Summary:
The Long Beach Unified district contains 13 public high schools serving grades 9-12, ranging from large comprehensive campuses to small specialized academies, with the district ranking above average statewide.
Academic performance varies dramatically, with standout schools like the California Academy of Mathematics and Science (ranked 4th in the state) and the Eunice Sato Academy of Math & Science achieving exceptional test scores and near-perfect graduation rates. In contrast, larger comprehensive schools like Jordan High and Cabrillo High face greater challenges, while alternative schools such as Educational Partnership High and Reid High have very low graduation rates and high chronic absenteeism.
Key takeaways include the success of smaller, themed academies; a notable trend where higher per-student spending is linked to schools with greater challenges, not higher performance; and a critical issue with chronic absenteeism across the district that correlates strongly with poorer outcomes. Schools like Ernest S. McBride Senior High demonstrate that high achievement is possible across different school models within the district.
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