What the California School Dashboard measures
California rates schools on several separate indicators rather than with one overall grade. Each indicator gets one of five colors, from red through orange, yellow and green to blue, based on both this year's result and the change from last year. Test results are shown as "distance from standard": the number of scale-score points by which the average student is above (a plus figure) or below (a minus figure) the level the state counts as meeting standard in English language arts (ELA) or math.
All figures on this page come from the California Department of Education's 2025 Dashboard data files, which cover the 2024-25 school year. For comparison, California's statewide results were 8.1 points below standard in ELA, 42.4 below in math, a 17.1% chronic absenteeism rate and an 87.8% graduation rate. Schools with very few tested students do not get a color, and their results can swing a lot from year to year. Scores reflect the students who attend as well as the teaching, so use them as one input alongside a visit and each school's School Accountability Report Card.
Anderson-area school districts compared
Inside the city, the Cascade Union Elementary School District, based at 1645 West Mill Street, runs the elementary and middle schools. It describes itself as four schools serving about 1,100 students. The Anderson Union High School District, at 1469 Ferry Street, runs the high schools for Anderson and the surrounding area. Homes with Anderson addresses outside the city can fall in other elementary districts, including Happy Valley Union and Pacheco Union, both of which list schools with Anderson mailing addresses.
| District (grades) | ELA, distance from standard | Math, distance from standard | Chronic absenteeism |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Union Elementary (TK-8) | -41.2 (Yellow) | -71.9 (Orange) | 25.1% |
| Happy Valley Union (elementary) | -22.3 (Yellow) | -46.2 (Yellow) | 11.2% |
| Pacheco Union (elementary) | -19.1 (Orange) | -45.6 (Orange) | 14.6% |
| Cottonwood Union (elementary and junior high) | -5.6 (Yellow) | -38.8 (Orange) | 19.7% |
| Anderson Union High (9-12) | -6.0 (Yellow) | -77.2 (Yellow) | Graduation rate 87.5% (Green) |
| California, all public schools | -8.1 (Yellow) | -42.4 (Yellow) | 17.1% |
Source: California Department of Education, 2025 Dashboard data files, all students. The Anderson Union High district total includes its alternative schools, which pull the average down; its comprehensive high schools score higher, as shown below.
Anderson Union High School District schools
The district lists four programs on its website: Anderson Union High School, West Valley Early College High School, Anderson New Technology High School, and an alternative education program that includes North Valley, Oakview, community day and adult schools. The district also posts a District Boundaries page and a student transfer page.
Anderson Union High School (Ferry Street)
Anderson High, at 1471 Ferry Street and known as the Cubs, scored 48.4 points above standard in ELA on the 2025 Dashboard, rated Blue, after a gain of 16.1 points. Math was 56.5 points below standard (Yellow), down 12.2 points. Its graduation rate was 96.8%, also Blue and well above the state's 87.8%.
West Valley Early College High School (Cottonwood)
West Valley is in the same district but sits at 3805 Happy Valley Road in Cottonwood. It scored 8.2 points above standard in ELA (Green), a jump of 59.5 points, and 39.4 below in math (Green), up 35.4 points, which puts its math result just above the state average. Its graduation rate was 97.2%, rated Blue, the highest among the district's larger schools.
Anderson New Technology High School (charter)
Anderson New Tech, at 2098 North Street, is a tuition-free charter school in the Anderson Union High district that teaches through project-based learning. Only about 21 students were tested in 2025, too few for a color: they scored 28.0 above standard in ELA and 93.0 below in math. Its graduation rate was 95.8%.
North Valley and Oakview (alternative schools)
North Valley Continuation High School and Oakview High, an independent study school, are on Olinda Road. Oakview's graduation rate was 88.1% (Green). North Valley had a 45.6% graduation rate, rated Red. These schools enroll students for different reasons than a comprehensive high school, so compare them with care.
Anderson elementary and middle schools
Cascade Union assigns elementary schools by which side of the railroad track a family lives on, and sends all of its sixth to eighth graders to one middle school.
Anderson Middle School (Cascade Union)
Anderson Middle, at 1646 Ferry Street, serves grades 6 to 8 for the whole district. It scored 43.3 points below standard in ELA (Yellow) and 87.2 below in math (Orange) in 2025, with chronic absenteeism of 22.7%. Both test scores are below the state averages.
Anderson Heights Elementary (west of the tracks)
Anderson Heights, at 1530 Spruce Street, serves elementary students living west of the railroad. It posted one of the biggest gains in the area, up 29.2 points in ELA to 44.5 below standard (Yellow), and up 11.4 in math to 71.6 below (Yellow). Chronic absenteeism was 33.8%, rated Red, about double the state rate.
Meadow Lane Elementary (east of the tracks)
Meadow Lane, at 2770 Balls Ferry Road, serves elementary students living east of the railroad. It scored 31.6 below standard in ELA and 41.6 below in math, both Orange; the math figure is about level with the state average of 42.4 below. Chronic absenteeism was 20.6%.
North State Aspire Academy (Cascade Union)
North State Aspire Academy, at 1500 Spruce Street next to Anderson Heights, serves students in TK to grade 5 who are assigned to it by the district. Too few students were tested in 2025 for public results, so ask the district office how placement works.
Happy Valley Elementary and Happy Valley Primary
The Happy Valley Union School District serves an area outside the city with Anderson addresses. Happy Valley Elementary, at 17480 Palm Avenue, gained 48.6 points in ELA to reach 18.1 below standard (Yellow), with math at 48.3 below (Yellow) and chronic absenteeism of 7.8% (Green). Happy Valley Primary, at 16300 Cloverdale Road, scored 21.7 below in ELA (Orange) and 17.2 below in math (Yellow).
Prairie Elementary (Pacheco Union)
Prairie Elementary, at 20981 Dersch Road with an Anderson address, belongs to the Pacheco Union School District. It scored 1.6 points above standard in ELA and 2.3 below in math, both Yellow, which puts both results above the state averages. Its sister school, Pacheco Elementary, is on Pacheco Road in Redding.
Charters and transfers in the Anderson area
Charter schools are free public schools, but they enroll by application, and a lottery if they are full, rather than by home address.
Tree of Life International Charter School
Tree of Life, at 19415 Jacqueline Street in Anderson, is a charter authorized through Cascade Union. In 2025 it scored 6.1 below standard in ELA (Yellow) and 18.4 below in math (Green), both better than the state averages and well above the Cascade Union district totals. Its chronic absenteeism was 9.6% (Green).
Cottonwood Creek Charter School
Cottonwood Creek Charter, run through the Cottonwood Union School District, had the highest scores of any school on this page: 49.9 above standard in ELA and 37.7 above in math, both Green. Our Cottonwood schools guide covers the rest of that district.
Transfers between Anderson-area districts
Cascade Union says districts across Shasta County have an agreement that allows interdistrict transfers, but a district can refuse one if a grade is full or it cannot provide the services a student needs. Transfers between Anderson Heights and Meadow Lane, inside the district, also depend on space. Both Anderson Union High and West Valley post transfer forms. Never buy a home on the assumption that a transfer will be approved.
How to check which schools serve an Anderson address
A listing, a ZIP code or a map app cannot tell you which school serves a home. All of the Anderson area shares ZIP 96007, but it is split among several elementary districts, and inside the city the railroad line divides two attendance areas. Check with the districts themselves:
- Cascade Union Elementary: the district's Which School? page explains the railroad rule. Call the district office at 1645 West Mill Street to confirm a specific address.
- Anderson Union High: the district's website has a District Boundaries page; call the district office on Ferry Street to confirm whether an address is served by Anderson High or West Valley.
- Happy Valley Union and Pacheco Union: if the home is outside the city, ask both districts, and Cascade Union, whether the address is in their area.
- The property tax bill: the school bonds on a parcel's tax bill show which districts tax it. Our Shasta County property tax guide explains the bond rates by district area.
- The California School Dashboard: once you know the school, look up its full report at caschooldashboard.org.
For the rest of the local market, see our Anderson real estate guide and the Anderson ZIP code guide.