Summary:
The Santa Maria Joint Union High district consists of four traditional high schools serving grades 9-12 in Santa Maria, California, with a total enrollment near 9,000 students across three large comprehensive schools and one significantly smaller school.
Among the schools, Ernest Righetti High stands out as the highest-performing, with the district's best graduation rate, lowest dropout rate, and top scores in English and science. Pioneer Valley High also shows strong results, including the lowest chronic absenteeism rate and the highest math proficiency in the district. In contrast, Delta High, the smallest school, faces significant challenges with very high chronic absenteeism and the lowest academic proficiency rates, though it maintains a graduation rate matching the district average.
The district's overall graduation rate is above the state average, which is a positive sign. However, mathematics proficiency is a notable area for improvement across all schools, as each performs below the state average. Parents should note the wide variation in chronic absenteeism between schools, and consider that Santa Maria High and the other larger schools offer different program sizes and environments compared to the much smaller Delta High.
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