Santa Barbara Unified
Santa Barbara Unified has 19 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 43.5/100 — 0.3 points near the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Dos Pueblos Senior High at 69/100, where 33.8% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $14,447 per student (below the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 23.9%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Developing 42.0/100 | 10 | 20.0% | 17.7% |
| Middle | Developing 44.8/100 | 4 | 21.3% | 20.3% |
| High | Developing 45.5/100 | 5 | 16.0% | 39.1% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Santa Barbara Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: Santa Barbara Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 45.5.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages -11.9pp (state avg: -3.0pp), a negative trend that warrants attention.
Consistency: Score range of 56.3 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 23.9%, 5.8pp below the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 2.6%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Dos Pueblos Senior High leads the district at 69 with 33.8% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Santa Barbara Unified
Hidden gems: 1 school in Santa Barbara Unified is classified as On the Rise — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Student demographics
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
Santa Barbara Unified spends $14,447 per student in current expenditures — $367 below the state average of $14,815.
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Elementary Schools (10)
Santa Barbara Unified has 10 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 42.0 — 1.8 points near the state average of 43.8.
Growth averages -11.9pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Washington Elementary with a Scope Score of 56 and 37.8% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Culture First | 37.8% | Solid 56/100 |
| 2 | Franklin Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 20.6% | Developing 49/100 |
| 3 | Santa Barbara Charter Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 23.6% | Developing 47/100 |
| 4 | Harding University Partnership Santa Barbara Unified Culture First | 27.0% | Developing 47/100 |
| 5 | Adams Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Culture First | 23.7% | Developing 45/100 |
| 6 | Roosevelt Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 29.6% | Developing 45/100 |
| 7 | Monroe Elementary Santa Barbara Unified On the Rise | 14.9% | Developing 41/100 |
| 8 | Santa Barbara Community Academy Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 9.3% | Developing 39/100 |
| 9 | Cleveland Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 10.0% | Needs Support 27/100 |
| 10 | McKinley Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 3.0% | Needs Support 23/100 |
Middle Schools (4)
Santa Barbara Unified has 4 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 44.8 — 4.3 points above the state average of 40.5.
The highest-scoring middle school is La Colina Junior High with a Scope Score of 64 and 34.6% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Colina Junior High Santa Barbara Unified Strong All-Around | 34.6% | Solid 64/100 |
| 2 | Goleta Valley Junior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 27.2% | Solid 52/100 |
| 3 | La Cumbre Junior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 13.1% | Developing 36/100 |
| 4 | Santa Barbara Junior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 10.1% | Needs Support 27/100 |
High Schools (5)
Santa Barbara Unified has 5 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 45.5 — 2.0 points below the state average of 47.5.
The highest-scoring high school is Dos Pueblos Senior High with a Scope Score of 69 and 33.8% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dos Pueblos Senior High Santa Barbara Unified Strong All-Around | 33.8% | Solid 69/100 |
| 2 | San Marcos Senior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 23.6% | Solid 60/100 |
| 3 | Santa Barbara Senior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 9.5% | Developing 50/100 |
| 4 | Alta Vista Alternative High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 13.2% | Developing 35/100 |
| 5 | 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.
What Scope Scores can't tell you about Santa Barbara Unified
- 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 resources are distributed across schools within the district
Scope Scores measure academic performance and school climate using public data. They are one lens among many. Full methodology