Is Vista Alternative a good school?

Vista Alternative ranks 349 th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Vista Alternative?

In the 2023-24 school year, 41 students attended Vista Alternative.

What is the racial makeup of Vista Alternative?

Students at Vista Alternative are 37% Asian, 37% Hispanic, 12% White, 5% African American, 5% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 2% Pacific Islander.

Vista Alternative

Summary:

Vista Alternative is a public high school in Fremont, California, serving grades 7-12 with a total enrollment of 58 students. It is part of the Fremont Unified School District, which is ranked 174 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Vista Alternative stands out from the nearby high schools, such as American High, Bridgepoint High, and Washington High, in several key ways. It has a significantly smaller school size, lower graduation rates, higher dropout rates, and much higher chronic absenteeism. Additionally, Vista Alternative's proficiency rates on standardized tests are significantly lower than the nearby high schools, especially in mathematics. The school also has a higher percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds compared to its neighbors.

Despite being located in the same district as several high-performing high schools, such as Mission San Jose High and Irvington High, Vista Alternative's performance has declined over the past decade, going from a ranking of 898 out of 2,281 California high schools and a 3-star rating in 2009-2010 to a ranking of 349 out of 2,323 and a 4-star rating in 2023-2024. The combination of these factors suggests that Vista Alternative may face significant challenges in providing a high-quality education to its students and preparing them for success after high school.

Detail:

Public 7-12

4455 Seneca Park Ave.
Fremont, CA 94538-4028

(510) 657-7028

District: Fremont Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
349^th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,252

Student/teacher ratio: 10.0

Number of students: 41

Racial breakdown:

Asian:

36.6%

Hispanic:

36.6%

White:

12.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39%

See top rated California high schools

Compare Vista Alternative to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Vista Alternative is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.24. (See more...)

Compare Details Vista Alternative ranks better than 85% of high schools in California. It also ranks 5^th among 7 ranked high schools in the Fremont Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 78.43. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Vista Alternative who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Vista Alternative has the smallest high school student body size in the Fremont Unified School District. Student population at Vista Alternative is diverse. Racial makeup is: Asian (36.6%), Hispanic (36.6%), White (12.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 39% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Vista Alternative is 10, which is the 3^rd best among 7 high schools in the Fremont Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Vista Alternative employs 4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Vista Alternative is $14,252, which is the 2^nd highest among 7 high schools in the Fremont Unified School District.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Vista Alternative:

SchoolDigger ranks Vista Alternative 349^th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Vista Alternative in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Asian students:

Fremont Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Fremont Unified 174^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Vista Alternative?

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Rank History for Vista Alternative

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2006	15.17	1593^rd	1804	11.7%
2022	56.04	999^th	2740	63.5%
2023	23.24	2133^rd	2802	23.9%

See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Vista Alternative

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Rank History for all high school students at Vista Alternative

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	68.75	211^th	1653	87.2%
2005	59.58	418^th	1901	78.0%
2006	49.20	653^rd	1968	66.8%
2007	57.81	502^nd	2063	75.7%
2008	41.67	871^st	2117	58.9%
2009	38.67	1074^th	2238	52.0%
2010	44.92	898^th	2281	60.6%
2011	39.99	1064^th	2367	55.0%
2012	34.85	1186^th	2354	49.6%
2013	36.48	1150^th	2426	52.6%
2016	35.69	1266^th	2039	37.9%
2018	30.75	1360^th	2017	32.6%
2019	49.37	995^th	2133	53.4%
2023	65.66	546^th	2348	76.7%
2024	78.43	349^th	2323	85.0%

See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Vista Alternative

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	36.17	1220^th	1862	34.5%
2023	18.56	1700^th	2247	24.3%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Vista Alternative

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	17.09	1410^th	1760	19.9%
2023	61.03	594^th	2118	72.0%
2024	46.21	912^th	2098	56.5%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Asian students at Vista Alternative

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	80.02	122^nd	731	83.3%
2024	67.73	240^th	712	66.3%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Vista Alternative

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	128	8	15	14	4	n/a	n/a	0	169
1990	112	11	8	27	1	n/a	n/a	0	159
1991	106	7	3	25	2	n/a	n/a	0	143
1992	133	8	13	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	176
1993	144	7	13	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	187
1994	148	8	7	34	2	n/a	n/a	0	199
1995	197	17	15	38	0	n/a	n/a	0	267
1996	197	17	15	38	0	n/a	n/a	0	267
1997	224	13	24	44	1	n/a	n/a	0	306
1998	220	14	25	51	4	n/a	n/a	0	314
1999	155	13	23	37	3	n/a	n/a	0	231
2000	141	9	15	35	3	n/a	n/a	0	203
2001	102	8	18	27	6	n/a	n/a	0	161
2002	57	6	19	21	0	n/a	n/a	21	124
2003	57	6	19	21	0	n/a	n/a	21	124
2004	52	10	19	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	103
2005	54	7	26	27	1	n/a	n/a	5	120
2006	83	9	22	33	0	n/a	n/a	0	147
2007	64	9	18	31	2	n/a	n/a	8	132
2008	43	12	15	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	83
2009	35	3	13	16	2	1	5	0	75
2010	30	3	16	19	2	3	3	0	76
2011	34	3	11	29	0	1	8	0	86
2012	41	3	11	22	0	1	0	0	78
2013	36	5	10	19	1	1	3	0	75
2015	30	1	4	14	0	0	3	0	52
2016	9	1	1	16	1	0	1	0	29
2017	11	3	3	10	1	2	1	0	31
2018	9	0	6	8	0	1	1	0	25
2019	16	3	5	6	0	2	2	0	34
2020	8	1	3	2	0	1	2	0	17
2021	6	0	14	4	0	0	1	0	25
2022	23	8	75	31	0	6	8	0	151
2023	9	2	22	22	0	0	3	0	58
2024	5	2	15	15	1	1	2	0	41

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Vista Alternative

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	169	6.5	26.0	n/a
1990	159	4.0	39.7	n/a
1991	143	4.0	35.7	n/a
1992	176	4.1	42.9	n/a
1993	187	7.5	24.9	0
1994	199	7.5	26.5	0
1995	267	10.0	26.7	0
1996	267	10.0	26.7	0
1997	306	11.0	27.8	0
1998	314	11.3	27.8	0
1999	231	7.8	29.6	0
2000	203	8.8	23.1	0
2001	161	10.0	16.1	10.6
2002	124	7.5	16.5	0
2003	124	7.5	16.5	0
2004	103	5.4	19.1	5.8
2005	120	6.2	19.4	20
2006	147	5.9	24.9	0
2007	132	5.9	22.4	13.7
2008	83	7.9	10.5	25.3
2009	75	3.6	20.3	26.7
2010	76	4.7	16.0	13.2
2011	86	n/a	n/a	15.1
2012	78	3.6	21.3	n/a
2013	75	2.0	37.5	32
2015	52	3.0	17.3	21.2
2016	29	4.0	7.2	20.7
2017	31	3.8	8.1	29
2018	25	3.0	8.3	36
2019	34	3.0	11.3	55.9
2020	17	n/a	n/a	17.6
2021	25	2.7	9.1	48
2022	151	5.8	25.7	41.7
2023	58	4.4	13.1	41.4
2024	41	4.0	10.0	39

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Vista Alternative

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	169	6.5	26.0	n/a
1990	159	4.0	39.7	n/a
1991	143	4.0	35.7	n/a
1992	176	4.1	42.9	n/a
1993	187	7.5	24.9	0
1994	199	7.5	26.5	0
1995	267	10.0	26.7	0
1996	267	10.0	26.7	0
1997	306	11.0	27.8	0
1998	314	11.3	27.8	0
1999	231	7.8	29.6	0
2000	203	8.8	23.1	0
2001	161	10.0	16.1	10.6
2002	124	7.5	16.5	0
2003	124	7.5	16.5	0
2004	103	5.4	19.1	5.8
2005	120	6.2	19.4	20
2006	147	5.9	24.9	0
2007	132	5.9	22.4	13.7
2008	83	7.9	10.5	25.3
2009	75	3.6	20.3	26.7
2010	76	4.7	16.0	13.2
2011	86	n/a	n/a	15.1
2012	78	3.6	21.3	n/a
2013	75	2.0	37.5	32
2015	52	3.0	17.3	21.2
2016	29	4.0	7.2	20.7
2017	31	3.8	8.1	29
2018	25	3.0	8.3	36
2019	34	3.0	11.3	55.9
2020	17	n/a	n/a	17.6
2021	25	2.7	9.1	48
2022	151	5.8	25.7	41.7
2023	58	4.4	13.1	41.4
2024	41	4.0	10.0	39

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Vista Alternative

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$14,252

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Vista Alternative

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 995^th of 2133 High schools	Ranks 546^th of 2348 High schools	23.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Vista Alternative)	66.7	41.7	25%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Fremont Unified)	78.5	78.3	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	57.3	55.4	1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Vista Alternative)	0	50	50%
11th Grade Mathematics (Fremont Unified)	65.4	64	1.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (California)	32.2	27.4	4.9%
12th Grade Science (Vista Alternative)	21.4	57.1	35.7%
12th Grade Science (Fremont Unified)	53.3	60.9	7.6%
12th Grade Science (California)	25.6	26.9	1.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	34	58	70.6%
African American	3	2	33.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	5	22	340%
Hispanic	6	22	266.7%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	16	9	43.8%
Two or More Races	2	3	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	55.9%	41.4%	14.5%

Schools Near Vista Alternative

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CAST Science (2024)			Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)		Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Vista Alternative	Public	7-12	4455 Seneca Park Ave.	Fremont	94538	Alameda County	Fremont Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 657-7028	41	4	10.0	39.0%	5 (12.2%)	2 (4.9%)	15 (36.6%)	15 (36.6%)	1 (2.4%)	1 (2.4%)	2 (4.9%)	78.4	349^th of 2323 public high schools	85.0%		65.7	546^th of 2348 public high schools	76.7%	197		66.7	52.6	72.2	63.0	38.9	33.3	$14,252
Robertson High (Continuation)	Public	9-12	4455 Seneca Park Ave.	Fremont	94538	Alameda County	Fremont Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 657-9155	169	18	9.4	62.7%	24 (14.2%)	9 (5.3%)	112 (66.3%)	21 (12.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.8%)	18.2	1731^st of 2323 public high schools	25.5%		23.3	1615^th of 2348 public high schools	31.2%	116		10.4	10.4	25.8	25.8	4.4	4.4	$21,955
Irvington High	Public	9-12	41800 Blacow Rd.	Fremont	94538	Alameda County	Fremont Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 656-5711	2,161	89	24.1	19.4%	129 (6.0%)	23 (1.1%)	248 (11.5%)	1,705 (78.9%)	4 (0.2%)	3 (0.1%)	48 (2.2%)	97.6	39^th of 2323 public high schools	98.3%		97.4	45^th of 2348 public high schools	98.1%	6	69.0		68.7	85.1	85.1	73.4	73.4	$7,141
Mission Valley Regional Occupational Center Program	Public	9-12	5019 Stevenson Blvd.	Fremont	94538	Alameda County	Mission Valley Regional Occupational Center/Program	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(510) 657-1865	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
John F. Kennedy High	Public	9-12	39999 Blacow Rd.	Fremont	94538	Alameda County	Fremont Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 657-4070	1,273	62	20.4	45.7%	157 (12.3%)	45 (3.5%)	501 (39.4%)	487 (38.3%)	6 (0.5%)	11 (0.9%)	66 (5.2%)	55	747^th of 2323 public high schools	67.8%		73.9	425^th of 2348 public high schools	81.9%	322	26.8	20.7	26.2	50.0	50.0	31.4	31.4	$9,540
Young Adult Program	Public	9-12	4700 Calaveras Ave.	Fremont	94538	Alameda County	Fremont Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 657-2350	49	5	9.8	30.6%	5 (10.2%)	2 (4.1%)	12 (24.5%)	29 (59.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.0%)								(n/a)
Newark Memorial High	Public	9-12	39375 Cedar Blvd.	Newark	94560	Alameda County	Newark Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 818-4300	1,407	51	27.7	44.5%	136 (9.7%)	51 (3.6%)	744 (52.9%)	359 (25.5%)	2 (0.1%)	24 (1.7%)	83 (5.9%)	54.7	760^th of 2323 public high schools	67.3%		51.6	832^nd of 2348 public high schools	64.6%	72	25.8	27.3	25.8	56.9	56.9	25.1	25.1	$9,979
Mission San Jose High	Public	9-12	41717 Palm Ave.	Fremont	94539	Alameda County	Fremont Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 657-3600	1,822	74	24.4	11.3%	61 (3.3%)	7 (0.4%)	84 (4.6%)	1,621 (89.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	46 (2.5%)	99.1	11^th of 2323 public high schools	99.5%		99.4	9^th of 2348 public high schools	99.6%	2		82.8	82.8	91.0	91.0	85.4	85.4	$8,616
Washington High	Public	9-12	38442 Fremont Blvd.	Fremont	94536	Alameda County	Fremont Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 505-7300	1,901	76	24.9	30.5%	248 (13.0%)	64 (3.4%)	485 (25.5%)	986 (51.9%)	9 (0.5%)	13 (0.7%)	96 (5.0%)	84.7	253^rd of 2323 public high schools	89.1%		88.6	204^th of 2348 public high schools	91.3%	49	45.4	40.6	43.1	71.9	71.9	50.0	50.0	$7,646
American High	Public	9-12	36300 Fremont Blvd.	Fremont	94536	Alameda County	Fremont Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 796-1776	2,587	100	25.7	19.6%	185 (7.2%)	46 (1.8%)	287 (11.1%)	1,943 (75.1%)	4 (0.2%)	15 (0.6%)	106 (4.1%)	97.6	38^th of 2323 public high schools	98.4%		97.4	47^th of 2348 public high schools	98.0%	9		62.7	62.7	88.1	88.1	72.3	72.3	$7,312

Vista Alternative

Vista Alternative:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Fremont Unified:

What do you think?

Rank History for Vista Alternative

Rank History for Vista Alternative

Rank History for all high school students at Vista Alternative

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Vista Alternative

Rank History for high school Female students at Vista Alternative

Rank History for high school Asian students at Vista Alternative

Enrollment information for Vista Alternative

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Vista Alternative

Student/Teacher Ratio Vista Alternative

Per Pupil Expenditures for Vista Alternative

Impact of COVID-19 on Vista Alternative

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Vista Alternative