Sonoma County Schools & Education
Sonoma County, California
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
48/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
83.5%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
83.5%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 87.5%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,942
National avg $13,239
State avg $8,762
School Score
48/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 55/100
State Score Position
#44
of 58 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Sonoma County
Measured School Summary
Sonoma County has midrange measured school signals (score: 48/100) with a graduation rate of 83.5%, which warrants review in official state and district records.
Funding Context
Sonoma County spends $8,942 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 13% below the California average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 4.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Sonoma 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
180 public schools and 61 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
48/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #44 of 58 California counties with school score data.
Completion
83.5%
4.0 pts below the state average
Funding context
$8,942
$180 above the state average
School coverage
180
61 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
Sonoma County has 180 public schools across 61 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 Sonoma 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.
Choice-program county
Sonoma County has a visible charter, magnet, or virtual-school layer in NCES records. The practical question is eligibility, lottery timing, and transportation, not just whether a school appears nearby.
State position
#44
of 58 California counties with school score data. The county score is 7 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 99% 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.
Santa Rosa High
Middle and high visible
10,049 students
12 listed schools in this county slice.
Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified
Elementary to high school visible
5,970 students
13 listed schools in this county slice.
Petaluma Joint Union High
Elementary to high school visible
4,900 students
10 listed schools in this county slice.
Santa Rosa Elementary
Elementary school only in this slice
4,739 students
13 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified is the largest listed district slice, with 13 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 Sonoma County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Sonoma 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?
Which schools are missing enrollment or ratio fields, and does the district publish a newer local profile than the NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data?
Education Overview
About Schools in Sonoma 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.
A Vast Network of Local Schools
Sonoma County maintains a robust educational infrastructure with 180 public schools serving 63,218 students across 61 different districts. The landscape includes 109 elementary schools and 30 high schools, providing a wide range of options for local families. This large number of districts creates a deeply localized approach to education throughout the North Bay.
A Strong Presence of Charter Options
Santa Rosa High is the county's largest district, managing 12 schools and 10,049 students, while Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified follows with 5,970 students. Charter schools represent a significant portion of the local landscape, making up 28.9% of all schools with 52 active campuses. This high density of charters offers parents substantial alternatives to traditional district-run schools.
From Urban Centers to Rural Campus Life
Education here happens in diverse settings, ranging from 73 city-based schools to 27 campuses in rural areas. While the average school size is a manageable 368 students, large campuses like Casa Grande High serve up to 1,710 students. Families can choose between intimate town-based schools and large, resource-rich suburban high schools.
School Overview
Total Schools
180
in Sonoma County
Reported Enrollment
63,218
178 schools reporting
School Districts
61
districts
Charter Schools
52
29% of total
School Level Breakdown
61 School Districts in Sonoma County
Santa Rosa High
GuideCotati-Rohnert Park Unified
GuidePetaluma Joint Union High
GuideSanta Rosa Elementary
GuideWindsor Unified
GuideSonoma Valley Unified
Rincon Valley Union Elementary
Petaluma City Elementary
Old Adobe Union
Bellevue Union
180 Public Schools in Sonoma County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 13 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 180 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande High | Profile | Petaluma Joint Union High | Petaluma, 94954City: Small | 9–12 | High | 1,710 |
| Santa Rosa High | Profile | Santa Rosa High | Santa Rosa, 95401City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,682 |
| Rancho Cotate High | Profile | Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified | Rohnert Park, 94928Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,611 |
| Windsor High | Profile | Windsor Unified | Windsor, 95492Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,603 |
| Maria Carrillo High | Profile | Santa Rosa High | Santa Rosa, 95409City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,591 |
| Montgomery High | Profile | Santa Rosa High | Santa Rosa, 95405City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,572 |
| Analy High | Profile | West Sonoma County Union High | Sebastopol, 95472Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 1,466 |
| Piner High | Profile | Santa Rosa High | Santa Rosa, 95403City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,361 |
| Roseland Charter | Profile | Roseland Charter District | Santa Rosa, 95407City: Midsize | KG–12 | Charter | 1,293 |
| Petaluma High | Profile | Petaluma Joint Union High | Petaluma, 94952City: Small | 9–12 | High | 1,220 |
| Cali Calmecac Language Academy | Profile | Windsor Unified | Windsor, 95492Suburb: Large | KG–8 | Charter | 1,168 |
| Sonoma Valley High | Profile | Sonoma Valley Unified | Sonoma, 95476Town: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,127 |
| Elsie Allen High | Profile | Santa Rosa High | Santa Rosa, 95407City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,055 |
| Cesar Chavez Language Academy | Record | Santa Rosa Elementary | Santa Rosa, 95407City: Midsize | KG–8 | Charter | 853 |
| Lawrence E. Jones Middle | Record | Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified | Rohnert Park, 94928Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 791 |
| Rincon Valley Middle | Record | Santa Rosa High | Santa Rosa, 95409City: Midsize | 7–8 | Middle | 786 |
| Kenilworth Junior High | Record | Petaluma Joint Union High | Petaluma, 94954City: Small | 7–8 | Middle | 779 |
| Oak Grove Elementary/Willowside Middle | Record | Oak Grove Union Elementary | Santa Rosa, 95401Rural: Fringe | 1–8 | Charter | 742 |
| Windsor Middle | Record | Windsor Unified | Windsor, 95492Suburb: Large | 6–8 | Middle | 725 |
| Herbert Slater Middle | Record | Santa Rosa High | Santa Rosa, 95405City: Midsize | 7–8 | Middle | 716 |
Casa Grande High
Petaluma Joint Union High
Petaluma, 94954 / City: Small
Santa Rosa High
Santa Rosa High
Santa Rosa, 95401 / City: Midsize
Rancho Cotate High
Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified
Rohnert Park, 94928 / Suburb: Large
Windsor High
Windsor Unified
Windsor, 95492 / Suburb: Large
Maria Carrillo High
Santa Rosa High
Santa Rosa, 95409 / City: Midsize
Montgomery High
Santa Rosa High
Santa Rosa, 95405 / City: Midsize
Analy High
West Sonoma County Union High
Sebastopol, 95472 / Suburb: Large
Piner High
Santa Rosa High
Santa Rosa, 95403 / City: Midsize
Roseland Charter
Roseland Charter District
Santa Rosa, 95407 / City: Midsize
Petaluma High
Petaluma Joint Union High
Petaluma, 94952 / City: Small
Cali Calmecac Language Academy
Windsor Unified
Windsor, 95492 / Suburb: Large
Sonoma Valley High
Sonoma Valley Unified
Sonoma, 95476 / Town: Fringe
Elsie Allen High
Santa Rosa High
Santa Rosa, 95407 / City: Midsize
Cesar Chavez Language Academy
Santa Rosa Elementary
Santa Rosa, 95407 / City: Midsize
Lawrence E. Jones Middle
Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified
Rohnert Park, 94928 / Rural: Fringe
Kenilworth Junior High
Petaluma Joint Union High
Petaluma, 94954 / City: Small
Oak Grove Elementary/Willowside Middle
Oak Grove Union Elementary
Santa Rosa, 95401 / Rural: Fringe
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,942
State avg $8,762
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Sonoma 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 Sonoma County?
What is the graduation rate in Sonoma County?
How much does Sonoma County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Sonoma County, California — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Sonoma County, California?
Sonoma County maintains a robust educational infrastructure with 180 public schools serving 63,218 students across 61 different districts. The landscape includes 109 elementary schools and 30 high schools, providing a wide range of options for local families. This large number of districts creates a deeply localized approach to education throughout the North Bay.
What are the major school districts in Sonoma County, California?
Santa Rosa High is the county's largest district, managing 12 schools and 10,049 students, while Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified follows with 5,970 students. Charter schools represent a significant portion of the local landscape, making up 28.9% of all schools with 52 active campuses. This high density of charters offers parents substantial alternatives to traditional district-run schools.
What is the school experience like in Sonoma County?
Education here happens in diverse settings, ranging from 73 city-based schools to 27 campuses in rural areas. While the average school size is a manageable 368 students, large campuses like Casa Grande High serve up to 1,710 students. Families can choose between intimate town-based schools and large, resource-rich suburban high schools.
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.