Top Rankings
Santa Barbara Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 6 public high schools serving 6,305 students in Santa Barbara Unified School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public high schools in California.
Public High Schools in Santa Barbara Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 32% (versus the California public high school average of 28%), and reading proficiency score of 51% (versus the 51% statewide average).
Public High School in Santa Barbara Unified School District have a Graduation Rate of 92%, which is more than the California average of 86%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Dos Pueblos Senior High School, with 96% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in California or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 66% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the California public high school average of 79% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
21 Schools
2,817 Schools
# Students
12,484 Students
2,139,525 Students
# Teachers
644 Teachers
100,737 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
19:1
19:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Santa Barbara Unified School District, which is ranked #629 of all 1,910 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 92% has increased from 91% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#599 out of 1932 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
38%
34%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
48%
47%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
33%
29%
Graduation Rate
92%
87%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.55
0.63
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
3%
11%
% Hispanic
60%
56%
% Black
1%
5%
% White
30%
22%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $18,994 in this school district is less than the state median of $19,974. The school district revenue/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $19,002 is higher than the state median of $18,396. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$237 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$237 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$18,994
$19,974
Spending / Student
$19,002
$18,396
Best Santa Barbara Unified School District Public High Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Dos Pueblos Senior High School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
7266 Alameda Ave.
Goleta, CA 93117
(805) 968-2541
Goleta, CA 93117
(805) 968-2541
Grades: 9-12
| 2,075 students
Rank: #22.
Alta Vista Alternative High School
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
215 East Ortega St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-0883
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-0883
Grades: 9-12
| 134 students
Rank: #33.
San Marcos Senior High School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
4750 Hollister Ave.
Santa Barbara, CA 93110
(805) 967-4581
Santa Barbara, CA 93110
(805) 967-4581
Grades: 9-12
| 1,943 students
Rank: #44.
Alta Vista
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: 21-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
215 East Ortega St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-0883
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-0883
Grades: 7-9
| 4 students
Rank: #55.
Santa Barbara Senior High School
(Math: 22% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
700 East Anapamu St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
(805) 966-9101
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
(805) 966-9101
Grades: 9-12
| 2,046 students
Rank: #66.
La Cuesta Continuation High School
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
710 Santa Barbara St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-0883
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-0883
Grades: 9-12
| 103 students
Recent Articles
The 15 Biggest Failures of the American Public Education System
The world is in a constant state of change and those who fail to adjust fall behind. Unfortunately, the American public education system has not kept up with the times and is currently facing a number of serious problems. Keep reading to learn about the biggest failures affecting the modern U.S. public education system as well as some of the trends that could spark change.
Florida Governor Calls for More Funding for State鈥檚 Public School System
Florida Governor Rick Scott has introduced a state budget for next year that pumps one billion more dollars into the public school system. We鈥檒l look at his reasons for the increase and the responses to the proposal.
Can Your Child鈥檚 School Meet the National Standards?
The article discusses the challenges public schools face in meeting national educational standards. It examines current performance trends, identifies key issues affecting student achievement, and explores potential solutions for improving academic outcomes across U.S. public schools.
