Avenal High

Avenal High is a public high school serving about 760 students in grades 9-12 in the Reef-Sunset Unified School District, operating in a high-need community where nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

The school has a clear and significant strength in supporting students to graduation, with a 95.5% graduation rate that beats both the district and state averages, and a low chronic absenteeism rate that has improved dramatically in recent years. However, academic proficiency on state tests is a major challenge, particularly in math and science, though its English scores are notably stronger than other schools in its own district. The school shows effective support for English Learners but has a critical need to improve services for students in Special Education.

Compared to nearby schools, Avenal High stands out positively. It significantly outperforms its own district's much smaller alternative schools, like Sunrise Continuation High, in both academics and student retention. When compared to the comprehensive Coalinga High in a neighboring district, Avenal has better graduation, dropout, and attendance rates despite similar test scores and a higher student-to-teacher ratio. This suggests Avenal High has built a successful culture of keeping students engaged and on track to graduate, providing a solid foundation to now build stronger academic outcomes.