ChoiceFunded What your state pays

Charter schools in Ceres, CA

2 schools in Ceres, 21 more within 15 miles. Public, and free to attend.

Public charter schools (tuition-free)

Ceres charter schools at a glance

2 public charter schools give Ceres as their address in the 2025-26 federal school directory, and 21 more are within 15 miles. The 2 in town had about 531 students in 2024-25. 1 teach elementary grades and 1 teach high school. Every one is a public school that charges no tuition.

531 students, 2024-25
1 high schools
$0 tuition

Networks and districts with the most of these schools: Hickman Community Charter (3), Ceres Unified (2), Denair Unified (2). Names as reported to the federal directory.

Charter schools in Ceres (2)

Largest first. Enrollment and teachers are from 2024-25; schools new in 2025-26 have no count yet.

Charter school Grades Students (2024-25) Per teacher Phone
Whitmore Charter School of Art & Technology K-8 435 19.6 (209) 556-1610
Whitmore Charter High 9-12 96 19.4 (209) 556-1617

Nearby, within 15 miles (21)

Charter schools in other towns, nearest first. Online schools are left out here because their address is an office.

Charter school Grades Students (2024-25) Per teacher Town Miles Phone
Aspire Summit Charter Academy K-5 355 21.8 Modesto under 1 (209) 538-8082
Aspire University Charter K-5 423 22.7 Modesto 2 (209) 544-8722
Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy 6-12 617 22.8 Modesto 2 (209) 521-3010
Stanislaus Alternative Charter 9-12 651 26.4 Modesto 3 (209) 238-8650
Keyes to Learning Charter K-12 348 27.8 Keyes 5 (209) 634-6467
Connecting Waters Charter School - Central Valley K-12 776 17.7 Modesto 5 (209) 874-1119
Paradise Charter K-8 118 26.2 Modesto 5 (209) 524-0184
Great Valley Academy K-8 972 23.1 Modesto 6 (209) 576-2283
Shiloh Charter K-8 163 15.5 Modesto 8 (209) 522-2261
Riverbank Language Academy K-8 557 25 Riverbank 9 (209) 869-8093
Gratton Charter K-8 111 17.9 Denair 10 (209) 632-0505
Denair Charter Academy K-12 143 13.4 Denair 10 (209) 634-0917
Fusion Charter 7-12 142 35.8 Turlock 10 (209) 667-9047
Denair Elementary Charter Academy K-5 554 18.6 Denair 10 (209) 632-8887
Great Valley Academy - Salida K-8 927 24.7 Modesto 11 (209) 545-7500
Connecting Waters Charter K-12 776 18.7 Waterford 12 (209) 874-1119
Hickman Charter K-8 647 24.7 Hickman 12 (209) 874-9070
Hickman Elementary K-5 308 23.7 Hickman 12 (209) 874-1816
Hickman Middle 6-8 141 20.6 Hickman 12 (209) 874-1816
Escalon Charter Academy K-12 368 24.5 Escalon 14 (209) 838-3591
Oakdale Charter 7-12 56 20.7 Oakdale 14 (209) 848-4361

Charter schools: how they work

  • Public and free. NCES describes a public charter school as a publicly funded school, usually run by a group or organization under a contract (the charter) with the state, the district or another body. The federal definition says a charter school does not charge tuition.
  • Families choose it. Under the same definition, a charter school is one parents choose to send their children to, and it admits students by lottery when more apply than it has room for.
  • Its own rules, its own accountability. The charter frees the school from some state or local rules; in return it must meet the standards written in its charter. It is nonsectarian.
  • No program badge. ChoiceFunded’s program badges and “schools that accept” lists cover private schools only. Charter schools are listed separately here, with no badge, and are never counted with private schools.

Sources: 20 U.S.C. 7221i (federal Charter Schools Program definitions); NCES, Condition of Education: Public Charter School Enrollment. Each state writes its own charter law, so ask the school how enrollment works there.

Questions parents ask

How many charter schools are in Ceres?

2 public charter schools in the 2025-26 federal directory are in Ceres, and 21 more are within 15 miles. Whitmore Charter School of Art & Technology, Whitmore Charter High.

Do charter schools in Ceres charge tuition?

No. Charter schools are public schools, and the federal definition of a charter school says it does not charge tuition. Ask each school about fees for extras.

How do I enroll in a Ceres charter school?

Apply to each school directly. Under the federal definition, a charter school admits students by lottery when more apply than it has room for, so check each school’s application dates. Each state writes its own charter law.

School facts: U.S. Department of Education, Common Core of Data (2025-26 directory, 2024-25 enrollment and staff). Where our data comes from.

See charter schools How enrollment works