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In California it depends on the district. I live in an open-enrollment district; kids simply select where they want to go. My son went to an alternative high here that draws from all over. (Though definitely not <em>white</em> - his high school is also the most ethnically diverse in the district - meaning the most balanced among different races.) My d. attends a magnet in a district in neighboring city where her dad lives - as “alternate” choices on the enrollment form she was able to designate whatever high school she wanted, although there was no guarantee she would have been assigned to her top choice high school if she hadn’t gotten accepted into the magnet. </p>
<p>So between those 3 elements: open-enrollment, alternative, & magnet - there can be a lot of choices. </p>
<p>Though I do have to remind mini, around here an “above-average” public high school is NOT predominantly <em>white</em>. Sorry, but the way you find a top-notch public high school (or university) is you look for one that is prodominantly Asian.</p>