San Marcos High

Public 9-12

 1615 San Marcos Blvd.
       San Marcos, CA  92078-4020


(760) 290-2200

District: San Marcos Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
458th of 2,346 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,970 Help


Feeder schools for San Marcos High:

Elementary:    Carrillo Elementary
    Discovery Elementary
    Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary
    La Costa Meadows Elementary
    More...
Middle:    San Elijo Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  27.0 Help
Number of students:  3,380

Racial breakdown:

White:
46.7%
Hispanic:
39.9%
Asian:
7.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  33.3% Help


 See top rated California high schools

 Compare San Marcos High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details San Marcos High ranks better than 80.5% of high schools in California. It also ranks first among 4 ranked high schools in the San Marcos Unified School District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.6. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of San Marcos High freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details San Marcos High has the largest high school student body size in the San Marcos Unified School District. Racial makeup is: White (46.7%), Hispanic (39.9%), Asian (7.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 33.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the San Marcos Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at San Marcos High is 27, which is the highest among 4 high schools in the San Marcos Unified School District! (See more...)
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Compare San Marcos High employs 125 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at San Marcos High is $6,970. 2 high schools in the San Marcos Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

San Marcos High:

SchoolDigger ranks San Marcos High 458th of 2346 California public high schools. (See San Marcos High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Migrant students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


San Marcos Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks San Marcos Unified 418th of 1560 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for San Marcos High.

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Rank History for San Marcos High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 43.92 609th 1653 63.2%
2005 55.78 488th 1901 74.3%
2006 53.76 586th 1968 70.2%
2007 65.73 336th 2063 83.7%
2008 72.14 234th 2117 88.9%
2009 80.74 104th 2238 95.4%
2010 81.53 120th 2281 94.7%
2011 85.65 69th 2367 97.1%
2012 79.84 145th 2354 93.8%
2013 79.85 143rd 2426 94.1%
2015 88.69 200th 1994 90.0%
2016 88.01 232nd 2039 88.6%
2017 85.98 291st 2021 85.6%
2018 82.13 370th 2017 81.7%
2019 85.24 272nd 2133 87.2%
2022 78.74 398th 2123 81.3%
2023 71.60 455th 2335 80.5%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 58.71 213th 515 58.6%
2023 62.18 239th 780 69.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.77 565th 938 39.8%
2019 54.26 233rd 941 75.2%
2022 59.47 209th 1044 80.0%
2023 31.43 743rd 1315 43.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 45.22 572nd 1539 62.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.40 691st 1862 62.9%
2019 69.15 483rd 1937 75.1%
2022 55.20 740th 1943 61.9%
2023 47.25 953rd 2237 57.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 63.17 26th 89 70.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 37.51 182nd 290 37.2%
2023 66.56 104th 417 75.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.49 376th 1760 78.6%
2019 79.89 326th 1833 82.2%
2022 79.40 332nd 1858 82.1%
2023 71.06 432nd 2106 79.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.05 84th 1052 92.0%
2019 70.80 204th 1117 81.7%
2022 56.42 313th 1161 73.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 84.97 21st 168 87.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.67 327th 1834 82.2%
2019 86.32 224th 1880 88.1%
2022 73.61 437th 1916 77.2%
2023 69.39 469th 2195 78.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.39 286th 581 50.8%
2019 77.36 124th 582 78.7%
2022 63.35 240th 581 58.7%
2023 71.97 211th 727 71.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.22 101st 582 82.6%
2019 73.68 114th 592 80.7%
2022 89.21 41st 522 92.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.99 601st 1742 65.5%
2019 68.02 473rd 1814 73.9%
2022 55.22 719th 1861 61.4%
2023 48.61 884th 2132 58.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at San Marcos High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.98 228th 1173 80.6%
2019 84.47 138th 1222 88.7%
2022 74.40 276th 1204 77.1%
2023 64.99 367th 1424 74.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

San Marcos High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2)
0%

0%

0%

100%

0%

  

by a parent
Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Open Quote Student to teach ratio on this site isn't reflective of reality. Mostly there are 40+ kids in each class - sometimes not even enough desks for students. Have to share or just use extra chairs. School overgrew its new structure in last 3 years. Can't afford class space for all the classes that need to be offered for college bound students because of need for minimum graduation requirements for bottom half of student body. Teachers overworked with 5-6 classes of 40+ students, can't provide level of attention that students deserve. Issues with underperforming youth is prevalent. Lots of good kids too to be fair. Population is really 3,200+. Enough problems that there is an army of yellow jackets (campus security) to help out. Sports are decent, but underperform relative to population and of course political at times. This new 'Shiny' school has lost is luster... Close Quote



Enrollment information for San Marcos High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1339 15 68 310 5 n/a n/a 0 1737
1989 1278 24 76 327 7 n/a n/a 0 1712
1990 1246 26 74 419 10 n/a n/a 0 1775
1991 1290 23 90 568 8 n/a n/a 0 1979
1992 1302 38 106 688 13 n/a n/a 0 2147
1993 1207 39 102 750 15 n/a n/a 0 2113
1994 1183 41 112 824 8 n/a n/a 0 2168
1995 1210 47 146 933 17 n/a n/a 0 2353
1996 1210 47 146 933 17 n/a n/a 0 2353
1997 1271 49 163 1048 23 n/a n/a 0 2554
1998 1364 54 171 1065 22 n/a n/a 0 2676
1999 1354 58 161 1134 23 n/a n/a 0 2730
2000 1265 71 153 1162 21 n/a n/a 0 2672
2001 1297 69 158 1202 22 n/a n/a 0 2748
2002 1260 96 215 1370 24 n/a n/a 0 2965
2003 1260 96 215 1370 24 n/a n/a 0 2965
2004 1305 94 234 1466 23 n/a n/a 1 3123
2005 652 46 112 839 9 n/a n/a 0 1658
2006 529 41 110 769 7 n/a n/a 0 1456
2007 606 56 120 859 10 n/a n/a 5 1656
2008 683 50 135 920 11 n/a n/a 0 1799
2009 760 73 167 1006 11 9 4 0 2030
2010 785 77 154 992 13 12 2 0 2035
2011 877 63 176 1057 13 14 11 0 2211
2012 943 68 179 1002 15 11 24 0 2242
2013 1001 80 175 1051 10 15 23 0 2355
2014 1113 72 178 1108 10 15 22 0 2518
2015 1246 80 230 1153 13 19 35 0 2776
2016 1369 86 266 1247 15 27 38 0 3048
2017 1528 71 293 1315 15 20 1 0 3243
2018 1585 83 324 1305 21 20 0 0 3338
2019 1573 106 379 1329 25 24 3 0 3439
2020 1648 79 304 1363 16 20 125 1 3556
2021 1692 0 286 1365 82 18 139 0 3582
2022 1678 47 263 1371 14 12 143 1 3529
2023 1578 1 244 1350 45 11 148 3 3380

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at San Marcos High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1737 69.2 25.1 n/a
1989 1712 65.0 26.3 n/a
1990 1775 66.7 26.6 n/a
1991 1979 77.3 25.6 n/a
1992 2147 78.6 27.3 31.1
1993 2113 88.6 23.8 35.1
1994 2168 83.2 26.1 38.5
1995 2353 93.2 25.2 51.1
1996 2353 93.2 25.2 51.1
1997 2554 102.8 24.8 40.3
1998 2676 106.2 25.2 53.7
1999 2730 110.0 24.8 31.8
2000 2672 108.4 24.6 40.9
2001 2748 106.5 25.8 38.6
2002 2965 128.4 23.1 27.1
2003 2965 128.4 23.1 27.1
2004 3123 123.6 25.3 27.9
2005 1658 69.8 23.8 30.5
2006 1456 62.8 23.2 34.5
2007 1656 74.0 22.4 37.1
2008 1799 92.3 19.5 34
2009 2030 85.0 21.5 37.1
2010 2035 72.2 28.1 41
2011 2211 n/a n/a 37.2
2012 2242 81.0 27.6 n/a
2013 2355 86.5 27.2 40.5
2014 2518 90.1 27.9 40.8
2015 2776 102.0 27.2 34.8
2016 3048 115.0 26.5 30.4
2017 3243 125.1 25.9 32.4
2018 3338 112.8 29.5 34.5
2019 3439 n/a n/a 31.8
2020 3556 n/a n/a 30.9
2021 3582 120.7 29.6 23.5
2022 3529 123.6 28.5 30.2
2023 3380 125.0 27.0 33.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio San Marcos High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1737 69.2 25.1 n/a
1989 1712 65.0 26.3 n/a
1990 1775 66.7 26.6 n/a
1991 1979 77.3 25.6 n/a
1992 2147 78.6 27.3 31.1
1993 2113 88.6 23.8 35.1
1994 2168 83.2 26.1 38.5
1995 2353 93.2 25.2 51.1
1996 2353 93.2 25.2 51.1
1997 2554 102.8 24.8 40.3
1998 2676 106.2 25.2 53.7
1999 2730 110.0 24.8 31.8
2000 2672 108.4 24.6 40.9
2001 2748 106.5 25.8 38.6
2002 2965 128.4 23.1 27.1
2003 2965 128.4 23.1 27.1
2004 3123 123.6 25.3 27.9
2005 1658 69.8 23.8 30.5
2006 1456 62.8 23.2 34.5
2007 1656 74.0 22.4 37.1
2008 1799 92.3 19.5 34
2009 2030 85.0 21.5 37.1
2010 2035 72.2 28.1 41
2011 2211 n/a n/a 37.2
2012 2242 81.0 27.6 n/a
2013 2355 86.5 27.2 40.5
2014 2518 90.1 27.9 40.8
2015 2776 102.0 27.2 34.8
2016 3048 115.0 26.5 30.4
2017 3243 125.1 25.9 32.4
2018 3338 112.8 29.5 34.5
2019 3439 n/a n/a 31.8
2020 3556 n/a n/a 30.9
2021 3582 120.7 29.6 23.5
2022 3529 123.6 28.5 30.2
2023 3380 125.0 27.0 33.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for San Marcos High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $6,970

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on San Marcos High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 272nd of 2133 High schoolsRanks 455th of 2335 High schools
 6.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (San Marcos High)70.162.3
 7.9%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (San Marcos Unified)64.457.6
 6.8%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (San Marcos High)43.536.3
 7.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (San Marcos Unified)37.531.4
 6.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (San Marcos High)48.336.8
 11.5%
   11th Grade Science (San Marcos Unified)43.635
 8.6%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students34393380
 1.7%
African American1061
 99.1%
American Indian2545
 80%
Asian379244
 35.6%
Hispanic13291350
 1.6%
Pacific Islander2411
 54.2%
White15731578
 0.3%
Two or More Races3148
 4833.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients31.8%33.3%
 1.5%


Schools Near San Marcos High









Frequently Asked Questions about San Marcos High

San Marcos High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Carrillo Elementary
Elementary : Discovery Elementary
Elementary : Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary
Elementary : La Costa Meadows Elementary
Elementary : La Mirada Academy
Elementary : San Elijo Elementary
Middle : San Elijo Middle

San Marcos High ranks 458th of 2346 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 3,380 students attended San Marcos High.

Students at San Marcos High are 47% White, 40% Hispanic, 7% Asian, 4% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education. School Attendance Areas provided by ATTOM.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that school and district boundary data are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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