Calaveras County offers a full K-12 public education system organized across four school districts, with access to community college, trade training, and regional university options. Schools in the county are small, with low student-to-teacher ratios and strong community involvement.
The county is served by four public school districts, divided geographically between the west and east sides of the county.
West County Districts (Including Valley Springs)
Calaveras Unified School District is the largest in the county and serves students from Valley Springs, San Andreas, Mokelumne Hill, Mountain Ranch, Rail Road Flat, and West Point. It operates as a unified district covering grades TK through 12.
East County Districts
Mark Twain Union Elementary School District: Elementary school district serving eastern county communities including Angels Camp.
Vallecito Union School District: Elementary school district serving Avery, Douglas Flat, Murphys, and Vallecito.
Bret Harte Union High School District: High school district serving students from the Mark Twain and Vallecito elementary feeder districts, including Angels Camp, Murphys, Copperopolis, Vallecito, Arnold, and Dorrington.
| School | District | Grade Span |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Springs Elementary School | Calaveras Unified | K-8 |
| Jenny Lind Elementary | Calaveras Unified | K-8 |
| Toyon Middle School | Calaveras Unified | 6-8 |
| Calaveras High School | Calaveras Unified | 9-12 |
Students in Valley Springs typically attend Calaveras High School in San Andreas for grades 9-12.
| School | District | Grade Span |
|---|---|---|
| Albert A. Michelson Elementary | Mark Twain Union | K-5 |
| Copperopolis Elementary | Mark Twain Union | K-5 |
| Hazel Fischer Elementary | Vallecito Union | K-8 |
| Avery Middle School | Vallecito Union | 6-8 |
| Bret Harte Union High School | Bret Harte Union | 9-12 |
Bret Harte Union High School (Angels Camp): Approximately 559 students, student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1, Title 1 schoolwide.
Calaveras High School (San Andreas): Serves students from the west county including Valley Springs; known for small-school athletics and community engagement.
The Calaveras County Office of Education (CCOE) provides oversight, support services, and coordination across all districts, including special education, career-technical education programs, and alternative education pathways.
Within Reasonable Drive
| Institution | Location | Drive from Valley Springs |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia College (Yosemite Community College District) | Sonora | 45 minutes |
| San Joaquin Delta College | Stockton | 45 minutes |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton | 45 minutes |
| California State University, Stanislaus | Turlock | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Sacramento State University | Sacramento | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| UC Davis | Davis | 1 hour 45 minutes |
| UC Berkeley | Berkeley | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Stanford University | Palo Alto | 2 hours 30 minutes |
Calaveras County schools partner with CCOE and regional programs to offer career-technical education (CTE) pathways. A grant from the California Health Care Foundation has supported expansion of CTE programs connecting students to healthcare careers. Mark Twain Health Care District has an active history of sponsoring scholarships for Calaveras County residents pursuing medical and healthcare careers.
The Mark Twain Health Care District Board funds healthcare scholarships annually for Calaveras County residents pursuing education in medical and healthcare fields. This represents one of the District's direct investments in building the region's healthcare pipeline.
