Schools in McKinleyville Union Elementary · Humboldt County

Twenty-five districts serving a rugged coastal and inland stretch of Northern California makes Humboldt County's public school landscape genuinely fragmented — small elementary schools dot redwood country towns while Eureka and Arcata anchor larger, more varied offerings. Most schools cluster in the middle of state rankings, but a handful break through convincingly: Garfield Elementary in Eureka ranks at the 97th percentile statewide, and Union Street Charter in Arcata follows closely at the 96th. Charter schools account for 13 of the county's 59 ranked campuses, giving families more options than geography might suggest. With only 7 schools in the top quartile statewide, standouts are real but selective.