The Oakdale Joint Unified School Districtis situated in the heart of California's Central Valley. Located on the eastern edge of the valley, the city is a gateway to Yosemite National Park as well as the entire Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Oakdale can be reached from the west by exiting Highway 99 near Modesto and traveling east on Highway 120 or from the east via Highways 108 and 120.

Oakdale Joint Unified School District serves approximately 5200 students with four elementary schools, one junior high school, one comprehensive high school, one continuation high school, one independent study high school, and one charter high school.

The Oakdale Union Elementary School District and the Oakdale Union High School District were merged to create the Oakdale Joint Unified School District on July 1, 1998.