Summary:
The Santa Barbara Unified district serves roughly 12,000 students across 19 schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools, in a coastal community where overall academic performance exceeds state averages.
Standout schools include top performers like Washington Elementary and La Colina Junior High, which rank in the 77th and 89th percentiles respectively and have low chronic absenteeism, while comprehensive high schools like Dos Pueblos Senior High boast graduation rates above 95%. In contrast, schools like McKinley Elementary and La Cuesta Continuation High face significant challenges, with La Cuesta having a 94% chronic absenteeism rate and a graduation rate of 57.1%.
Key findings show that higher per-student spending does not guarantee better outcomes, as some of the highest-spending schools have the lowest rankings, and chronic absenteeism is strongly linked to lower performance. The district outperforms California averages in graduation and dropout rates, but there are wide disparities between schools, with alternative education programs and some elementary schools showing particularly acute needs for support.
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