Summary:
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified district consists of 15 schools serving grades K-12 across the coastal communities of Santa Monica and Malibu, ranking among the top 15% of districts in California for its strong academic performance and high graduation rates.
Overall, the district excels in English Language Arts and boasts an excellent 97.2% graduation rate. Standout schools include Santa Monica High, the district's flagship high school with a near-perfect 98.9% graduation rate, and Franklin Elementary, the highest-ranked school in the district. Lincoln Middle is the top-performing middle school, while Edison Elementary has shown impressive recent improvement. The Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) school has the district's best attendance record.
Notable differences exist between schools, particularly in math performance, which tends to dip in high school compared to middle school. There is also a noticeable performance gap between some schools in Malibu and Santa Monica, with Malibu schools generally showing lower test scores and higher chronic absenteeism despite often having more funding per student. Schools like Olympic High (Continuation) serve high-need populations with significant challenges, highlighting the district's range of student needs and the important role of alternative education pathways.
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