California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley

Tucked into the San Gabriel Valley foothills, California School of the Arts draws creatively driven students from across the greater LA area who want rigorous arts training without sacrificing strong academics — and the test scores back it up, with English performance in particular sitting near the top of the state. This is a school for families who are done choosing between a serious arts education and a college-prep curriculum, making it a genuine draw for kids who feel like they don't quite fit the mold of a traditional high school. Duarte itself is a quieter, more residential corner of the SGV, offering a bit of breathing room from the sprawl while still sitting close enough to Pasadena and the rest of LA to make the most of what the region has to offer culturally.