The California Department of Education has released its 2010 public school rankings. From KQED education reporter Ana Tintocalis:

Parents can now see how their child’s school stacks up to others -- state education officials have released the annual rankings.

The rankings measure student performance based on state tests last spring, and they show how much each school has improved compared to other schools statewide.

Schools also receive a “similar school” ranking which allows parents to see how one school compares to a campus with similar challenges based on poverty, ethnic makeup, the number of English learners.

For example, San Jose Unified schools saw a drop in their similar school rankings after years of posting gains -- 24 of its schools ranked in the bottom 30 percent of similar schools. Meanwhile, in Santa Clara County, almost 30 percent of schools got the highest ranking possible; that's up slightly from last year.

“(The rankings) attract young families because we all want the best for our kids. The rankings for Santa Clara County schools should give parents confidence that the schools they are sending their children to will make (their children) very competitive.”

Santa Clara County has the three top elementary schools in the state: Murdock-Portal, Faria and Milliken. Peninsula and South Bay schools also earned high rankings, having 13 of the state’s top 15 elementary schools. In addition, 10 South Bay middle schools are in the top 25 in California. Nearly half of San Francisco schools rank above average.

The rankings released Thursday are based on state standardized tests including the STAR and the high school exit exams. The state has also given each public school in California a roadmap for improvement next year.

Here's the database, from the Bay Area News Group. If you're looking for a particular school, you can filter the list by county. You can also search for a school's individual report at the California Department of Education site.

FYI, the top-rated school in San Francisco is Clarendon Alternative Elementary. In Oakland, it's the American Indian Public Charter School. The Examiner has posted the scores of all San Francisco and San Mateo county schools. For highly rated Marin schools, the Independent Journal has a report.

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