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#6160 of 9,539 schools in CA

Santa Barbara Junior High

Middle School · Santa Barbara Unified · Santa Barbara, CA

A Santa Barbara Unified middle school serving grades 7th – 8th.

721 East Cota St., Santa Barbara, CA 93103

  • Math 24% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 33% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.1Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-2.34 pts/yr
Data Period2011–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.6Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency23.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency33.1% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-10.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-14.2 pts
Overall Proficiency28% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)30% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-1.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile39th
Resources & Environment9.4Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.2:1
District spending per student$18,094
Chronic Absenteeism32.1%

Students at Santa Barbara Junior High score 28% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 30%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency24%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency33%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 21 points since 2020, to 28% in 2024, across a 14-year record (2011–2024).

Show all 12 years
2011
Math
60%
ELA
70%
2012
Math
59%
ELA
63%
2014
Math
41%
ELA
51%
2015
Math
40%
ELA
53%
2016
Math
36%
ELA
47%
2017
Math
40%
ELA
50%
2018
Math
39%
ELA
45%
2019
Math
39%
ELA
45%
2020*
Math
25%
ELA
75%
2021*
Math
25%
ELA
75%
2022
Math
25%
ELA
34%
2024
Math
24%
ELA
33%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 36% (multi-year average, 2011-2024) · reading/ELA 51% (multi-year average, 2011-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

78.5%

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 Santa Barbara Junior 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 93Walker's Paradise
  • Transit 39Some Transit
  • Bike 90Biker’s Paradise
  • City Safety: High2,470/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Santa Barbara), 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

$118,118

Median home value

$1,555,600

Median rent

$2,407/mo

College educated

46%

Homeownership

46%

Poverty rate

10.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93103; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Providence SchoolPrivate · tuition6.8privateK–120.3 mi245Compare →
Alta VistaEnrollment path unverifiedNot rated7–90.6 mi4Compare →
La Cumbre Junior HighEnrollment path unverified6.47–82.3 mi450Compare →
Olive Grove Charter - Santa BarbaraCharter · enrollment unverified7.6K–122.7 mi82Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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.

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

Santa Barbara Unified

Schools in district
21
Rank in district
#17 of 19
District spending per student
$18,094NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Santa Barbara Junior High is listed in Santa Barbara Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Santa Barbara Junior High

Santa Barbara Junior High is a public middle school in Santa Barbara, CA, part of Santa Barbara Unified, serving approximately 502 students in grades 7th-8th with a 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.6 out of 10 and ranks #6,160 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2024) and 51% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Santa Barbara Junior High

What grades does Santa Barbara Junior High serve?

Santa Barbara Junior High serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend Santa Barbara Junior High?

Santa Barbara Junior High has an enrollment of approximately 502 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Santa Barbara Junior High?

The student-teacher ratio at Santa Barbara Junior High is 15.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Santa Barbara Junior High rank in CA?

Santa Barbara Junior High ranks #6,160 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Santa Barbara Junior High's MySchoolScout rating?

Santa Barbara Junior High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.6 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 Santa Barbara Junior High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Santa Barbara Junior High has 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2024) and 51% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2011-2024).

Is Santa Barbara Junior High a charter school?

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

Is Santa Barbara Junior High a Title I school?

No, Santa Barbara Junior High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Santa Barbara Junior High?

78.5% of students at Santa Barbara Junior 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
7th – 8th
Enrollment
502
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
33
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Santa Barbara County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.1%
Area population (ZIP 93103)
19,803
Area average commute
17.2 min
Area median age
39.8
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 93103; 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, 2011-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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