San Andreas High

San Andreas High is a small public high school serving grades 10-12 in Highland, California, with about 420 students, operating within the San Bernardino City Unified school district.

The school faces significant challenges, most notably an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate of over 80%, which is more than double the district average and a major barrier to learning. Academically, proficiency rates in core subjects like English and Math are very low, at 6% and 2% respectively, placing the school in the bottom 10-12% of California high schools. Despite these academic struggles, the school reports a high graduation rate of over 91%, creating a notable gap between graduation and measured proficiency. Interestingly, the school has substantial resources, with the highest per-student spending among nearby schools at over $26,800 and a low student-teacher ratio of about 12-to-1, but these advantages have not translated to stronger academic outcomes.

When compared to other local schools, the situation at San Andreas High is distinct. For instance, San Gorgonio High and Pacific High, which serve similar high-need populations in the same district, have much higher academic proficiency alongside their high graduation rates. Even Entrepreneur High, located less than a mile away, performs significantly better academically and has a lower absenteeism rate. This suggests school-specific factors are at play. The school's performance has remained consistently low for nearly a decade, indicating deep-rooted challenges that require targeted solutions, with addressing the attendance crisis likely being the most urgent priority.