Chautauqua High (Continuation)

Chautauqua High (Continuation) is a very small public high school in Big Bear City, part of the Bear Valley Unified school district, serving about 33 students in grades 8-12 who have typically faced significant challenges in a traditional school setting.

This school faces unique and profound challenges, most notably an extremely high rate of chronic absenteeism, which at 96.8% far exceeds that of nearby schools like Big Bear High (26.9%) and Lucerne Valley High (32.8%). This attendance issue is closely tied to very low scores on state standardized tests. Furthermore, the school operates with a high student-to-teacher ratio and receives significantly less funding per student than the comprehensive high school in its own district, raising questions about resource allocation for its high-needs population.

Despite these steep academic and attendance hurdles, Chautauqua shows important strengths in its core mission: it reports an 87.5% graduation rate, matching the state average and indicating success in helping at-risk students complete their diplomas through alternative pathways. The school's state ranking has also improved dramatically recently. When compared to another small alternative school, Mountain View High, Chautauqua's situation is distinct, particularly in the intensity of its students' needs. This suggests the school's value may not be fully captured by traditional test scores alone.