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#4964 of 9,539 schools in CA

Ernest Righetti High

High School · Santa Maria Joint Union High · Santa Maria, CA

A Santa Maria Joint Union High high school serving grades 9th – 12th.

941 East Foster Rd., Santa Maria, CA 93455

  • Math 20% vs CA 32% (2024)
  • Reading 62% vs CA 52% (2024)
  • 92.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress5.2Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.69 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics7.0Very Good25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency20.4% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency61.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-7.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+5.7 pts
Overall Proficiency41% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)40% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+0.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile56th
College Readiness5.8Average30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate92%
AP Participation13%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment7.7Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio20.2:1
District spending per student$17,168
Chronic Absenteeism27%

Students at Ernest Righetti High score 41% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 40%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency20%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
32%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency62%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
52%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 8 points since 2017, reaching 41% in 2024.

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
55%
ELA
55%
2010
Math
60%
ELA
61%
2011
Math
64%
ELA
63%
2012
Math
59%
ELA
55%
2013
Math
56%
ELA
50%
2014
Math
18%
ELA
45%
2015
Math
22%
ELA
52%
2016
Math
15%
ELA
45%
2017
Math
21%
ELA
45%
2018
Math
23%
ELA
62%
2019
Math
23%
ELA
62%
2024
Math
20%
ELA
62%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 35% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 55% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 26 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

60.6%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Ernest Righetti High sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 21Car-Dependent
  • Bike 39Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,611/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Santa Maria), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$108,501

Median home value

$572,700

Median rent

$2,267/mo

College educated

31.6%

Homeownership

77.8%

Poverty rate

7.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93455; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs2AP courses offered
13% participation·State avg: 2.6 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics23sports offered
12 boys'·11 girls'·45 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
St Joseph High SchoolPrivate · tuition5.8private9–120.3 mi488Compare →
Family Partnership CharterCharter · enrollment unverified8.8K–121.3 mi400Compare →
Delta HighEnrollment path unverified5.99–121.4 mi338Compare →
Olive Grove Charter - Orcutt/santa MariaCharter · enrollment unverified6.9K–121.4 mi141Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Santa Maria Joint Union High

Schools in district
4
Rank in district
#3 of 4
District spending per student
$17,168NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
21.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Ernest Righetti High is listed in Santa Maria Joint Union High; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Ernest Righetti High

Ernest Righetti High is a public high school in Santa Maria, CA, part of Santa Maria Joint Union High, serving approximately 2,424 students in grades 9th-12th with a 20.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 out of 10 and ranks #4,964 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 35% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Ernest Righetti High

What grades does Ernest Righetti High serve?

Ernest Righetti High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Ernest Righetti High?

Ernest Righetti High has an enrollment of approximately 2,424 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Ernest Righetti High?

The student-teacher ratio at Ernest Righetti High is 20.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Ernest Righetti High rank in CA?

Ernest Righetti High ranks #4,964 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Ernest Righetti High's MySchoolScout rating?

Ernest Righetti High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Ernest Righetti High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Ernest Righetti High has 35% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Ernest Righetti High a charter school?

No, Ernest Righetti High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Ernest Righetti High a Title I school?

No, Ernest Righetti High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Ernest Righetti High?

60.6% of students at Ernest Righetti High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
2,424
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
120
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Santa Barbara County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
27.0%
4-Year Graduation
92.0%
Area population (ZIP 93455)
44,350
Area average commute
21.8 min
Area median age
39.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 93455; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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