent City, 95531Town: Remote | 7–12 | Alternative | 2 |
| Del Norte County ROP | Record | Del Norte County ROP | Crescent City, 95531Town: Remote | 9–12 | Vocational | 0 |
Del Norte High
Del Norte County Unified
Crescent City, 95531 / Town: Remote
Crescent Elk Middle
Del Norte County Unified
Crescent City, 95531 / Town: Remote
Redwood Elementary
Del Norte County Unified
Fort Dick, 95538 / Rural: Fringe
Castle Rock
Del Norte County Office of Education
Crescent City, 95531 / Town: Remote
Joe Hamilton Elementary
Del Norte County Unified
Crescent City, 95531 / Town: Remote
Pine Grove Elementary
Del Norte County Unified
Crescent City, 95531 / Town: Remote
Uncharted Shores Academy
Uncharted Shores Academy District
Crescent City, 95531 / Town: Remote
Smith River Elementary
Del Norte County Unified
Smith River, 95567 / Rural: Distant
Bess Maxwell Elementary
Del Norte County Unified
Crescent City, 95531 / Town: Remote
Mary Peacock Elementary
Del Norte County Unified
Crescent City, 95331 / Rural: Fringe
Sunset High
Del Norte County Unified
Crescent City, 95531 / Town: Remote
Margaret Keating Elementary
Del Norte County Unified
Klamath, 95548 / Rural: Remote
Mountain Elementary
Del Norte County Unified
Gasquet, 95543 / Rural: Distant
Del Norte Community
Del Norte County Office of Education
Crescent City, 95531 / Town: Remote
Elk Creek
Del Norte County Office of Education
Crescent City, 95531 / Town: Remote
Del Norte County ROP
Del Norte County ROP
Crescent City, 95531 / Town: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,212
State avg $8,762
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Del Norte County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which California counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in California?
How should I read the school score in Del Norte County?
What is the graduation rate in Del Norte County?
How much does Del Norte County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Del Norte County, California — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Del Norte County, California?
Del Norte County serves 4,156 students through a compact system of 16 public schools. The county infrastructure consists of 8 elementary schools and 4 high schools managed by 4 districts. This small-scale system serves the coastal and forest communities at the edge of the state.
What are the major school districts in Del Norte County, California?
Del Norte County Unified is the primary district, educating 3,500 students across 11 schools. Charter schools represent 12.5% of the local options, including institutions like Castle Rock which serves over 350 students. This mix provides a balance between a strong central district and alternative learning paths.
What is the school experience like in Del Norte County?
Schools are primarily located in town settings, providing a central gathering point for local families. The average school size is 277 students, though Del Norte High stands out as the major hub with 1,006 students. It is an environment where students enjoy small-town connections alongside modern high school facilities.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.