Schafer Park Elementary

Schafer Park Elementary sits in the heart of Hayward, a city that often gets overlooked in favor of its flashier Bay Area neighbors but has a genuinely tight-knit, working-class character all its own. The school draws families who value a diverse, community-rooted environment, and while its academic scores land in the middle of the pack statewide, there's room to grow and plenty of dedicated staff working to move the needle — particularly in English and science. Families who are active participants in their kids' education and connected to the surrounding neighborhood tend to find a welcoming home here.