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Average

#4007 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 42% in state

Santa Maria High

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

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

901 South Broadway, Santa Maria, CA 93454

  • Math 14% vs CA 32% (2024)
  • Reading 43% vs CA 52% (2024)
  • 91.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress8.3Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-0.68 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics5.8Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency13.7% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency43.4% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-14.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-12.5 pts
Overall Proficiency29% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)29% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+0.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile41th
College Readiness5.9Average30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate91%
AP Participation15.4%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment7.7Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio21.4:1
District spending per student$17,168
Chronic Absenteeism20%

Students at Santa Maria High score 29% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 28%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency14%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
32%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency43%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
52%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 9 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 29% recently.

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
47%
ELA
28%
2010
Math
45%
ELA
33%
2011
Math
49%
ELA
29%
2012
Math
50%
ELA
29%
2013
Math
48%
ELA
33%
2014
Math
19%
ELA
30%
2015
Math
26%
ELA
46%
2016
Math
21%
ELA
43%
2017
Math
24%
ELA
42%
2018
Math
24%
ELA
44%
2019
Math
24%
ELA
44%
2024
Math
14%
ELA
43%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 31% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 38% (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

81.4%

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 Maria 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 84Very Walkable
  • Bike 62Bikeable
  • 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

$84,178

Median home value

$477,600

Median rent

$1,750/mo

College educated

17.8%

Homeownership

53.1%

Poverty rate

13.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93454; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offered
15.4% participation·State avg: 2.6 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics30sports offered
19 boys'·11 girls'·44 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
Agape School of Christian EducationPrivate · tuitionNot rated3–111.0 mi3Compare →
Trivium CharterCharter · enrollment unverified5.8K–121.0 mi320Compare →
Eagles Christian AcademyPrivate · tuitionNot rated3–121.3 mi18Compare →
Delta HighEnrollment path unverified5.99–12Not available338Compare →

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.

Santa Maria Joint Union High

Schools in district
4
Rank in district
#2 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

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

About Santa Maria High

Santa Maria High is a public high school in Santa Maria, CA, part of Santa Maria Joint Union High, serving approximately 3,110 students in grades 9th-12th with a 21.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.8 out of 10 and ranks #4,007 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 31% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

What's said publicly about Santa Maria High

Sources:School's websiteWikipedia

Synthesized from public, attributable sources. Updated April 2026.

Santa Maria High School (SMHS) is a public comprehensive high school located in Santa Maria, California 2. Established in 1892, it is recognized as the second-oldest high school in California still operating on its original site 1. The school is part of the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, which was founded on June 6, 1893 2. SMHS is situated in the Santa Maria Valley, an agricultural region on California’s Central Coast 1. The school offers tutoring services for students, including support for English Language Development (ELD) learners 1. Recent activities include academic awards ceremonies, theater productions, and community events such as the Day of Hope coin collection, which raised over $1,000 1. The school also participates in spirit weeks and honors veterans and Hispanic Heritage Month 1.
Sources (2)
  1. www.santamariahighschool.org
  2. en.wikipedia.org
Generated by AI from public sources. Every claim is grounded in a cited source.Report inaccuracy

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Santa Maria High

What grades does Santa Maria High serve?

Santa Maria High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Santa Maria High?

Santa Maria High has an enrollment of approximately 3,110 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Santa Maria High?

The student-teacher ratio at Santa Maria High is 21.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Santa Maria High rank in CA?

Santa Maria High ranks #4,007 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Santa Maria High's MySchoolScout rating?

Santa Maria High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.8 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 Maria High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Santa Maria High has 31% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Santa Maria High a charter school?

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

Is Santa Maria High a Title I school?

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

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

81.4% of students at Santa Maria 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
3,110
Student-Teacher Ratio
21.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
145
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Santa Barbara County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
20.0%
4-Year Graduation
91.0%
Area population (ZIP 93454)
41,710
Area average commute
23 min
Area median age
31.5
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 93454; 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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