silicon valley schools · a property nerds® guide
Silicon Valley Schools Guide
In Silicon Valley, the school district on a home's address can move its price as much as the kitchen does. This guide shows how the districts fit together, lists every school in the districts our clients ask about most, and explains how to check any address before you buy.
districts
public schools
private schools
sources
how it works
How school districts work in Silicon Valley
Four things trip up even experienced buyers here. Know them before you fall for a house.
Two districts, one address
Many homes sit in an elementary district (usually TK–8) and a separate high school district. A Los Altos home, for example, is usually in the Los Altos School District through 8th grade and the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District for high school. Palo Alto Unified is the exception: one district from kindergarten to 12th grade.
City lines are not school lines
Cupertino Union reaches into Sunnyvale, San Jose, Saratoga, Los Altos and Santa Clara. The Town of Woodside is split among six school districts. Some Palo Alto addresses are outside Palo Alto Unified, and San Carlos high schoolers go to Sequoia Union, not San Mateo Union.
The listing is not proof
School fields on a listing are typed in by the listing agent and are often blank or out of date. The district decides, so check the exact address with the district's own lookup tool.
property nerd note
Popular schools can fill up. A new student is usually assigned to their neighborhood school, but when it is full the district may place them at another school. Ask the district about space for the grade you need, and check the date the boundary maps were last updated.
districts
School districts we cover
Every district below has its own page with all of its schools, two maps, the official address lookup and homes for sale, except two single-school districts, which link to the district.
Palo Alto, Los Altos & Mountain View
Palo Alto Unified School District
One unified district from kindergarten to 12th grade, with Gunn and Palo Alto High.
Los Altos School District
Seven TK–6 elementary schools and two 7–8 junior highs across Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.
Mountain View Whisman School District
Seven neighborhood elementary schools, two middle schools and two lottery choice schools.
Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District
Los Altos High and Mountain View High, assigned by address.
Cupertino & Sunnyvale
Cupertino Union School District
19 neighborhood schools reaching into Sunnyvale, San Jose, Saratoga, Los Altos and Santa Clara.
Sunnyvale School District
Eight elementary and two middle schools covering about two-thirds of Sunnyvale.
Fremont Union High School District
Cupertino, Fremont, Homestead, Lynbrook and Monta Vista high schools.
Saratoga, Los Gatos & West San Jose
Saratoga Union School District
Three TK–5 schools and Redwood Middle; Saratoga spans four elementary districts.
Los Gatos Union School District
Four TK–5 schools and Fisher Middle, including Daves Avenue in Monte Sereno.
Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District
Los Gatos High and Saratoga High.
Moreland School District
Seven schools in West San Jose, including two TK–8s.
Cambrian School District
Bagby, Fammatre, Farnham and Price; Sartorette closed in 2026.
Union School District
Six TK–5 schools and two middle schools in southwest San Jose.
Campbell Union School District
Neighborhood schools across Campbell, San Jose, Saratoga and Los Gatos.
Campbell Union High School District
Branham, Del Mar, Leigh, Prospect and Westmont, by address only.
Menlo Park, Atherton, Woodside & Portola Valley
Menlo Park City School District
Three TK–5 schools and Hillview Middle School.
Las Lomitas Elementary School District
Two schools: Las Lomitas Elementary (TK–3) and La Entrada (4–8).
Portola Valley School District
Two schools: Ormondale (TK–3) and Corte Madera (4–8).
Woodside Elementary School District
One TK–8 school; the Town of Woodside spans six districts.
Sequoia Union High School District
Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia and Woodside high schools.
San Carlos, Belmont, Hillsborough & Burlingame
San Carlos School District
A TK–3, 4–5, 6–8 structure; high school is Sequoia Union.
Belmont-Redwood Shores School District
No attendance areas: assignment to the closest school with room.
Hillsborough City School District
Three TK–5 schools and Crocker Middle School.
Burlingame School District
Six TK–5 schools and Burlingame Intermediate.
San Mateo Union High School District
Six high schools from San Mateo to San Bruno.
San Jose, Santa Clara & Milpitas
San Jose Unified School District
21 elementary, 6 middle and 6 high schools; five elementary schools closed after 2025–26.
Santa Clara Unified School District
A TK–12 district that reaches past the Santa Clara city limits, with four high schools.
Milpitas Unified School District
Ten TK–6 schools, two 7–8 middle schools and Milpitas High.
East Side Union High School District
Eleven comprehensive high schools, assigned by address.
Luther Burbank School District
A single-school district, Luther Burbank School. Check the high school district for an address with the district.
Morgan Hill & Gilroy
Morgan Hill Unified School District
Ann Sobrato and Live Oak high schools, plus themed elementary academies.
Gilroy Unified School District
Gilroy High or Christopher High by attendance area.
Redwood City & East Palo Alto
Redwood City School District
Twelve schools, four of them application-only schools of choice; high school is Sequoia Union.
Ravenswood City School District
Open enrollment for elementary and one middle school; high school is Sequoia Union.
San Mateo, Foster City, Millbrae & San Bruno
San Mateo-Foster City School District
Neighborhood and magnet schools; high school is San Mateo Union.
Millbrae School District
Four TK–5 schools and Taylor Middle; high school is San Mateo Union.
San Bruno Park School District
Four TK–5 schools and Parkside Intermediate; high school is San Mateo Union.
Daly City, South San Francisco & Brisbane
South San Francisco Unified School District
El Camino High and South San Francisco High.
Jefferson Elementary School District
Fourteen TK–8 schools; high school is Jefferson Union.
Jefferson Union High School District
Open enrollment with a default high school by ZIP code.
Brisbane School District
Two elementary schools and Lipman Middle; high school is Jefferson Union.
Bayshore Elementary School District
A single-school district, The Bayshore School; high school is Jefferson Union.
San Francisco
San Francisco Unified School District
99 schools; enrollment by application, with attendance-area tiebreakers for elementary.
who goes where
Elementary district → high school
Where students usually go for high school, by elementary district. Assignments follow the address, so confirm with the high school district.
| elementary / unified district | high school district | comprehensive high schools |
|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Unified | Palo Alto Unified (unified) | Gunn, Palo Alto High |
| Los Altos School District | Mountain View-Los Altos Union | Los Altos High, Mountain View High |
| Mountain View Whisman | Mountain View-Los Altos Union | Mountain View High, Los Altos High |
| Cupertino Union | Fremont Union | Cupertino, Fremont, Homestead, Lynbrook, Monta Vista |
| Sunnyvale School District | Fremont Union | Cupertino, Fremont, Homestead, Lynbrook, Monta Vista |
| Saratoga Union | Los Gatos-Saratoga Union | Los Gatos High, Saratoga High |
| Los Gatos Union | Los Gatos-Saratoga Union | Los Gatos High, Saratoga High |
| Moreland | Campbell Union High (most addresses) | Branham, Del Mar, Leigh, Prospect, Westmont |
| Cambrian | Campbell Union High (most addresses) | Branham, Del Mar, Leigh, Prospect, Westmont |
| Union School District | Campbell Union High (most addresses) | Branham, Del Mar, Leigh, Prospect, Westmont |
| Campbell Union (elementary) | Campbell Union High (most addresses) | Branham, Del Mar, Leigh, Prospect, Westmont |
| Menlo Park City | Sequoia Union | Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia, Woodside |
| Las Lomitas | Sequoia Union | Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia, Woodside |
| Portola Valley | Sequoia Union | Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia, Woodside |
| Woodside Elementary | Sequoia Union | Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia, Woodside |
| San Carlos | Sequoia Union | Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia, Woodside |
| Belmont-Redwood Shores | Sequoia Union | Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia, Woodside |
| Hillsborough City | San Mateo Union | Aragon, Burlingame, Capuchino, Hillsdale, Mills, San Mateo |
| Burlingame | San Mateo Union | Aragon, Burlingame, Capuchino, Hillsdale, Mills, San Mateo |
| San Jose Unified | San Jose Unified (unified) | Abraham Lincoln, Gunderson, Leland, Pioneer, San Jose High, Willow Glen |
| Santa Clara Unified | Santa Clara Unified (unified) | MacDonald, Santa Clara High, Wilcox |
| Milpitas Unified | Milpitas Unified (unified) | Milpitas High |
| Morgan Hill Unified | Morgan Hill Unified (unified) | Ann Sobrato, Live Oak |
| Gilroy Unified | Gilroy Unified (unified) | Christopher, Gilroy High |
| Redwood City | Sequoia Union | Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia, Woodside |
| Ravenswood City | Sequoia Union | Carlmont, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia, Woodside |
| San Mateo-Foster City | San Mateo Union | Aragon, Burlingame, Capuchino, Hillsdale, Mills, San Mateo |
| Millbrae | San Mateo Union | Aragon, Burlingame, Capuchino, Hillsdale, Mills, San Mateo |
| San Bruno Park | San Mateo Union | Aragon, Burlingame, Capuchino, Hillsdale, Mills, San Mateo |
| South San Francisco Unified | South San Francisco Unified (unified) | El Camino, South San Francisco High |
| Jefferson Elementary | Jefferson Union | Jefferson, Terra Nova, Westmoor |
| Brisbane | Jefferson Union | Jefferson, Terra Nova, Westmoor |
| Bayshore Elementary | Jefferson Union | Jefferson, Terra Nova, Westmoor |
| San Francisco Unified | San Francisco Unified (unified) | By application; no attendance areas |
private schools
Independent and private schools
Private schools draw families from across the region, so they matter for commute planning more than for a single address. Grades and campuses below come from each school's own website.
| school | grades | campus | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop Mitty High School | 9–12 | San Jose · map | Catholic |
| BASIS Independent Silicon Valley | TK–12 | San Jose · map | Campuses in San Jose and Sunnyvale |
| Bellarmine College Preparatory | 9–12 | San Jose · map | Boys · Catholic |
| The Carey School | Preschool–5 | San Mateo · map | |
| Castilleja School | 6–12 | Palo Alto · map | Girls · Campus rebuild underway |
| Challenger School | Preschool–8 | Multiple campuses | Several Santa Clara County campuses |
| Charles Armstrong School | 1–8 | Belmont · map | For students with dyslexia and related learning differences |
| Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School | 9–12 | San Jose · map | Catholic |
| Crystal Springs Uplands School | 6–12 | Hillsborough · map | Middle school campus in Belmont |
| Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew | PreK–8 | San Mateo · map | Episcopal |
| German International School of Silicon Valley | Preschool–12 | Mountain View · map | Second campus in San Francisco |
| Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School | TK–8 | Palo Alto · map | Jewish |
| The Girls' Middle School | 6–8 | Palo Alto · map | Girls |
| The Harker School | TK–12 | San Jose · map | Four San Jose campuses |
| Hillbrook School | JK–12 | Los Gatos · map | Upper school in downtown San Jose since 2023 |
| Junípero Serra High School | 9–12 | San Mateo · map | Boys · Catholic |
| The Kehillah School | 9–12 | Palo Alto · map | Jewish · Formerly Kehillah Jewish High School |
| Keys School | K–8 | Palo Alto · map | |
| Khan Lab School | TK–12 | Mountain View · map | TK–5 in Palo Alto, 6–12 in Mountain View |
| The King's Academy | K–12 | Sunnyvale · map | Christian · Added K–5 in 2025–26 |
| Menlo School | 6–12 | Atherton · map | |
| Mercy High School Burlingame | 9–12 | Burlingame · map | Girls · Catholic |
| Mid-Peninsula High School | 9–12 | Menlo Park · map | |
| Notre Dame High School (San Jose) | 9–12 | San Jose · map | Girls · Catholic |
| Notre Dame High School Belmont | 9–12 | Belmont · map | Girls · Catholic |
| The Nueva School | PreK–12 | Hillsborough · map | Upper school campus in San Mateo |
| Peninsula School | Preschool–8 | Menlo Park · map | |
| Phillips Brooks School | Preschool–5 | Menlo Park · map | Episcopal roots, nonsectarian |
| Pinewood School | K–12 | Los Altos · map | Lower, middle and upper campuses in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills |
| Presentation High School | 9–12 | San Jose · map | Girls · Catholic |
| Sacred Heart Schools Atherton | Preschool–12 | Atherton · map | Catholic |
| Saint Andrew's Episcopal School | PreK–8 | Saratoga · map | Episcopal |
| Saint Francis High School | 9–12 | Mountain View · map | Catholic |
| Silicon Valley International School | Preschool–12 | Palo Alto · map | Formerly International School of the Peninsula |
| Stratford School | Preschool–12 | Multiple campuses | Several Santa Clara County campuses |
| Valley Christian Schools | K–12 | San Jose · map | Christian |
| Waldorf School of the Peninsula | Preschool–12 | Los Altos · map | |
| Woodland School | Preschool–8 | Portola Valley · map | |
| Woodside Priory School | 6–12 | Portola Valley · map | Catholic · Boarding for grades 9–12 |
| Yavneh Day School | K–8 | Los Gatos · map | Jewish |
buying for schools
How the Property Nerds help school-driven buyers
Pick the schools, then the homes
Tell us the schools or districts you want. We map the attendance areas and set alerts for homes inside them, including coming-soon and Compass Private Exclusives.
Verify before you offer
We confirm the assigned schools for the exact address with the district and flag anything that could change, like capacity limits or boundary reviews.
Price the school premium
We compare recent sales on both sides of a boundary line, so you know what the schools are worth on that block and don't overpay.
free school check
Send us an address. We will check the schools.
The Boyenga Team at Compass has helped clients buy and sell since 1996, with more than 2,520 homes and $2.6+ billion in sales.
Get a school checkCall (408) 373-1660Call (650) 383-8606What is my home worth?
faq
Silicon Valley schools FAQ
Which school districts does this guide cover?
Public school districts serving the Boyenga Team's area, from San Francisco, Daly City and the Peninsula south through Palo Alto, Cupertino, San Jose, Saratoga and Los Gatos to Morgan Hill and Gilroy, plus the area's independent schools. Each district has its own page with every school, maps and the official address lookup, except two single-school districts (Luther Burbank and Bayshore), which link to the district.
How do you find out which schools serve a specific home?
Use the district's own address lookup, linked on each district page, and confirm with the district before you rely on it. Listing school fields are often blank or out of date. We are happy to check any address for you for free.
What is the difference between an elementary district and a high school district?
Many Silicon Valley homes are in two districts: an elementary district (usually TK–8) and a separate high school district (9–12). Palo Alto Unified is a unified district that covers both.
Does living next to a school guarantee a spot there?
Not always. Most districts assign students to a neighborhood school by address, but full schools may place new students elsewhere, choice and immersion schools use lotteries, and Belmont-Redwood Shores assigns students to the closest school with room.
Which high school district serves San Carlos and Belmont?
Sequoia Union High School District, not San Mateo Union. San Mateo Union serves San Mateo, Burlingame, Foster City, Hillsborough, Millbrae and San Bruno.
Can the Boyenga Team help us buy a home for a specific school?
Yes. Tell us the schools you want and we will map the attendance areas, set alerts for homes inside them, confirm assignments with the district and price the home against recent sales in the same area. Call (408) 373-1660 or (650) 383-8606.
Names, grades and links come from each district, each school and the California Department of Education, checked October 2026. No ratings or test scores are shown; see the California School Dashboard for official performance data.
