Original Research by School Decision on Leigh High
Leigh High is a traditional public high school in the Almaden Valley neighborhood of San Jose, serving grades nine through twelve. The school is part of Campbell Union High School District, which recently won voter approval for a major bond measure and maintains a parcel tax on property owners to fund operations.
The student body is just over one thousand, with enrollment balanced across grade levels. The school draws from a relatively affluent, highly educated area: just under one-fifth of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, well below the national average. The student composition is predominantly white and Asian, with a meaningful Hispanic presence and a smaller Black student population. This demographic makeup reflects the neighborhoods the school serves rather than the broader diversity of San Jose itself.
In the most recently reported school year, Leigh students showed solid performance in English language arts, with more than seven in ten students meeting proficiency standards. Mathematics proficiency was in the mid-range at about two-thirds of students, and science proficiency ran slightly lower, also in the mid-range. These results suggest capable instruction and student engagement across core subjects, though math and science are areas where additional support or tutoring resources might benefit students below proficiency. Trend data spanning multiple years was not available, so it is not possible to say whether the school is gaining ground, holding steady, or facing headwinds.
The housing market immediately surrounding Leigh reflects its location. Homes in the 95124 zip code command substantial prices well above the national median, and rental rates are correspondingly high. For renters, housing costs consume a very large share of median household income. For buyers, the ratio of home price to household income is steep relative to the national benchmark, though it sits within the range typical of Santa Clara County and the broader Silicon Valley region. Families considering a move into this catchment should expect to pay a significant premium for housing.
The immediate economic context includes a solid job market and stable employment. The broader San Jose economy is technology-dominated, with major employers including Cisco, Google, Apple, and a dense cluster of semiconductor and software firms. The region's unemployment rate is moderate and stable.
The district recently passed a substantial general obligation bond for repairs, modernization, and technology upgrades across all schools, funded through a new property tax that will run through the early 2050s. Separately, the district operates a parcel tax approved by voters. These measures signal ongoing investment in facilities and operations, though they also mean property-owning families in the district pay above-baseline school taxes.
State testing data was available only for the 2024-25 school year, so the school's trajectory and how its results compare to other high schools in Santa Clara County could not be assessed from the available materials. A parent interested in Leigh should ask the school directly about multiyear performance trends, program depth in fields of student interest, and how it supports students in math and science who need additional help. The school's location in a prosperous, educationally engaged neighborhood suggests an environment with meaningful parent involvement and student preparation, and the proficiency results reflect that context, but the single-year snapshot leaves questions about consistency and long-term patterns that a school visit or conversation with current families could help answer.
See more original research from School Decision →