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Public high school · Santa Monica-Malibu Unified · Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica High

Santa Monica High rates 8.1, among the strongest high schools in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified, where the rated median is 7.0.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
8.1this school

8.1 on a one-to-ten scale; the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified median is 7.0.

#1,172 of 9,557 schools in California · Santa Monica-Malibu Unified: 3 high schools rated, median 7.0

The brief

A Santa Monica-Malibu Unified high school where students score 11 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,172 of 9,557 schools in California and 4 of 15 in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified.

Santa Monica High is listed in Santa Monica-Malibu 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.

Math57%23 points above the California average of 34%2025 CAASPP
Reading83%30 points above the California average of 53%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency has held near 70% across the 17-year record (2009–2025).2025 CAASPP; 30 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
5.2
25% of the rating
Academics
9.1
25% of the rating
College Readiness
8.8
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
9.4
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 59% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 76% (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 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Santa Monica 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
$114,489
Median home value
$1,940,700
Median rent
$2,311/mo
College educated
69.8%
Homeownership
31.1%
Poverty rate
9.1%

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

Getting around

Walk Score
94
Walker's Paradise
Transit Score
76
Excellent Transit
Bike Score
91
Biker's Paradise
City reported crime
4,724/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Santa Monica. 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 (Santa Monica), 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

AP and IB
3 AP courses
70.9% participation · state average 2.6 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
22 sports
11 boys' · 11 girls' · 48 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
30.8%
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. Animo Venice Charter High1.7 mi · charter
    8.3Compare →
  2. 8.2Compare →
  3. 8.2Compare →
  4. Santa Monica Highthis school
    8.1
  5. New West Charter2.4 mi · charter
    7.0Compare →
  6. 6.7Compare →
  7. 6.5Compare →
  8. 5.4Compare →
Seven grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and three rate higher than Santa Monica 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.

The public record

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

Questions families ask

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 #1,172 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is Santa Monica High's MySchoolScout rating?

Santa Monica High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.1 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 59% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 76% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

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 facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
2,573
Student-teacher ratio
19.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
135
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Small City
County
Los Angeles County
4-year graduation
96.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#4 of 15
Schools in district
17
District spending per student
$24,994
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.4%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 90405)
26,809
Area average commute
27.4 min
Area median age
42.2

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.