Summary:
This analysis examines four middle schools serving grades 7-8 within the Santa Barbara Unified School District, revealing a mix of high performance and significant challenges across the area.
La Colina Junior High stands out as the top performer with the highest test scores in English, math, and science and the best student attendance, while Santa Barbara Junior High faces the greatest academic and attendance challenges despite having the highest per-student funding. Goleta Valley Junior High performs solidly above both district and state averages, and La Cumbre Junior High shows promising improvement, having significantly raised its statewide ranking in the past year.
Key takeaways for parents include a strong link between regular attendance and academic success, with chronic absenteeism rates varying widely from 14% to 28% across the schools. The district as a whole outperforms California state averages in all core subjects. Notable gaps exist, particularly in science scores and in performance between 7th and 8th graders at some schools, indicating areas where the district is focusing on improvement.
Thank you for your feedback!