Schools in La Verne, CA: A Guide for Relocating Families

When families consider a move to La Verne, schools are usually one of the first questions on the list. The good news is that La Verne offers a wider range of educational options than many similarly-sized SGV cities — public schools through Bonita Unified, multiple private K-12 options within or near the city, and the University of La Verne anchored right in Old Town. This post is a starting point: an overview of what's available, with links to the official sources you'll want to use when making your own evaluation.

A note before we get into specifics: school fit is deeply personal. Test scores and rankings are useful data points, but they don't capture culture, programs, teacher quality, special needs support, or what your specific child needs. We strongly encourage families to visit campuses, attend open houses, and talk directly with schools before making any decisions.

Public Schools: Bonita Unified School District

La Verne is served by Bonita Unified School District, which also serves much of San Dimas. The district enrolls approximately 9,957 students across 15 schools, with a student-teacher ratio of 24:1 and per-pupil spending of $12,641 per year (per U.S. News data). District-wide, English language arts and math proficiency on the 2023-24 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) reached the district's highest scores on record.

In U.S. News & World Report's 2025 Best K-8 Schools rankings, all ten of Bonita Unified's elementary and middle schools placed in the top 32% of California schools. Several ranked notably higher: Shull Elementary placed in the top 4% of California schools, and Grace Miller, Roynon, and Oak Mesa Elementary schools each ranked in the top 15%.

Elementary Schools (K-5)

Bonita Unified operates eight elementary schools, several of which serve La Verne directly. School boundaries depend on home address, so we recommend confirming attendance zones using the district boundary lookup tool before assuming a specific school assignment.

• Allen Avenue Elementary (San Dimas)
• Ekstrand Elementary (San Dimas)
• Gladstone Elementary (San Dimas)
• Grace Miller Elementary (La Verne) — ranked in top 15% of CA per U.S. News 2025
• La Verne Heights Elementary (La Verne)
• Oak Mesa Elementary (La Verne) — ranked in top 15% of CA per U.S. News 2025
• Roynon Elementary (La Verne) — ranked in top 15% of CA per U.S. News 2025
• Shull Elementary (La Verne) — ranked in top 4% of CA per U.S. News 2025

Middle Schools (6-8)

• Ramona Middle School (La Verne)
• Lone Hill Middle School (San Dimas)

Both middle schools were recognized in the U.S. News 2025 K-8 rankings within the top 32% of California middle schools.

High Schools (9-12)

• Bonita High School (La Verne) — Located on D Street in La Verne, Bonita High serves approximately 1,866 students and is ranked #226 in California and #1,662 nationally by U.S. News & World Report (2025). The school reports a 98% graduation rate and a 51% AP participation rate, with 20+ Advanced Placement courses offered. Niche assigns Bonita High an overall A grade.
• San Dimas High School (San Dimas) — Ranked #365 in California by U.S. News, with a 97% graduation rate.
• Chaparral High School (continuation school)
• School of Arts and Enterprise (SAE) (alternative public)

For complete enrollment information and current programs, visit the Bonita Unified School District website or the California School Dashboard.

Private School Options

La Verne and the immediately surrounding area include several private school options across grade levels. Tuition, religious affiliation, admissions criteria, and program focus vary significantly — families should contact each school directly for current information.

Private Schools in La Verne

• Damien High School — Catholic, all-boys, grades 9-12, ~735 students. Located at 2280 Damien Avenue in La Verne. Offers college preparatory curriculum with 15 sports programs and 15 extracurriculars. Ranked #284 among California private high schools by Niche.
• Calvary Baptist Schools — Private Christian, grades PK-12, ~200 students. Located at 2990 Damien Avenue. Operated as a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church (founded 1953); WASC accredited.
• Holy Name of Mary School — Catholic, grades K-8, ~471 students. Diocese of Los Angeles affiliated.
• Lighthouse Baptist Academy — Christian, grades K-12, ~56 students. Located at 2600 N White Avenue.
• Joan Macy School and Haynes Education Center — Specialized programs for students with specific learning needs (1350 3rd Street and 233 Baseline Road respectively).

Private Schools Nearby

Many La Verne families also consider private schools in adjacent communities, all within a 10-15 minute drive:

• The Webb Schools (Claremont) — Co-ed boarding/day school, grades 9-12. Independent college preparatory, recognized nationally.
• Western Christian Schools (Upland) — Christian, grades PK-12.
• Foothill Christian School (Glendora) — Christian, K-8.

For the full list of private schools in the area, Niche and Private School Review maintain searchable directories.

Higher Education: University of La Verne

The University of La Verne is one of the defining features of the city — a private university founded in 1891 with its main campus situated within Old Town La Verne at 1950 3rd Street. The 103-acre campus contributes significantly to the city's character, hosting public lectures, performances, athletic events, and community programming year-round.

Key facts (U.S. News 2026 Best Colleges):

• Type: Private, non-sectarian (originally Church of the Brethren-affiliated)
• Enrollment: ~3,050 undergraduates; ~5,596 total students including graduate
• Student-faculty ratio: 11:1
• Ranking: #213 in National Universities; #6 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
• Acceptance rate: ~73% (test-optional admissions)
• Tuition: $49,550 — though 86% of first-year students receive need-based financial aid, with an average net price of $25,892

The university comprises six colleges including the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business & Public Management, LaFetra College of Education, College of Health and Community Well-Being, and the College of Law (located in Ontario). The most popular undergraduate degrees are in business administration, psychology, and education.

For families with college-bound students, La Verne's location offers easy access to additional higher education options without a long commute: the Claremont Colleges consortium (Pomona, Harvey Mudd, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer) is 10 minutes east, Cal Poly Pomona is 15 minutes south, and Mt. San Antonio College — one of California's largest community colleges — is also 15 minutes away in Walnut.

Family Life and Community Programming

Beyond formal schooling, La Verne offers programming that supports family life and youth development. The City of La Verne Parks and Community Services Department runs youth sports leagues, summer camps, and recreational classes through facilities including Las Flores Park, Heritage Park, and Live Oak Park. The La Verne Library hosts story times, summer reading programs, and tutoring resources.

Local youth athletics organizations cover the standard SGV-area lineup: La Verne Little League, AYSO soccer, Pop Warner football, club volleyball, and competitive swim programs. Families relocating from denser parts of LA often comment on the relative ease of accessing kid programming here — short drive times, less traffic, and well-maintained facilities.

The University of La Verne also opens many of its events to the broader community, including theater performances, public lectures, and athletic games — a useful resource for families seeking enrichment beyond their school's offerings.

How to Evaluate Schools for Your Family

Real estate professionals are not qualified to recommend specific schools, and school quality is genuinely subjective — what works for one family may not work for another. Here are the resources we recommend families use when evaluating their options:

• GreatSchools.org — Independent ratings, parent reviews, test score data
• Niche.com — School profiles with rankings, reviews, and demographic data
• U.S. News & World Report — National K-12 and college rankings
• California School Dashboard — Official state performance data
• Bonita Unified School District — Official boundary lookup, enrollment, and program information
• Direct school visits — The most valuable resource. Most schools schedule tours and open houses, especially in late winter and spring before fall enrollment.

We always encourage buyers to verify school assignments directly with the district based on the specific property address, and to visit campuses in person before finalizing any housing decisions tied to school preferences.

La Verne offers families a meaningful range of K-12 options and direct access to higher education — all within a small, walkable community. If you're relocating to the area and have questions about specific neighborhoods, school boundaries, or properties, Real Estate Resolved is a La Verne-based brokerage happy to help connect you with the right local resources. Reach out anytime.

This post is provided for informational purposes only. School rankings, ratings, and statistics referenced above are sourced from publicly available data and were accurate at the time of writing. School quality, programs, and boundaries change over time — please verify all details directly with the relevant school or district before making decisions.