Modoc County Schools & Education
Modoc County, California
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
39/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
74.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
74.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 87.5%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,750
National avg $13,239
State avg $8,762
School Score
39/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#55
of 58 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Modoc County
Measured School Summary
Modoc County faces educational challenges with a school score of 39/100 and a graduation rate of 74.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
Modoc County spends $8,750 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 29% below the California average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 13.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 0% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Modoc 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
10 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
39/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #55 of 58 California counties with school score data.
Completion
74.0%
13.5 pts below the state average
Funding context
$8,750
roughly matches the state average
School coverage
10
4 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Modoc County has 10 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 Modoc 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
Modoc Joint Unified carries most of the listed public-school system, with 6 of 10 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#55
of 58 California counties with school score data. The county score is 16 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.
Modoc Joint Unified
Elementary to high school visible
832 students
6 listed schools in this county slice.
Surprise Valley Joint Unified
Elementary and high visible
96 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
Modoc County ROP
High school only in this slice
0 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Modoc County Office of Education
Other grade structure
0 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
District reality check
Modoc Joint Unified is the largest listed district slice, with 6 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 Modoc County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Modoc County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Modoc 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.
Small-Scale Learning in Modoc County
Modoc County manages a focused education infrastructure with just 10 public schools serving 928 total students. This network includes 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 4 high schools spread across 4 distinct school districts.
Modoc Joint Unified Leads the Region
Modoc Joint Unified is the county's primary district, overseeing 6 schools and serving 832 students, or nearly 90% of the total enrollment. Notably, there are no charter schools currently operating in the county, emphasizing a traditional public school model.
Rural Roots and Close-Knit Classrooms
Schools here are intimate, with an average size of just 116 students per campus across 7 town and 3 rural locales. Alturas Elementary is the largest at 389 students, while Surprise Valley High offers a uniquely small experience with only 44 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
10
in Modoc County
Reported Enrollment
928
10 schools reporting
School Districts
4
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
4 School Districts in Modoc County
Modoc Joint Unified
Surprise Valley Joint Unified
Modoc County ROP
Modoc County Office of Education
10 Public Schools in Modoc County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 10 of 10 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alturas Elementary | Record | Modoc Joint Unified | Alturas, 96101Town: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 389 |
| Modoc High | Record | Modoc Joint Unified | Alturas, 96101Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 227 |
| Modoc Middle | Record | Modoc Joint Unified | Alturas, 96101Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 192 |
| Surprise Valley Elementary | Record | Surprise Valley Joint Unified | Cedarville, 96104Rural: Remote | KG–7 | Primary | 52 |
| Surprise Valley High | Record | Surprise Valley Joint Unified | Cedarville, 96104Rural: Remote | 8–12 | High | 44 |
| Warner High | Record | Modoc Joint Unified | Alturas, 96101Town: Remote | 9–12 | Alternative | 18 |
| High Desert Community Day | Record | Modoc Joint Unified | Alturas, 96101Town: Remote | 6–10 | Alternative | 3 |
| State Line Elementary | Record | Modoc Joint Unified | New Pine Creek, 97635Rural: Remote | KG–5 | Primary | 3 |
| Modoc County ROP | Record | Modoc County ROP | Alturas, 96101Town: Remote | 9–12 | Vocational | 0 |
| Modoc County Special Education | Record | Modoc County Office of Education | Alturas, 96101Town: Remote | KG–12 | Special Education | 0 |
Surprise Valley Elementary
Surprise Valley Joint Unified
Cedarville, 96104 / Rural: Remote
Surprise Valley High
Surprise Valley Joint Unified
Cedarville, 96104 / Rural: Remote
High Desert Community Day
Modoc Joint Unified
Alturas, 96101 / Town: Remote
State Line Elementary
Modoc Joint Unified
New Pine Creek, 97635 / Rural: Remote
Modoc County Special Education
Modoc County Office of Education
Alturas, 96101 / Town: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,750
State avg $8,762
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Modoc 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 Modoc County?
What is the graduation rate in Modoc County?
How much does Modoc County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Modoc County, California — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Modoc County, California?
Modoc County manages a focused education infrastructure with just 10 public schools serving 928 total students. This network includes 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 4 high schools spread across 4 distinct school districts.
What are the major school districts in Modoc County, California?
Modoc Joint Unified is the county's primary district, overseeing 6 schools and serving 832 students, or nearly 90% of the total enrollment. Notably, there are no charter schools currently operating in the county, emphasizing a traditional public school model.
What is the school experience like in Modoc County?
Schools here are intimate, with an average size of just 116 students per campus across 7 town and 3 rural locales. Alturas Elementary is the largest at 389 students, while Surprise Valley High offers a uniquely small experience with only 44 students.
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.