Summary:
The Mountain View-Los Altos Union High district serves grades 9-12 across three schools, with two large, highly-ranked comprehensive high schools and one much smaller alternative school, together educating about 4,435 students in a district ranked in the top quarter statewide.
For families considering this area, Mountain View High and Los Altos High are both exceptional 5-star schools, consistently ranking in the top 5% in California with very high graduation rates and test scores far above state averages. Mountain View High slightly leads in science proficiency and has the district's lowest chronic absenteeism, while Los Altos High has the highest graduation rate. In contrast, Alta Vista High is a small alternative school with significantly lower test scores and graduation rates, though it has shown recent improvement in its statewide ranking.
The most striking finding is the difference in resources and outcomes: Alta Vista High receives over 60% more funding per student and has smaller classes than the comprehensive high schools, yet faces major challenges with chronic absenteeism and academic performance. This suggests the school serves students with distinct needs. Overall, the district offers top-tier education at its two main high schools, while its alternative school provides a different, resource-intensive model for a smaller group of students.
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