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Excellent

#67 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 1% in state

Santa Monica High

High School · Santa Monica-malibu Unified · Santa Monica, CA

A Santa Monica-malibu Unified high school where students score 13 points above what's typical for similar communities.

601 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405

  • Math 57% vs CA 32% (2024)
  • Reading 84% vs CA 52% (2024)
  • 97.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress9.2Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-0.15 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics9.2Excellent25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency56.9% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency83.8% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+28.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+27.9 pts
Overall Proficiency70% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)57% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+13.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile88th
College Readiness9.7Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate97%
AP Participation70.9%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment9.4Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio19.1:1
District spending per student$24,994
Chronic Absenteeism25.8%

Students at Santa Monica High score 70% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 57%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency57%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
32%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency84%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
52%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 6 points since 2017, reaching 70% in 2024.

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
68%
ELA
70%
2010
Math
67%
ELA
76%
2011
Math
71%
ELA
72%
2012
Math
72%
ELA
75%
2013
Math
70%
ELA
71%
2014
Math
47%
ELA
62%
2015
Math
49%
ELA
60%
2016
Math
53%
ELA
83%
2017
Math
51%
ELA
78%
2018
Math
56%
ELA
81%
2019
Math
56%
ELA
81%
2024
Math
57%
ELA
84%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 60% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 75% (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

30.8%

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 Monica High sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Los Angeles map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 94Walker's Paradise
  • Transit 76Excellent Transit
  • Bike 91Biker’s Paradise
  • City Safety: High5,630/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$114,489

Median home value

$1,940,700

Median rent

$2,311/mo

College educated

69.8%

Homeownership

31.1%

Poverty rate

9.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 90405; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offered
70.9% participation·State avg: 2.6 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics22sports offered
11 boys'·11 girls'·48 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
Olympic High (continuation)Enrollment path unverified4.39–120.6 mi32Compare →
Dragon Rocc AcademyPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–120.7 mi262Compare →
Crossroads School for Arts & SciencesPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–121.1 mi1,202Compare →
Crossroads School for Arts & SciencesPrivate · tuition6.3privateK–121.1 mi1,213Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission 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 Monica-malibu Unified

Schools in district
17
Rank in district
#1 of 15
District spending per student
$24,994NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Santa Monica High is listed in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Santa Monica High

Santa Monica High is a public high school in Santa Monica, CA, part of Santa Monica-malibu Unified, serving approximately 2,573 students in grades 9th-12th with a 19.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 9.4 out of 10 and ranks #67 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 60% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 75% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

What's said publicly about Santa Monica High

Sources:Wikipedia

Synthesized from public, attributable sources. Updated May 2026.

Santa Monica High School, officially abbreviated as Samohi or SMHS, is a public high school located in Santa Monica, California 1. The institution was founded in 1891 1. During its early years, the school changed locations several times before establishing its current campus at 601 Pico Boulevard 1. It operates as part of the Santa Monica–Malibu Unified School District 1.
Sources (1)
  1. 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 Monica High

What grades does Santa Monica High serve?

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

How many students attend Santa Monica High?

Santa Monica High has an enrollment of approximately 2,573 students.

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

The student-teacher ratio at Santa Monica High is 19.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Santa Monica High rank in CA?

Santa Monica High ranks #67 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Santa Monica High's MySchoolScout rating?

Santa Monica High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.4 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 Monica High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Santa Monica High has 60% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 75% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Santa Monica High a charter school?

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

Is Santa Monica High a Title I school?

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

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

30.8% of students at Santa Monica 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
2,573
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
135
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Los Angeles County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
25.8%
4-Year Graduation
97.0%
Area population (ZIP 90405)
26,809
Area average commute
27.4 min
Area median age
42.2
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 90405; 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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