Juana Briones Elementary

Tucked into the quieter, tree-lined streets of south Palo Alto, Juana Briones sits in one of the Bay Area's most academically driven communities — and it shows. Families here tend to be deeply invested in education, and the school's near-perfect science scores in particular reflect a neighborhood culture that takes STEM seriously, likely shaped by the tech and research world just outside the door. If you're moving to the 94306 zip code and want a neighborhood school that punches at the very top of California's rankings without the private-school price tag, Juana Briones is the kind of place that makes that decision feel easy.