How strong are the public high schools in Oakland?

With a fresh school year kicking off, we analyzed newly released data from Niche.com — which include comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews — to identify the schools that made the biggest strides last year, as well as those that lead their peers.

Madison Park Business & Art Academy's overall rating improved the most among similar schools in Oakland, rising from a C- to a C+, according to data from Niche.

For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 400 Capistrano Drive, enrolls 768 students. Madison Park Business & Art Academy serves a diverse population: 82% of students identify as Hispanic and 14% identify as black. Niche gave the school mixed grades: B- on an A-D scale for academics, C- for administration and C- for clubs and activities.

The overall ranking comes from Niche's proprietary algorithms. A school's ranking might change due to many factors, including the relative rankings of similar schools and whether a school gained or lost peers due to openings or closings. Other numbers come from current public data from the U.S. government.

Academically, 19% of Madison Park's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 30% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 12% in math and 27% in reading. The school's improved overall rating is notable in that it serves a less-affluent population, with 93% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 12% more than the city average.

It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Oakland Technical High School saw its overall rating go from an A- to an A. The school, located at 4351 Broadway, is much larger, currently serving 2,031 students. 30% of students identify as black, 23% as white and 22% as Asian.

Niche gave Oakland Technical High School mixed grades: A- on an A-D scale for academics, C- for administration and C- for clubs and activities. The school's latest math proficiency was at 28%, and reading proficiency was 59%.

Oakland High School also saw an improvement in its overall rating, from a C to a C+. The school, located at 1023 MacArthur Blvd., has 1,562 students currently enrolled, of whom 33% identify as Asian, 32% identify as black and 30% identify as Hispanic.

Niche gave Oakland High School mixed grades — C on an A-D scale for academics, C- for administration and C+ for clubs and activities. Its math proficiency was at 20%, and reading proficiency was 40%. The school also serves a less-affluent community, with 87% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

While some public high schools in Oakland are moving up the ranks, others are consistently top-rated overall, including:

Want more of the latest intel on Oakland schools? Hoodline also analyzed the latest Niche ratings for the city's charter high schools.

This story was created automatically using data from Niche.com, then reviewed by an editor before publication. Click here for more about how and why Hoodline is automating local news. Got thoughts about what we're doing? Go here to share your feedback.