Hercules High

Summary:

Hercules High is a public high school located in Hercules, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 734 students. The school is part of the West Contra Costa Unified School District, which is ranked 1129 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 1-star rating out of 5 from SchoolDigger.

Hercules High has consistently ranked in the top half of California high schools, with a current ranking of 453 out of 2,323 schools for the 2023-2024 school year. The school has maintained a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years, indicating strong academic performance. Hercules High significantly outperforms the district and state in standardized test scores, with 70.91% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 41.2% for the district and 55.73% for the state. In Mathematics, 25.9% of Hercules High's 11th-grade students were proficient or better, compared to 17.06% for the district and 27.9% for the state. The school's performance is particularly noteworthy for African American and Hispanic students, who ranked 120 out of 721 and 614 out of 2,125 California high schools, respectively, in the 2023-2024 school year.

While Hercules High outperforms nearby schools in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, such as Richmond High and De Anza High, the nearby Middle College High School, a public charter school, consistently outperforms Hercules High across various metrics, including test scores, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism. Additionally, Hercules High has experienced a steady increase in chronic absenteeism, from 12.8% in the 2018-2019 school year to 19.0% in the 2022-2023 school year, which may require further investigation and targeted interventions.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1900 Refugio Valley Rd.
       Hercules, CA  94547-1554


(510) 231-1429

District: West Contra Costa Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
453rd of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,772 Help


Feeder schools for Hercules High:

Elementary:    Hanna Ranch Elementary
    Lupine Hills Elementary
    Ohlone Elementary
Middle:    Hercules Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  25.4 Help
Number of students:  734

Racial breakdown:

Asian:
45.5%
Hispanic:
25.2%
African American:
15.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  27.8% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Hercules High ranks better than 80.5% of high schools in California. It also ranks 2nd among 8 ranked high schools in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.45. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Hercules High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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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
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Compare Details Student population at Hercules High is diverse. Racial makeup is: Asian (45.5%), Hispanic (25.2%), African American (15.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 27.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hercules High is 25.4. 6 high schools in the West Contra Costa Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Hercules High employs 28.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hercules High is $6,772, which is the 4th highest among 8 high schools in the West Contra Costa Unified School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Hercules High:

SchoolDigger ranks Hercules High 453rd of 2323 California public high schools. (See Hercules High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


West Contra Costa Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks West Contra Costa Unified 1129th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Hercules High

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Rank History for all students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 49.34 503rd 1653 69.6%
2005 48.89 610th 1901 67.9%
2006 43.55 765th 1968 61.1%
2007 46.93 723rd 2063 65.0%
2008 44.86 797th 2117 62.4%
2009 43.83 912th 2238 59.2%
2010 37.67 1063rd 2281 53.4%
2011 36.45 1141st 2367 51.8%
2012 38.66 1092nd 2354 53.6%
2013 40.02 1059th 2426 56.3%
2015 71.36 521st 1994 73.9%
2016 69.07 593rd 2039 70.9%
2017 63.24 720th 2021 64.4%
2018 65.92 685th 2017 66.0%
2019 63.46 665th 2133 68.8%
2022 74.77 454th 2123 78.6%
2023 72.45 442nd 2348 81.2%
2024 71.45 453rd 2323 80.5%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 28.55 537th 804 33.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.52 322nd 938 65.7%
2019 45.52 355th 941 62.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 45.27 570th 1547 63.2%
2024 46.17 574th 1534 62.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.89 724th 1862 61.1%
2019 44.45 1062nd 1937 45.2%
2022 60.96 612th 1943 68.5%
2023 61.07 611th 2247 72.8%
2024 67.30 464th 2235 79.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.74 626th 1760 64.4%
2019 60.10 637th 1833 65.2%
2022 81.28 300th 1858 83.9%
2023 64.96 521st 2118 75.4%
2024 73.68 398th 2098 81.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.14 386th 1052 63.3%
2019 24.56 903rd 1117 19.2%
2022 41.67 543rd 1161 53.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.50 699th 1834 61.9%
2019 61.16 642nd 1880 65.9%
2022 64.65 567th 1916 70.4%
2023 75.85 376th 2207 83.0%
2024 67.46 482nd 2172 77.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.49 417th 581 28.2%
2019 27.24 446th 582 23.4%
2022 55.33 295th 581 49.2%
2023 37.68 487th 731 33.4%
2024 59.16 320th 712 55.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.69 258th 582 55.7%
2019 56.13 220th 592 62.8%
2022 51.98 201st 522 61.5%
2023 37.21 418th 720 41.9%
2024 75.81 120th 721 83.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.34 834th 1742 52.1%
2019 50.61 857th 1814 52.8%
2022 64.36 534th 1861 71.3%
2023 79.42 259th 2142 87.9%
2024 59.36 614th 2125 71.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Hercules High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 41.88 737th 1222 39.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White 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.

Hercules High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Hercules High

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 115 290 457 143 4 n/a n/a 25 1034
2003 115 290 457 143 4 n/a n/a 25 1034
2004 157 345 489 121 4 n/a n/a 19 1135
2005 151 364 536 150 6 n/a n/a 15 1222
2006 143 341 536 177 3 n/a n/a 50 1250
2007 113 286 518 171 3 n/a n/a 55 1146
2008 116 303 514 180 4 n/a n/a 0 1117
2009 112 297 443 174 2 5 74 0 1107
2010 109 285 420 183 4 6 1 0 1008
2011 73 177 289 137 2 2 103 0 783
2012 103 249 442 196 3 8 0 0 1001
2013 91 248 446 202 4 8 7 0 1006
2014 87 265 467 179 2 7 8 0 1015
2015 77 220 427 183 2 2 24 0 935
2016 69 262 435 190 1 7 16 0 980
2017 68 262 432 209 1 5 19 0 996
2018 54 249 402 209 2 5 14 0 935
2019 38 218 386 193 2 5 25 0 867
2020 39 189 390 198 2 4 34 0 856
2021 38 161 378 184 1 4 32 0 798
2022 40 140 355 184 1 6 35 1 762
2023 43 112 334 185 2 6 51 1 734

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 Hercules High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 1034 45.4 22.8 11
2003 1034 45.4 22.8 11
2004 1135 38.2 29.7 13.1
2005 1222 52.6 23.2 15.3
2006 1250 53.8 23.2 18.1
2007 1146 55.2 20.8 20.4
2008 1117 59.4 18.8 26.5
2009 1107 51.4 18.3 27.9
2010 1008 49.8 20.2 32.3
2011 783 n/a n/a 49.3
2012 1001 43.5 22.9 n/a
2013 1006 39.7 25.2 41.4
2014 1015 39.4 25.7 40.4
2015 935 38.0 24.6 41.3
2016 980 37.0 26.4 42.2
2017 996 41.2 24.1 40.6
2018 935 37.6 24.8 44.2
2019 867 36.8 23.5 43.4
2020 856 n/a n/a 38.1
2021 798 33.6 23.7 40.1
2022 762 33.4 22.7 29
2023 734 28.8 25.4 27.8

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 Hercules High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 1034 45.4 22.8 11
2003 1034 45.4 22.8 11
2004 1135 38.2 29.7 13.1
2005 1222 52.6 23.2 15.3
2006 1250 53.8 23.2 18.1
2007 1146 55.2 20.8 20.4
2008 1117 59.4 18.8 26.5
2009 1107 51.4 18.3 27.9
2010 1008 49.8 20.2 32.3
2011 783 n/a n/a 49.3
2012 1001 43.5 22.9 n/a
2013 1006 39.7 25.2 41.4
2014 1015 39.4 25.7 40.4
2015 935 38.0 24.6 41.3
2016 980 37.0 26.4 42.2
2017 996 41.2 24.1 40.6
2018 935 37.6 24.8 44.2
2019 867 36.8 23.5 43.4
2020 856 n/a n/a 38.1
2021 798 33.6 23.7 40.1
2022 762 33.4 22.7 29
2023 734 28.8 25.4 27.8

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 Hercules High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $6,772

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hercules High

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 665th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 442nd of 2348 High schools
 12.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Hercules High)59.962.7
 2.7%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (West Contra Costa Unified)41.449.1
 7.7%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Hercules High)38.427.7
 10.7%
   11th Grade Mathematics (West Contra Costa Unified)19.417.6
 1.7%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Hercules High)29.542
 12.5%
   11th Grade Science (West Contra Costa Unified)18.223.9
 5.6%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%
12th Grade Science (Hercules High)21.839.9
 18.1%
   12th Grade Science (West Contra Costa Unified)13.423.8
 10.4%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students867734
 15.3%
African American218112
 48.6%
American Indian22
Asian386334
 13.5%
Hispanic193185
 4.1%
Pacific Islander56
 20%
White3843
 13.2%
Two or More Races2551
 104%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients43.4%27.8%
 15.6%


Schools Near Hercules High









Frequently Asked Questions about Hercules High

Hercules High ranks 453rd of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Hercules High are 46% Asian, 25% Hispanic, 15% African American, 7% Two or more races, 6% White.

In the 2022-23 school year, 734 students attended Hercules High.

Hercules High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Hanna Ranch Elementary
Elementary : Lupine Hills Elementary
Elementary : Ohlone Elementary
Middle : Hercules Middle


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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