Summary:
This analysis examines four public high schools serving grades 9-12 in the Gilroy Unified school district (zip code 95020), revealing dramatic differences in performance and environment among them.
The clear standout is Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy, consistently ranked among the top 10 high schools in California with near-perfect test scores, a 100% graduation rate, and very low absenteeism, all while operating with the lowest per-student spending in the area. Christopher High is the stronger traditional high school, showing improvement and posting above-average graduation and English proficiency rates. Gilroy High shows mid-range performance with some year-to-year volatility, while Mt. Madonna High faces significant challenges, ranking in the bottom 10% of state schools with critically high chronic absenteeism and low academic proficiency.
Key takeaways for parents include the extraordinary success of the early college model at Dr. TJ Owens, which shows that high spending and low student-teacher ratios do not guarantee success, as evidenced by the inverse relationship between funding and results in this group. Mathematics is a district-wide area for improvement, with notable gaps compared to English scores at every school. The extreme 80% chronic absenteeism rate at Mt. Madonna highlights a fundamental barrier to learning that differs sharply from the strong attendance culture at the top-performing school.
Thank you for your feedback!