In February, 12 Tri-Valley high school students were selected as candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars program. A part of the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program recognizes distinguished graduating high school seniors. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars. This invitation-only program was established in 1964 to honor students demonstrating exceptional academic ability. It makes sense that Tri-Valley students would be candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars program, given how strongly the region supports public education.

National Recognition

Tri-Valley school districts share a focus on the importance of STEM fields for students. Foothill and Amador Valley high schools in Pleasanton and Dougherty Valley High in San Ramon are included in Newsweek's Top 500 Best STEM Schools, which includes private schools in its ranking. The US News and World Report listing of Best High Schools for 2025-2026 includes Amador Valley and Foothill, California High School and Dougherty Valley in San Ramon, Dublin High School, and Monte Vista High School in Dublin. Each of these schools were recognized for their excellence in STEM fields as well as overall performance.

Tri-Valley public K-12 schools are also rated highly by ranking website Niche in its 2026 Best Schools in America listing. The area’s school districts are also noted for their excellence. Pleasanton Unified School District is the second best school district in Alameda County, according to Niche. It rates all Tri-Valley school districts highly: the Dublin Unified School District, the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District, and the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, in addition to Pleasanton.

This national recognition goes beyond K through 12 public schools. Forbes Contributor Tori Kendrick calls community college “the engine of opportunity,” and the Tri-Valley has an exceptionally good one in Livermore’s Las Positas College. For 2026, Niche ranked it as the second-best community college in California and fourth for the United States as a whole. Niche’s rankings are established by compiling information from a variety of sources, such as the Department of Education, the U.S. Census, and the FBI.

The region’s appreciation for STEM fields can be seen in the encouragement students receive to explore technology from an early age. Elementary school students are invited to visit Livermore’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to learn about the lab’s National Ignition Facility. Summer workshops for older students are also hosted by LLNL, which is one of several Tri-Valley organizations that support Girls Who Code and similar after-school programs. The annual Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District Science Odyssey, which was held this year in February, allows K through 12 pupils to demonstrate their experiments to the public. Pleasanton schools have partnered with nonprofit Project Lead the Way for many years. The district-wide program Project Lead The Way teaches pre-K through 12th-graders about computer science, engineering, and biomedical science through hands-on projects and classroom lessons.

A Culture That Values Education

Such high rankings are welcome signs of the excellence of Tri-Valley schools. One factor behind the rankings is the strong support for public education. Part of that support may be rooted in the number of residents with high academic achievements. Nearly 30% of Tri-Valley adults have a graduate or professional degree, compared to 19% for Bay Area adults and 12% for California adults as a whole, according to the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. The result is a culture that treasures knowledge and learning.

Another factor is strong community support. In Pleasanton, for example, Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation (PPIE) has helped fund all public Pleasanton schools since 1987. The community-based nonprofit enhances learning experiences for Pleasanton students through a partnership of business, education, and the community. Since its founding in 1987, PPIE has raised over $8 million for critical staff, including librarians, counselors, intervention specialists, and programming support for mental health and wellness, as well as supplemental teachers to reduce class sizes.

Those additional staffing hours are critically important. They help keep libraries open longer, allow tech specialists to keep computers running for teachers and students, and make it possible for intervention specialists to help students who need additional or advanced help with math, English, and technology, as well as to help teachers deliver targeted learning for these students. It issues annual Innovative Education Grants up to $3,000 to Pleasanton teachers to support remarkable science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) projects designed to inspire and educate students. PPIE also awards grants up to $500 for student-led projects in STEAM categories.

Businesses and nonprofits are also working with local school districts to prepare students for a successful future in the workforce. In 2024, for example, the Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD) took “a groundbreaking step in preparing high school Career and Technical Education students for college, career, and life success by launching California’s first competency-based, dual-registered youth apprenticeships in Cybersecurity and Robotics,” according to Amos Nugent III, Ed.D., Director of Career Pathways and Adult Learning for PUSD. “This innovative program represents a critical milestone in addressing regional workforce demands while equipping students with industry-relevant skills and credentials.”

Many excellent schools, tutoring services, after-school programs, and childcare programs are available within Hacienda and throughout the top-ranked Pleasanton Unified School District. As the rankings show, quality public education is available throughout the Tri-Valley as well. Thanks to the dedicated professionals who work in the region’s school districts and consistent support from parents, nonprofits, and regional businesses, Tri-Valley schools and their students continue to thrive.

For more information about the Pleasanton Unified School District, please visit www.pleasantonusd.net.

For more information about the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, please visit www.srvusd.net.

For more information about the Dublin Unified School District, please visit www.dublin.k12.ca.us.

For more information about the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District, please visit www.livermoreschools.org.

For more information about Pleasanton Partnerships in Education, please visit www.ppie.org.

For more information about Las Positas College, please visit www.laspositascollege.edu.