Ceres High and Central Valley, Ceres Unified School District’s two comprehensive high schools, garnered special recognition last month by being named by U.S. News & World Report as two of the top four public high schools in the greater Modesto area according to 2026-27 rankings.
“These rankings reflect growth in nearly every metric evaluated by U.S. News & World Report, including recent gains in CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress) performance, AP (Advanced Placement) scores and access, and graduation rates that remain high,” said Dr. Paul Rutishauser, assistant superintendent of Educational Services for CUSD. “The growth is a direct result of the immense effort and dedication our students, teachers, and staff bring every day.
“I attribute much of our success to our commitment to creating an environment that is highly conducive to learning,” said Central Valley Principal Casey Giovannoni. “We believe students must first feel safe, supported, and connected to their teachers, their school, and the programs we offer. When that foundation is in place, students are better positioned to thrive academically.”
Schools are evaluated on a range of criteria, including test scores, access to AP classes, graduation rates, and college and career readiness.
U.S. News & World Report worked with RTI International, a global research firm, to implement the comprehensive ranking methodology, using the most current data from the 2023-2024 school year.
Ceres High and Central Valley ranked No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, with scorecards of 75.99 and 73.28.
Ceres High and Central Valley improved on its 2025-26 rankings of sixth and fifth.
“Earning a ranking of fourth out of 49 high schools in our area is a tremendous honor,”said Giovannoni. “I could not be prouder of CV’s students, faculty, and administrative team. Our staff works tirelessly to provide our students with the best educational experience possible, and it is incredibly rewarding to see those efforts reflected in results such as this.”
Approximately 49 percent of Ceres High students participated in the Advanced Placement program, and 29 percent passed at least one AP Exam.
Approximately 42 percent of Central Valley students participated in the AP program, and 21 percent passed at least one AP Exam.
Central Valley and Ceres High had graduation percentage rates of 96 and 94.
“We have seen consistent improvement across a wide range of academic and non-academic indicators each year since the pandemic. Scores in English, mathematics, and science have risen, discipline rates have declined, and our graduation rate continues to improve, among many other positive trends. Those gains speak to the dedication of our staff and students and to the culture we have worked hard to build at CV.”
The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings include data on more than 27,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nearly 18,000 schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college.
Ceres High ranked No. 618 in California and No. 4,309 nationwide.
Central Valley ranked No. 677 in California and No. 4,794 nationwide.
“While we are extremely proud of this recognition, we also view it as motivation to continue improving,” Giovannoni said. “I am confident that CV’s best years are still ahead of us, and I look forward to seeing our school continue to rise in the U.S. News & World Report rankings in the years to come.”
