Strong across every dimension we measure — academics, growth, culture, and engagement. Above-average investment supporting strong, consistent results
What the numbers actually mean
Most rating sites report "70% proficient" and stop there. We think that number deserves more context — here's what we found when we looked deeper:
46.3% of students exceeded standard? Level 4 on California's CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment — the state defines four levels: Not Met, Nearly Met, Met, and Exceeded. while 23.6% met it. That exceeded rate is 30.8 points above the state average of 15.5%. That's 9.3 points above the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified district average of 37.0%. The gap between "met" and "exceeded" can reveal how much a school's curriculum challenges students beyond proficiency.
The graduation rate is 98.9% — above the state target. 64.7% of students complete A-G requirements ? A-G refers to 15 courses across 7 subject areas (History, English, Math, Science, Language, Visual/Performing Arts, and College Prep Electives) required for UC and CSU admission eligibility. for UC/CSU eligibility. 81.6% of graduates go on to college within a year.
Chronic absenteeism? Missing 10%+ of enrolled school days. This is an official California Dashboard accountability indicator. is 20.8%, better than the state average of 32.1%.
Data you won't find on other sites: Current-year 2025 data direct from CDE · The exceeded vs. met split that most rating sites collapse into one number
Why the exceeded vs. met split matters → · Scope Score is SchoolScope's analysis of CDE data — not an official CDE rating. How we built this score (and what it misses) →
No single score captures a school. This is a starting point — visit, ask questions, trust your instincts.
▸ What this score doesn't capture
- — Teaching quality, classroom culture, and how teachers connect with students
- — Arts, athletics, extracurriculars, and enrichment programs
- — How well the school serves students with IEPs or gifted learners
- — Parent community engagement and satisfaction
- — Whether the curriculum aligns with your family's values
- — Growth data unavailable for this school — the score overweights proficiency, which tends to correlate with household income
Most of our data is updated once per year and may reflect the prior school year.
✓Graduation rate: 98.9%11.3pp above state avg (state avg 87.6%)25% weight
Graduation rate is the most fundamental high school outcome measure.
Limitation: Adjusted cohort method may not capture students who transfer or complete via alternative paths.
CDE Graduation 2025✓Exceeded standard: 46.3%30.8pp above state avg (state avg 15.5%)22% weight
Exceeded rate gets the highest weight because it separates schools that clear the bar from those that raise it.
Limitation: Reflects tested students only — opt-out rates are not published by CDE.
CDE CAASPP 2025✓College readiness: 86.6%AP exam pass rate above state avg (state avg 35.5%)20% weight
College readiness shows how well a school prepares students for post-secondary success.
Limitation: Uses AP pass rate or A-G completion as proxy — doesn’t capture trade or vocational readiness.
CDE College/Career 2025✓Met or exceeded: 69.9%35.3pp above state avg (state avg 34.6%)18% weight
Overall proficiency provides the broadest measure of academic achievement.
Limitation: Combines ‘met’ and ‘exceeded’ — the gap between them matters more than either alone.
CDE CAASPP 2025✓Chronic absenteeism: 20.8%11.3pp below state avg (state avg 32.1%)5% weight
Absenteeism reflects school culture and family engagement — an official CA Dashboard accountability indicator.
Limitation: 10% threshold is the same for all schools regardless of demographics or geography.
CDE Attendance 2025✓Suspension rate: 1.5%2.6pp below state avg (state avg 4.0%)5% weight
Low suspension rates correlate with positive school culture and restorative practices.
Limitation: Schools may differ in reporting practices — some underreport to improve metrics.
CDE Discipline 2025✓EL proficiency (ELPAC): 32.0%15.2pp above state avg (state avg 16.8%)5% weight
ELPAC Level 4 measures how well a school develops English proficiency — a school-quality signal for its EL population.
Limitation: Only available for schools with English Learner students. Weight redistributes to other dimensions when not applicable.
CDE ELPAC 2025The Scope Score emphasizes academic performance. It weights test proficiency, the exceeded-vs-met gap, and growth trajectory most heavily. If your family prioritizes arts, athletics, school culture, or teaching philosophy, this score captures some of that indirectly (through absenteeism and suspension) but not all of it. Different families should weight these dimensions differently — the score factors above let you see exactly what drives this number.
- –Use for long-term academic patterns, not this week's classroom experience
- –Verify with a recent visit — scores can't capture a school mid-transformation
- –Combine with local context — talk to parents, attend a school board meeting, trust your gut
Student demographics
3 more gaps by subject
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Whole Child
Sources: CDE SARC · CDE College/Career Indicator, 2024-25
5-year trend
College & career readiness
Data source: California Department of Education — ACGR, CCI, CGR reports
How Santa Monica High compares
| Metric | This school | CA avg |
|---|---|---|
| Exceeded Standard | 46.3% | 15.5% |
| Met or Exceeded | 69.9% | 34.6% |
| Chronic Absenteeism | 20.8% | 32.1% |
| Suspension Rate | 1.5% | 4.0% |
Source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025 · Analyzed by SchoolScope
Test scores — 11th
| Subject | Tested | Exceeded | Met | Met+Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELA | 599 | 57.8% | 25.5% | 83.3% |
| Math | 591 | 34.9% | 21.7% | 56.5% |
| Science | 630 | 21.9% | 36.8% | 58.7% |
630 students tested · CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually like ELA/Math. Not included in the Scope Score. · Data source: CDE CAST 2025
Frequently asked questions
Is Santa Monica High a good high school?
What are Santa Monica High's CAASPP test scores?
How does Santa Monica High rank in California?
What is the attendance and school culture like at Santa Monica High?
How does Santa Monica High compare to other schools in Santa Monica?
How does Santa Monica High serve low-income and underrepresented students?
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Report a data issueData source: California Department of Education (2025 test year) · How we score · Explore all schools · Blog