Modoc High

Alturas is about as far-removed from California's crowded metros as you can get — a small ranching town in the remote northeastern corner of the state where the high desert meets the Warner Mountains. Modoc High serves a tight-knit rural community where most students know each other by name, and the school reflects that close community feel more than its statewide rankings might suggest. Families who put down roots here tend to value wide-open spaces and a slower pace of life, and while academic scores run below the state average, the school offers a grounded, community-centered experience that's hard to find anywhere else in California.