Summary:
Red Bluff Joint Union High has two high schools serving grades 9–12: Red Bluff High, with 1,586 students, and Salisbury High (Continuation), with 104. The most important finding is the sharp difference between the schools: in 2025–2026, Red Bluff led Salisbury by 45 percentage points in English language arts (ELA), 20 points in math and 30 points in science.
Red Bluff High stands out at the top in all three subjects, with 48% proficient in ELA, 20% in math and 30% in science; Salisbury recorded 3% in ELA and 0% in math and science. Red Bluff was close to the state in ELA (48% versus 49%), but below it in math (20% versus 38%) and science (30% versus 36%). Salisbury’s results were below the state in all three subjects. Red Bluff also had stronger completion results: a 96% graduation rate and 3% dropout rate, compared with Salisbury’s 75% graduation rate and 19% dropout rate. Salisbury’s chronic absenteeism was especially high at 87%, versus 16% at Red Bluff.
Results declined overall from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026: the two-school average fell 9 points in ELA, 3 in math and 3 in science, while state results improved in math and science and barely changed in ELA. Red Bluff’s ELA and math results fell 7 and 5 points, while science was nearly unchanged; Salisbury declined in all three subjects. SchoolDigger ranked Red Bluff in the 46th percentile with 2 stars, compared with Salisbury in the 1st percentile with 0 stars. Salisbury had a lower student–teacher ratio (12.2 versus 19) and higher per-student spending ($41,070 versus $27,406), but these figures do not explain the test-score difference. In 2024–2025, free/reduced lunch eligible students made up 87% at Salisbury and 76% at Red Bluff. Salisbury’s small enrollment and continuation-school status are important context when considering its results.
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