Elementary Schools in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California has 25 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 50.4/100 — 6.6 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Montecito Union at 94/100, where 69.1% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Santa Barbara schools average 28.1% exceeded standard (state: 21.6%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Of 25 schools, 3 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 19.9% (near the state average of 18.1%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
How Santa Barbara schools compare
Santa Barbara's 25 ranked elementary schools average a Scope Score of 50.4 — 6.6 points above the California state average of 43.8. Scores range from 12.9 to 93.5, a 80.6-point spread.
The top-ranked school is Montecito Union with a Scope Score of 94 and 69.1% of students exceeding standard.
High-ceiling schools: Santa Barbara schools average 28.1% exceeding standard — well above the statewide average of 21.6%. These schools aren't just getting students to proficiency, they're pushing them further.
Chronic absenteeism in Santa Barbara averages 19.9%, which is near the state average of 18.1%.
How we score · Scope Score weights exceeded (40%), met (22%), growth (15%), absenteeism (10%), suspension (5%), ELPAC (5%), baseline (3%)
School archetypes in Santa Barbara
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Schools in Santa Barbara ranked by Scope Score
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montecito Union Montecito Union Elementary High Ceiling | 69.1% | Strong 94/100 |
| 2 | Cold Spring Elementary Cold Spring Elementary High Ceiling | 83.9% | Strong 88/100 |
| 3 | Mountain View Elementary Goleta Union Elementary High Ceiling | 54.2% | Strong 72/100 |
| 4 | Foothill Elementary Goleta Union Elementary Strong All-Around | 48.5% | Strong 72/100 |
| 5 | Monte Vista Elementary Hope Elementary Strong All-Around | 48.5% | Solid 69/100 |
| 6 | La Colina Junior High Santa Barbara Unified Strong All-Around | 34.6% | Solid 64/100 |
| 7 | San Marcos Senior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 23.6% | Solid 60/100 |
| 8 | Vieja Valley Elementary Hope Elementary Strong All-Around | 35.0% | Solid 60/100 |
| 9 | Hollister Elementary Goleta Union Elementary Building Momentum | 34.4% | Solid 58/100 |
| 10 | Washington Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Culture First | 37.8% | Solid 56/100 |
| 11 | Hope Elementary Hope Elementary Culture First | 30.8% | Solid 51/100 |
| 12 | Santa Barbara Senior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 9.5% | Developing 50/100 |
| 13 | Franklin Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 20.6% | Developing 49/100 |
| 14 | Harding University Partnership Santa Barbara Unified Culture First | 27.0% | Developing 47/100 |
| 15 | Adams Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Culture First | 23.7% | Developing 45/100 |
| 16 | Roosevelt Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 29.6% | Developing 45/100 |
| 17 | Monroe Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 14.9% | Developing 41/100 |
| 18 | Santa Barbara Community Academy Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 9.3% | Developing 39/100 |
| 19 | El Camino Elementary Goleta Union Elementary Culture First | 17.6% | Developing 37/100 |
| 20 | La Cumbre Junior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 13.1% | Developing 36/100 |
| 21 | Alta Vista Alternative High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 13.2% | Developing 35/100 |
| 22 | Cleveland Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 10.0% | Needs Support 27/100 |
| 23 | Santa Barbara Junior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 10.1% | Needs Support 27/100 |
| 24 | McKinley Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 3.0% | Needs Support 23/100 |
| 25 | La Cuesta Continuation High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 0.0% | Needs Support 13/100 |
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
Private Schools in Santa Barbara
Private schools don't participate in California's standardized testing (CAASPP) and cannot be scored or ranked. Showing enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and affiliation where available.
What Scope Scores can't tell you about Santa Barbara
- Class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality
- Quality of arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs
- Teacher experience, turnover, and professional development
- Campus safety, bullying climate, and social-emotional support
- Parent and community engagement levels
- Quality of special education and gifted programs
- How school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access
Scope Scores measure academic performance and school climate using public data. They are one lens among many. Full methodology