Home » Fresno Community » Great Choice Schools in Fresno

Great Choice Schools in Fresno

There are so many great schools in Fresno to choose from. There are dozens of charter and magnet schools within the Fresno Unified School District that focus on specific areas of teaching. Here are just a few of the great choice schools in Fresno. These are all free public school but most of them have waiting lists and/or lotteries to enroll.

Morris E. Dailey Charter Elementary School

Morris E. Dailey Charter is an elementary school that serves grades Kindergarten through 5th grade. It was authorized as an International Baccalaureate school in August 2013 and is committed to a high-quality, rigorous, challenging, international education.

Manchester Gate


Manchester Gate is an elementary school that serves 2nd through 6th grade. They believe that children are the most valuable resource so they develop the curriculum and the environment to meet the special needs of gifted and talented children’s social, emotional, intellectual and physical development. The teachers provide a positive and stimulating learning environment.

Kepler Neighborhood School


Kepler Neighborhood School is an elementary and junior high school located in Downtown Fresno that teaches through service-learning. Studies show that students involved in service-learning have improved academic grades and increased higher-order thinking skills. They offer hands-on science labs, innovative and creative courses, and learning through active community involvement.

Edison Computech

Edison Computech is a 7th and 8th-grade school that focuses on the use of integrated technology. They offer a rigorous academic program with an eight-period day and the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Magnet Program. Edison Computech continues onto Edison High School with six-year programs.

Aspen Valley Prep Academy

Aspen Valley Prep Academy, formerly known as Valley Prep Academy Charter, is a K-12th grade year-round school as of the 2017-2018 school year. They work to highlight each student’s strengths and background to form them into leaders to transform the community.

Inspire Charter School

Inspire Charter School is a TK-12th grade independent study school that focuses on a flexible and personalized learning experience. It’s designed to tailor to the specific needs of each student. They work to develop students into critical thinkers, responsible citizens, and innovative leaders.

Agape Schools

Agape Schools are public charter schools that range from Kindergarten to 12th grade and even have an associates college program. They target students who would benefit from interactive and personalized learning. The highly qualified certified teaching staff prepare students for college and careers. There are four schools to choose from: W.E.B. DuBois Public Charter, Carter G. Woodson, W.E.B. DuBois Public Charter Academy, and Agape’ College of Business and Science.

Phillip J. Patino School of Entrepreneurship

The Phillip J. Patino School of Entrepreneurship serves students from 10th-12th grade. It’s an applied entrepreneurship school that promotes real world skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. When students are seniors they launch their own companies.

School of Unlimited Learning (SOUL)

SOUL came about in response to the growing number of high school drop outs. It is for high-risk and disadvantaged students in the Fresno area. Their goal is to provide comprehensive learning experiences in a way and environment that enables students to obtain skills, knowledge, and motivation to be self-directed, life-long learners, and self-sufficient.

CART (Center for Advanced Research and Technology)


CART buses students from 11th and 12th grades from Clovis Unified and Fresno Unified to attend half-day classes. They have programs in Professional Sciences, Engineering, Advanced Communications, and Global Economics. Students design and complete projects working with partners from the local, national, and international business community.

Erma Duncan Polytechnical High

Erma Duncan Polytechnical High is a magnet school that attracts students interested in Agriculture, Health, Public Service, Business, and Industrial Technology. Students can choose between two different Linked Learning Academies – IDATA Academy (Innovative Design and Applied Technology) and MASH (Medical Academy of Sciences and Health).

University High School

Not only is University High School the number one school in Fresno Unified School District, it is the number seven school in California. UHS is a 9th through 12th-grade free public charter school with a 98% graduation rate located on the Fresno State campus. It focuses mainly on music, liberal arts, and science. All graduates are required to complete a year’s worth of college work as part of their curriculum. Students are also required to be in an ensemble all four years of high school. They learn to score, compose, and record music with computer software and the school’s recording studio.

About Kate Harris

Kate grew up in Santa Rosa, California and attended school at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, where she studied Media Communications with an emphasis in Film Studies. She enjoys hiking, snowboarding, traveling, and reading. She currently lives in Fresno with her husband and is the Digital Marketing Manager for WorldLight Media.

Login