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Public high school · San Diego Unified · San Diego, California

Garfield High

Garfield High rates 4.5, below most San Diego Unified high schools, whose rated median is 7.4.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
4.5this school

4.5 on a one-to-ten scale; the San Diego Unified median is 7.4.

#8,469 of 9,557 schools in California · San Diego Unified: 24 high schools rated, median 7.4

The brief

A San Diego Unified high school where students score 15 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 8,469 of 9,557 schools in California and 159 of 174 in San Diego Unified.

Garfield High is listed in San Diego Unified, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math2%32 points below the California average of 34%2025 CAASPP
Reading12%41 points below the California average of 53%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency is down 17 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 7% recently.2025 CAASPP; 24 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
3.8
25% of the rating
Academics
2.4
25% of the rating
College Readiness
4.9
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
7.3
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 8% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 15% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · 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 92101; 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Garfield High and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$90,477
Median home value
$740,500
Median rent
$2,351/mo
College educated
57.3%
Homeownership
25.1%
Poverty rate
16.8%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92101; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
86
Very Walkable
Transit Score
72
Excellent Transit
Bike Score
56
Bikeable
City reported crime
1,920/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for San Diego. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (San Diego), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Advanced STEM courses
3 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
94.5%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 7.2Compare →
  2. 7.2Compare →
  3. San Diego Virtual1.1 mi · charter
    6.4Compare →
  4. 6.0Compare →
  5. E3 Civic High0.7 mi · charter
    5.6Compare →
  6. 5.3Compare →
  7. 5.3Compare →
  8. Monarch1.1 mi
    5.3Compare →
  9. Garfield Highthis school
    4.5
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and eight rate higher than Garfield High.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Garfield High serve?

Garfield High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Garfield High?

Garfield High has an enrollment of approximately 220 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Garfield High?

The student-teacher ratio at Garfield High is 10.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Garfield High rank in CA?

Garfield High ranks #8,469 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is Garfield High's MySchoolScout rating?

Garfield High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.5 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 Garfield High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Garfield High has 8% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 15% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Garfield High a charter school?

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

Is Garfield High a Title I school?

No, Garfield High is not currently a Title I school.

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

94.5% of students at Garfield 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 facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
220
Student-teacher ratio
10.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
21
Type
Alternative
Title I
No
Setting
Large City
County
San Diego County
4-year graduation
50–54%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#159 of 174
Schools in district
175
District spending per student
$20,828
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.7%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 92101)
48,163
Area average commute
25 min
Area median age
37

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.