Hillsborough: School Options & Home Search

Hillsborough includes public schools within Hillsborough City School District as well as independent schools such as The Nueva School and Crystal Springs Uplands School. For public elementary students, placement is based on the home address and available classroom space, while all registered HCSD students in grades 6–8 attend Crocker Middle School. Independent schools use their own admissions processes and are not assigned according to residential boundaries.

📝 Introduction

Hillsborough is a residential community on the San Francisco Peninsula with tree-lined streets, larger residential lots, local parks, access to nearby commercial areas, and connections to San Mateo, Burlingame, Interstate 280, and other Peninsula destinations. School information can be one part of a property search, but Hillsborough includes both public district schools and independent campuses with different enrollment procedures. Buyers can consider school locations and current enrollment information together with property features, transportation, lot characteristics, and nearby services, while sellers can keep school references factual and based on current district or school resources.

🏫 The Nueva School

• Achievements: Nueva operates a PreK–12 independent-school program focused on inquiry, project-based learning, and design thinking. Its Hillsborough campus includes a LEED Gold-certified Hillside Learning Complex, and the Science and Environmental Center received a Green Building Award from Sustainable San Mateo in 2024.
• Fun Fact: Nueva's Innovation Labs provide spaces for design, engineering, computer science, prototyping, and hands-on projects. The school reports that 72% of students spend time in an I-Lab during a typical week.
• Brief History: Nueva opened in 1967 in Menlo Park and moved to its Hillsborough campus in 1971. The Hillsborough campus now serves PreK through grade 8, while the Upper School operates in San Mateo.
• 📍 Address: 6565 Skyline Boulevard, Hillsborough, CA 94010
• 📞 Phone: 650-350-4600
• 🌐 Website: nuevaschool.org
• Real Estate Insight: Nueva is an independent school, so living near its Hillsborough campus does not determine admission. Its Skyline Boulevard location can instead serve as a geographic reference when comparing nearby roads, residential areas, and access toward Interstate 280.

🏫 Crystal Springs Uplands School

• Achievements: Crystal's Hillsborough Upper School offers academic coursework along with arts, athletics, and college counseling. The school's current 2026–27 course catalog provides a broad selection of Upper School classes and graduation planning resources.
• Fun Fact: The historic Uplands Mansion at the Hillsborough campus was built between 1912 and 1917 for Charles Templeton Crocker and was designed by architect Willis Polk.
• Brief History: Crystal was formally incorporated in 1952. Today, its Middle School operates in Belmont while its Upper School remains at the Hillsborough campus. The Belmont Middle School campus opened in 2017.
• 📍 Address: 400 Uplands Drive, Hillsborough, CA 94010
• 📞 Phone: 650-342-4175
• 🌐 Website: crystal.org
• Real Estate Insight: Crystal's Upper School and Middle School operate on separate campuses, so buyers researching nearby homes should distinguish the Hillsborough Upper School location from the Belmont Middle School campus. Admission is separate from residential school assignments.

🏫 Crocker Middle School

• Achievements: Crocker Middle School was named a 2026 California Distinguished School. The campus also offers academics, electives, student activities, and multimedia resources.
• Fun Fact: Crocker operates HTV, a school news and video program connected with its television and media facilities.
• Brief History: Crocker has served as Hillsborough City School District's middle school for decades. A major campus addition opened for the 2009–10 school year with facilities including a science lecture hall, television studio, band room, and classrooms.
• 📍 Address: 2600 Ralston Avenue, Hillsborough, CA 94010
• 📞 Phone: 650-342-6331
• 🌐 Website: crocker.hcsdk8.org
• Real Estate Insight: Crocker differs from Hillsborough's elementary schools because HCSD currently directs all registered district students in grades 6–8 to this campus rather than dividing middle-school placement among multiple neighborhood schools.

🏫 North Hillsborough Elementary School

• Achievements: North Hillsborough has received California Distinguished School recognition multiple times, including in 1995, 2000, 2004, 2010, 2014, and 2018.
• Fun Fact: The North campus includes an Innovation Lab, library, music classroom, and Hillsborough Recreation programs offering additional educational and recreational activities.
• Brief History: North Hillsborough School opened in September 1950 with 175 students. The campus temporarily closed between 1985 and 1990 before reopening, and a new multipurpose room was added in 2010.
• 📍 Address: 545 Eucalyptus Avenue, Hillsborough, CA 94010
• 📞 Phone: 650-347-4175
• 🌐 Website: north.hcsdk8.org
• Real Estate Insight: North is one of Hillsborough's three public elementary campuses. For grades K–5, the district uses residential boundaries as part of placement, with classroom availability also affecting final school placement.

🏫 West Hillsborough Elementary School

• Achievements: West Hillsborough has received California Distinguished School recognition multiple times and received the J. Russell Kent Award for Innovative Programs in 2011.
• Fun Fact: Hillsborough Recreation preschool and additional recreation programs operate on the West campus alongside the elementary school.
• Brief History: Land for West Hillsborough School was purchased in 1953, and the school opened the following year. Additional campus facilities were added over subsequent decades, including classroom expansions in 2011 and 2014.
• 📍 Address: 376 Barbara Way, Hillsborough, CA 94010
• 📞 Phone: 650-344-9870
• 🌐 Website: west.hcsdk8.org
• Real Estate Insight: West's Barbara Way location provides a useful reference when reviewing nearby streets and property locations, while current HCSD resources should be used to confirm K–5 placement because enrollment also depends on district procedures and available classroom space.

📊 School–Real Estate Connection

Hillsborough's school landscape includes both public district schools and independent schools, so proximity alone does not explain enrollment. Public elementary placement involves HCSD boundaries and available classroom space, all HCSD students in grades 6–8 attend Crocker, and independent schools such as Nueva and Crystal use separate admissions procedures. Buyers can review those distinctions alongside property size, condition, location, transportation access, and other real estate factors.

✅ What Can You Do?

For Buyers

• Separate public-school assignments from independent-school admissions when researching a Hillsborough property.
• Use the property's address to review the applicable HCSD elementary home school.
• Remember that HCSD students in grades 6–8 currently attend Crocker Middle School.
• Check Nueva and Crystal directly for admissions, grade levels, and campus information rather than assuming residential proximity affects admission.
• Compare school locations with property features, Interstate 280 access, nearby services, and other factors relevant to your home search.

For Sellers

• Identify schools accurately as public district or independent schools when mentioning them in marketing.
• Confirm the current HCSD elementary assignment before carrying information forward from an older listing.
• Do not imply that proximity to Nueva or Crystal provides admission rights.
• Use factual campus locations and official school resources rather than claims about demand, future appreciation, or preferred buyer groups.
• Keep school references separate from assumptions about who may want to purchase the property.

❓ FAQ

Q: Do all Hillsborough elementary students attend the same public school?

A: No. Hillsborough City School District operates three elementary schools, and K–5 home-school placement is based on residential boundaries. Available classroom space can also affect final placement.

Q: Where do Hillsborough City School District students attend middle school?

A: HCSD states that all registered students in grades 6–8 attend Crocker Middle School.

Q: Are The Nueva School and Crystal Springs Uplands School part of Hillsborough City School District?

A: No. They are independent schools with their own admissions processes. Nueva's Hillsborough campus serves PreK–8, while Crystal's Hillsborough campus serves its Upper School.

🔚 Conclusion

Hillsborough offers a mix of public district and independent-school options, each with different enrollment procedures and campus arrangements. Buyers can review current school information together with property characteristics, transportation, location, and other housing considerations, while sellers can keep school references accurate by clearly distinguishing public assignments from independent-school admissions.

This blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, accounting, investment, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified professionals before making any decisions based on this content. School information including addresses, phone numbers, and emails was accurate as of the blog’s published date but may change without notice. Please verify directly with the school or institution. This content is provided “as is,” without warranties of any kind. If you are currently under an exclusive agreement with another real estate broker, this blog is not intended as a solicitation.