See How PVUSD Performed In Ranking Of CA Classrooms

WATSONVILLE, CA — Watsonville public schools didn't fare so well in a recently released ranking of schools and school districts from Niche.

Niche, a data analysis company, looked at a variety of criteria in determining a grade for both public and private K-12 schools in the Bay Area, including academics, teachers and diversity.

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District received an C+ grade overall. The district held its own when it came to sports; PVUSD ranked 59th of 440 ranked school districts when it came to athletic programs.

The highest grades — all C+ scores — went to Bradley Elementary School, Linscott Charter School and Watsonville high school. The lowest performers were E. A. Hall Middle School and Pajaro Middle School, which received D+ grades.

Niche said its 2022 best schools rankings offer a more “personal” view of schools than its rankings in recent years. Significantly less importance was placed on SAT and ACT scores this year, Niche said. Any factor in its methodology that is related to test scores was reduced by one third.

The company combined ratings from students, alumni and parents with quantitative data from the U.S. Department of Education and other sources to evaluate teachers, resources, facility, extracurricular activity opportunities and other factors. Read more about the methodology here.

Across the country, Niche ranked 94,491 public schools, 2,489 private schools and 11,846 school districts to come up with its lists and rankings.

Top 5 Public High Schools:

1. The Davidson Academy in Reno, Nevada
2. The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
3. Massachusetts Academy for Math & Science School
4. Maggie Walker Governor’s School in Virginia
5. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology in Virginia

Top 5 Private High Schools:

1. Phillips Academy in Massachusetts
2. The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut
3. Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut
4. The College Preparatory School in California
5. Groton School in Massachusetts

Top 5 School Districts:

1. Adlai E. Stevenson High School District in Illinois
2. Glenbrook High School District in Illinois
3. Great Neck Public Schools in New York
4. Community High School District 128 in Illinois
5. Jericho Union Free School District in New York

See the full Niche rankings here.