Madera County Schools & Education
Madera County, California
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
51/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
87.9%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
87.9%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 87.5%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,979
National avg $13,239
State avg $8,762
School Score
51/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#38
of 58 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Madera County
Measured School Summary
Madera County performs at an average level with a school score of 51/100 and a solid graduation rate of 87.9%.
Funding Context
At $7,979 per pupil, Madera County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 8% below the California average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.4 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 9% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Madera 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
81 public schools and 16 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
51/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #38 of 58 California counties with school score data.
Completion
87.9%
0.4 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,979
$783 below the state average
School coverage
81
16 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
Madera County has 81 public schools across 16 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 Madera 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.
Large multi-district county
Madera County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.
State position
#38
of 58 California counties with school score data. The county score is 4 points below 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.
Madera Unified
Elementary to high school visible
20,138 students
28 listed schools in this county slice.
Golden Valley Unified
Elementary to high school visible
2,566 students
10 listed schools in this county slice.
Chowchilla Elementary
Elementary and middle visible
2,155 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
Chawanakee Unified
Elementary and high visible
1,432 students
9 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Madera Unified is the largest listed district slice, with 28 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 Madera County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Madera 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 Madera 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.
Madera County's Growing Academic Infrastructure
Madera County serves 32,125 students through a network of 81 public schools across 16 districts. The system is balanced between 37 elementary, 10 middle, and 24 high schools to serve a growing population. Ten charter schools provide additional variety, making up roughly 12% of the county's total schools.
Madera Unified Dominates the Region
Madera Unified is the county's primary provider, educating 20,138 students across 28 different schools. Golden Valley Unified and Chawanakee Unified also contribute significant infrastructure, serving 2,566 and 1,432 students respectively. These districts offer a range of traditional and alternative educational paths.
A Predominantly Rural Learning Environment
Nearly half of Madera’s schools are located in rural locales, creating a distinct Central Valley educational feel. The average school size is 417 students, though large high schools like Matilda Torres High serve over 2,000 students. This mix of small rural campuses and large secondary schools offers parents diverse choices.
School Overview
Total Schools
81
in Madera County
Reported Enrollment
32,125
81 schools reporting
School Districts
16
districts
Charter Schools
10
12% of total
School Level Breakdown
16 School Districts in Madera County
Madera Unified
GuideGolden Valley Unified
Chowchilla Elementary
Chawanakee Unified
Yosemite Unified
Chowchilla Union High
Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary
Madera County Superintendent of Schools
Ezequiel Tafoya Alvarado Academy District
Alview-Dairyland Union Elementary
81 Public Schools in Madera County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 5 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 81 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matilda Torres High | Profile | Madera Unified | Madera, 93638Suburb: Small | 9–12 | High | 2,001 |
| Madera South High | Profile | Madera Unified | Madera, 93637City: Small | 9–12 | High | 1,994 |
| Madera High | Profile | Madera Unified | Madera, 93637City: Small | 9–12 | High | 1,858 |
| Chowchilla Union High | Profile | Chowchilla Union High | Chowchilla, 93610Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 1,078 |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle | Profile | Madera Unified | Madera, 93637City: Small | 7–8 | Middle | 968 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Middle | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93638City: Small | 7–8 | Middle | 919 |
| Lincoln Elementary | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93637City: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 855 |
| Jack G. Desmond Middle | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93638Suburb: Small | 7–8 | Middle | 761 |
| Berenda Elementary | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93638Suburb: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 752 |
| John Adams Elementary | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93637City: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 742 |
| Nishimoto Elementary | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93638Suburb: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 742 |
| Virginia Lee Rose Elementary | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93638City: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 742 |
| John J. Pershing Elementary | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93638Suburb: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 731 |
| Cesar Chavez Elementary | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93638Rural: Fringe | KG–6 | Primary | 716 |
| Alpha Elementary | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93637City: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 702 |
| Sierra Vista Elementary | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93638City: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 700 |
| Liberty High | Record | Golden Valley Unified | Madera, 93636Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 672 |
| James Monroe Elementary | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93638City: Small | KG–6 | Primary | 661 |
| Ezequiel Tafoya Alvarado Academy | Record | Ezequiel Tafoya Alvarado Academy District | Madera, 93638Suburb: Small | KG–8 | Charter | 650 |
| Parkwood Elementary | Record | Madera Unified | Madera, 93637Rural: Fringe | KG–6 | Primary | 641 |
Matilda Torres High
Madera Unified
Madera, 93638 / Suburb: Small
Madera South High
Madera Unified
Madera, 93637 / City: Small
Madera High
Madera Unified
Madera, 93637 / City: Small
Chowchilla Union High
Chowchilla Union High
Chowchilla, 93610 / Town: Distant
Thomas Jefferson Middle
Madera Unified
Madera, 93637 / City: Small
Ezequiel Tafoya Alvarado Academy
Ezequiel Tafoya Alvarado Academy District
Madera, 93638 / Suburb: Small
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,979
State avg $8,762
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Madera County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
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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 Madera County?
What is the graduation rate in Madera County?
How much does Madera County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Madera County, California — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Madera County, California?
Madera County serves 32,125 students through a network of 81 public schools across 16 districts. The system is balanced between 37 elementary, 10 middle, and 24 high schools to serve a growing population. Ten charter schools provide additional variety, making up roughly 12% of the county's total schools.
What are the major school districts in Madera County, California?
Madera Unified is the county's primary provider, educating 20,138 students across 28 different schools. Golden Valley Unified and Chawanakee Unified also contribute significant infrastructure, serving 2,566 and 1,432 students respectively. These districts offer a range of traditional and alternative educational paths.
What is the school experience like in Madera County?
Nearly half of Madera’s schools are located in rural locales, creating a distinct Central Valley educational feel. The average school size is 417 students, though large high schools like Matilda Torres High serve over 2,000 students. This mix of small rural campuses and large secondary schools offers parents diverse choices.
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.