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#7329 of 9,539 schools in CA

Sweetwater High

High School · Sweetwater Union High · National City, CA

A Sweetwater Union High high school where students score 4 points above what's typical for similar communities.

2900 Highland Ave., National City, CA 91950

  • Math 11% vs CA 32% (2024)
  • Reading 44% vs CA 52% (2024)
  • 84.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress3.7Needs Improvement25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.15 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics6.1Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency11.1% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency44.1% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-16.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-11.8 pts
Overall Proficiency28% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)24% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+3.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile44th
College Readiness6.6Average30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate84%
AP Participation31.6%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment3.0Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio24.5:1
District spending per student$15,647
Chronic Absenteeism34.1%

Students at Sweetwater High score 28% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 24%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency11%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
32%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency44%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
52%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 13 points since 2019, to 28% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
51%
ELA
44%
2010
Math
68%
ELA
62%
2011
Math
65%
ELA
55%
2012
Math
66%
ELA
55%
2013
Math
65%
ELA
52%
2014
Math
21%
ELA
52%
2015
Math
22%
ELA
53%
2016
Math
19%
ELA
53%
2017
Math
18%
ELA
51%
2018
Math
25%
ELA
56%
2019
Math
25%
ELA
56%
2020*
Math
26%
ELA
49%
2021*
Math
26%
ELA
49%
2024
Math
11%
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 35% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 52% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

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

Based on 30 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

89.5%

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 Sweetwater 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 San Diego map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 63Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 50Good Transit
  • Bike 65Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,651/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (National City), 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

$63,858

Median home value

$580,700

Median rent

$1,600/mo

College educated

16.5%

Homeownership

35.2%

Poverty rate

14.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 91950; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offered
31.6% participation·State avg: 2.6 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics22sports offered
11 boys'·11 girls'·22 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
South Bay Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.2privateK–120.9 mi38Compare →
Hawking S.t.e.a.m. CharterCharter · enrollment unverified5.0K–121.2 mi1,305Compare →
Faithful Ambassadors Bible Baptist AcademyPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–121.4 mi99Compare →
Eastlake HighEnrollment path unverified7.79–12Not available2,710Compare →

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.

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

Sweetwater Union High

Schools in district
29
Rank in district
#20 of 28
District spending per student
$15,647NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
12.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Sweetwater High

Sweetwater High is a public high school in National City, CA, part of Sweetwater Union High, serving approximately 2,425 students in grades 9th-12th with a 24.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.0 out of 10 and ranks #7,329 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 35% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 52% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Sweetwater High

What grades does Sweetwater High serve?

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

How many students attend Sweetwater High?

Sweetwater High has an enrollment of approximately 2,425 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Sweetwater High?

The student-teacher ratio at Sweetwater High is 24.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Sweetwater High rank in CA?

Sweetwater High ranks #7,329 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Sweetwater High's MySchoolScout rating?

Sweetwater High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.0 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 Sweetwater High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Sweetwater High has 35% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 52% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Sweetwater High a charter school?

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

Is Sweetwater High a Title I school?

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

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

89.5% of students at Sweetwater 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
2,425
Student-Teacher Ratio
24.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
99
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
San Diego County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
34.1%
4-Year Graduation
84.0%
Area population (ZIP 91950)
57,173
Area average commute
25.9 min
Area median age
36.3
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 91950; 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

Related reading

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