On the Peninsula
Los Altos
On the Peninsula
Los Altos
A single top-ranked K-8 district and a set of highly rated high schools serve Los Altos, with the specific high school set by the property address.
Quick summary
Los Altos is served by the Los Altos School District, one of California's highest-ranked K-8 districts. Students continue to high school in the Mountain View-Los Altos district, attending either Los Altos High or Mountain View High by address. A few pockets fall outside these districts: a small northwest slice of Los Altos Hills feeds Gunn High in Palo Alto, and parts of the Highlands and South Los Altos feed the Cupertino and Homestead schools instead. Los Altos remains a strong choice for families focused on public education, with the exact schools set by address.
Los Altos School District (LASD)
The Los Altos School District serves Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and small portions of Mountain View and Palo Alto. It runs seven K-6 elementary schools and two 7-8 junior high schools, with assignment set by the exact address.
District office: 201 Covington Rd, Los Altos, CA 94024
At a glance
Better than 99% of California districts · top 1%
This ranks Los Altos School District among the top 1% of California public school districts.
Elementary (K-6)
- Seven K-6 elementary schools, assigned by address. See the school tabs below.
Junior high (7-8)
- Two 7-8 junior high schools, assigned by address. See the school tabs below.
High school (separate district)
- Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, assigned by address. A small northwest Los Altos Hills pocket attends Palo Alto Unified instead. See the High tab below.
3,344
Students
5 stars
District rating
$4,894,000
Median home price
Test proficiency
Percent proficient or above
Last verified: October 2026. Rank and rating from SchoolDigger. Median home price from MLSListings. Enrollment from the California Department of Education, 2025-26. Test proficiency from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Buyers should confirm current figures directly with Los Altos School District, the authoritative source.
Schools in Los Altos (LASD)
Proficient means the share of students scoring Advanced or Proficient, the two highest of California's four achievement levels. These were called Standard Met and Standard Exceeded before 2025-26.
The Los Altos School District uses seven K-6 elementary schools and two 7-8 junior high schools, Blach and Egan. Students then continue to high school in the Mountain View-Los Altos district, shown in the High tab below, with a small northwest Los Altos Hills pocket feeding Gunn High in Palo Alto Unified.
Schools are listed by California statewide rank, highest-ranked first.
Address: 205 Covington Rd, Los Altos, CA 94024
Grades: K-6
Enrollment: 422
Student-teacher ratio: 19.2 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $30,532
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Address: 1501 Oak Ave, Los Altos, CA 94024
Grades: K-6
Enrollment: 344
Student-teacher ratio: 20.0 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $29,357
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Address: 1120 Rose Ave, Mountain View, CA 94040
Grades: K-6
Enrollment: 347
Student-teacher ratio: 20.4 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $26,820
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Address: 770 Berry Ave, Los Altos, CA 94024
Grades: K-6
Enrollment: 328
Student-teacher ratio: 19.7 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $30,139
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Address: 25890 Fremont Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Grades: K-6
Enrollment: 319
Student-teacher ratio: 18.6 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $27,730
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Address: 550 Almond Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022
Grades: K-6
Enrollment: 375
Student-teacher ratio: 18.5 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $31,757
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Address: 700 Los Altos Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022
Grades: K-6
Enrollment: 338
Student-teacher ratio: 18.3 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $35,122
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Address: 1120 Covington Rd, Los Altos, CA 94024
Grades: 7-8
Enrollment: 423
Student-teacher ratio: 17.5 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $34,323
Feeder: Los Altos High
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Address: 100 West Portola Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022
Grades: 7-8
Enrollment: 446
Student-teacher ratio: 22.5 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $28,290
Feeder: Los Altos High
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Address: 3535 Truman Ave, Mountain View, CA 94040
Grades: 9-12
Enrollment: 2,173
Student-teacher ratio: 18.4 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $47,017
Los Altos students attend Los Altos High or Mountain View High depending on address, both in the Mountain View-Los Altos district.
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Eligibility
Only a small northwest pocket of Los Altos Hills is zoned for Gunn, which is part of Palo Alto Unified. Those homes follow the Nixon Elementary and Fletcher Middle feeder path. Verify by address.
Address: 780 Arastradero Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Grades: 9-12
Enrollment: 1,606
Student-teacher ratio: 16.4 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $42,570
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Address: 201 Almond Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022
Grades: 9-12
Enrollment: 2,203
Student-teacher ratio: 18.1 to 1
Per-pupil spending: $48,017
Los Altos students attend Los Altos High or Mountain View High depending on address, both in the Mountain View-Los Altos district.
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, ratio, and per-pupil spending from SchoolDigger.
Neighborhoods
Where to Look in Los Altos
Los Altos has four main neighborhoods, plus the separate town of Los Altos Hills. All are served by the Los Altos School District and the Mountain View-Los Altos high school district, except for parts of the Highlands and the southern edge of South Los Altos, which fall into the Cupertino Union and Fremont Union districts instead. High school assignment runs by address, so always verify.
North Los Altos
Primarily Almond or Santa Rita Elementary by address, then Egan Junior High, continuing to Los Altos High. Verify by address.
The city's first and most historic neighborhood, established in 1906 and once promoted as the Jewel of the Peninsula, with a walkable connection to downtown Los Altos Village.
What you'll find
Tree-lined streets, gracious pre-war homes alongside modern rebuilds, close to State Street Market, shops, and dining.
Price context
$5,135,000
Tends to suit
Buyers wanting historic character and downtown walkability.
Country Club
Primarily Los Altos School District, with Covington or Gardner Bullis Elementary, then Egan or Blach Junior High by address, continuing to Los Altos High. Verify by address.
Centered on the Los Altos Golf and Country Club, in unincorporated Santa Clara County with a Los Altos address, known for large lots and a private, tight-knit feel.
What you'll find
Quarter-acre to full-acre lots, rolling views, a mix of original 1940s homes and modern estates, easy Highway 280 access.
Price context
$4,250,000
Tends to suit
Buyers wanting larger lots, views, and privacy.
Highlands and Woodland Acres
Split by district. Verify the exact address carefully.
Important
This neighborhood is split between districts. Some homes are in the Los Altos and Mountain View-Los Altos districts, attending Loyola Elementary, then Blach Junior High, then Los Altos High. A significant portion, including areas around Montclaire Park, St. Joseph Avenue, and Woodland Acres, falls into the Cupertino Union School District (Montclaire Elementary, then Cupertino Middle School) and Fremont Union High School District (Homestead High) instead. Verify the exact address carefully.
A hillside neighborhood between Foothill Expressway and Highway 280, manicured and leafy, with the Woodland Acres portion unincorporated and semi-rural.
What you'll find
Upscale ranch homes, some on half-acre to full-acre lots, small cul-de-sacs and winding streets.
Price context
$4,482,500
Tends to suit
Buyers wanting a quiet, leafy hillside setting who confirm their district first.
South of El Monte (South Los Altos)
Oak Avenue, Loyola, Springer, or Covington Elementary by address, then mostly Blach Junior High, with high school set by address. Most of the area continues to Los Altos High, while a Mountain-View-side pocket, including parts of the Springer zone, is assigned to Mountain View High. The southern border, along Fremont Avenue, Grant Road, and Homestead Road, crosses into the Cupertino Union district and Homestead High. Verify by address.
The largest and most family-oriented part of Los Altos, made up of four sub-areas: Central Los Altos, Loyola Corners, Rancho, and South Los Altos.
What you'll find
Mostly 1950s and 1960s ranch homes on quarter-acre lots, some Eichlers, generally more attainable than North Los Altos, near Rancho Shopping Center.
Price context
$4,960,000
Tends to suit
Families wanting relative value and a classic suburban feel.
Los Altos Hills
Los Altos School District for K-8, with Gardner Bullis Elementary located in Los Altos Hills, continuing to Los Altos High, which serves nearly all of the town, in the Mountain View-Los Altos district. A northwest pocket feeds Nixon, Fletcher, and Gunn High in Palo Alto Unified instead. Verify by address.
A separate incorporated town of large lots and country roads, with a one-acre minimum, no sidewalks or commercial strips, and wide open views across the hills.
What you'll find
One-acre and larger parcels, custom estates and ranch homes, gated privacy, and a quiet semi-rural setting minutes from Los Altos Village and Highway 280.
Price context
$5,650,000
Tends to suit
Buyers wanting acreage, privacy, and estate-scale homes within a top-ranked district.
Price figures are the median single-family home sale price for each area over the last 12 completed months, from local MLS data. Verify current values by address.
Verify before you buy
School district boundaries in Los Altos do not always follow neighborhood names. Most homes are served by the Los Altos School District and the Mountain View-Los Altos high school district, but parts of the Highlands and Woodland Acres, and the southern edge of South Los Altos, fall into the Cupertino Union and Fremont Union districts, feeding schools like Montclaire Elementary and Homestead High instead. High school assignment between Los Altos High and Mountain View High also runs by parcel. Always verify the exact address with the relevant district locators before making an offer.
High school is set by the home's address, not by which junior high a student attends. Feeder patterns can change. Always verify the exact schools by property address.
Beyond the ratings
Academic Culture and School Community
Los Altos pairs some of California's highest-ranked public schools with an unusually involved parent community. A defining local feature is choice: families weigh top-rated neighborhood schools in the Los Altos School District against Bullis Charter School, a well-regarded public charter admitted by lottery where local residents receive priority. Understanding both paths helps families find the right fit.
A high-achieving district
The Los Altos School District ranks among the top 2% of California districts, with several elementary and junior high schools in the statewide top 1%. Parent involvement is high, local education foundations are well funded, and the community places a strong value on academic rigor. Most graduates continue to the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, attending either Los Altos High School or Mountain View High School by address, though some pockets of Los Altos feed the Cupertino and Homestead schools instead. The exact assignment depends on the property address.
A community that values education
Los Altos and Los Altos Hills are affluent, family-oriented communities where public schools serve as a centerpiece of local civic life. Parent volunteering and foundation donations are deeply woven into district culture, helping fund small class sizes, electives, and STEM enrichment. As in neighboring Peninsula towns, the achievement-oriented culture brings strong academic outcomes, alongside real pressure for some students, leading families to actively seek a healthy balance between rigor and personal well-being.
The district-or-charter choice
One feature that sets Los Altos apart is the presence of Bullis Charter School (BCS) alongside the district's traditional neighborhood schools. Bullis is a tuition-free public charter serving TK through 8th grade, known for a project-based, STEM-focused curriculum. Admission is determined by an annual public lottery rather than neighborhood attendance boundaries, though students residing within Los Altos School District boundaries receive enrollment preference. Many local families weigh their assigned neighborhood school against Bullis when deciding where to enroll. While Bullis and the district have engaged in public conversations regarding campus facilities over the years, the practical takeaway for buyers is that living in Los Altos provides access to top-tier neighborhood schools alongside a high-priority lottery option.
Address: 102 West Portola Ave, Los Altos
Grades: TK-8
Enrollment: 1,090
Student-teacher ratio: 14.4 to 1
Math, English, and science from CAASPP, 2025-26 (California Department of Education). CA figures are the California statewide average, all grades, 2025-26. Enrollment and address from California Department of Education. Rank, rating, and ratio from SchoolDigger, which does not report per-pupil spending for this school.
What families say
The perspectives below reflect research across public data, local forums, and family reviews rather than verified facts, and are worth reading alongside official school scores. Families consistently praise the dedicated teaching staff, strong STEM programs, and engaged parent community across both the district's neighborhood schools and Bullis. Some parents note that the high-achieving environment can feel competitive, and that students benefit when families maintain realistic expectations around workload and extracurricular commitments.
The bigger picture
Los Altos offers one of the strongest K-12 public school landscapes on the Peninsula, combined with the flexibility of a top-ranked charter alternative. The right fit depends on the individual child's learning style and family preferences. Prospective buyers are encouraged to visit both neighborhood district schools and Bullis, and to verify exact public school assignments by parcel address.
This section reflects a mix of public data and community perspectives. School culture is subjective and changes over time. We encourage families to visit schools directly.
FAQ
Common questions
How good are Los Altos public schools?
Los Altos School District ranks among the top 2% of California K-8 districts, with several elementary and junior high schools placing in the statewide top 1%. For high school, both Los Altos High and Mountain View High rank among the top schools in the state, with deep AP catalogs and strong university placement.
Which high school do Los Altos students attend?
High school assignment depends on the property address. Most students in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills attend either Los Altos High or Mountain View High in the Mountain View-Los Altos district. A northwest pocket of Los Altos Hills, along corridors like Page Mill, Arastradero, Purissima, and Moody Road, instead feeds Gunn High in the Palo Alto Unified district, following the Nixon Elementary and Fletcher Middle path. This split dates to a 1956 boundary line and follows irregular topographic lines, so always verify a specific parcel with the PAUSD and Mountain View-Los Altos online school locators.
How do the junior high feeder paths work in Los Altos?
The Los Altos School District has two 7-8 junior highs, Egan and Blach, assigned by address. Covington is a split feeder, sending students to either Egan or Blach depending on the street. High school is a separate matter: the Los Altos School District serves grades K-8 and the Mountain View-Los Altos district serves grades 9-12, and high school is set by the home's parcel, not by which junior high a student attended. In practice, most students from both Egan and Blach continue to Los Altos High. Mountain View High mainly serves homes on the Mountain View side, including parts of the Springer zone. Always confirm by address.
What is Bullis Charter School and who can attend?
Bullis Charter School is a tuition-free, K-8 public charter school within the Los Altos School District boundaries, offering a project-based, STEM-focused program. Admission is by an annual public lottery, with preference for residents inside the district boundaries. It is separate from the district's neighborhood schools. Note that Bullis Charter School is different from Gardner Bullis Elementary, which is a regular Los Altos School District neighborhood school assigned by address.
Can Los Altos Hills families in the Palo Alto zone use a Los Altos elementary school?
In some cases, yes. A long-standing agreement lets certain Palo Alto-zoned families in Los Altos Hills attend Gardner Bullis Elementary in the Los Altos School District for K-6, while keeping their path to Fletcher Middle and Gunn High in Palo Alto Unified. Confirm current eligibility with both districts.
Is Bullis Charter School better than the Los Altos district schools?
Both the Los Altos School District neighborhood schools and Bullis Charter School are highly rated, and there is no single right answer. The district schools are assigned by address, while Bullis is a lottery-based public charter with a project-based, STEM focus. Families often visit both to decide which fits their child.
Does living in Los Altos improve my child's chances at Bullis Charter?
Yes, to a degree. Bullis Charter School is open to any TK-8 student in California through an annual lottery, but families living within the Los Altos School District boundaries receive enrollment preference. Most enrolled students come from Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Mountain View. Note that Bullis Charter is different from Gardner Bullis Elementary, which is a regular district school assigned by address.
Are all Los Altos homes in the Los Altos School District?
Most are, but not all. Parts of the Highlands and Woodland Acres, and the southern edge of South Los Altos, fall into the Cupertino Union School District and feed Homestead High in the Fremont Union district rather than Los Altos schools. Always verify by address.
Which Los Altos neighborhoods are more affordable?
South of El Monte, also called South Los Altos, tends to be the most attainable, with 1950s and 1960s ranch homes on quarter-acre lots, though all of Los Altos is expensive by national standards.
Last verified: October 2026 (reflecting 2025-26 state results).
Sources: SchoolDigger, the California Department of Education, and CAASPP. See the district section above for the specific attribution behind each figure.
