Santa Monica-Malibu Unified
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified has 15 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 61.6/100 — 17.8 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Santa Monica High at 82/100, where 46.3% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $17,123 per student (above the state average of $14,815). 2 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 18.5%, near the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 63.3 | 9 | 41.1% | 14.3% |
| Middle | 59.0 | 3 | 32.8% | 15.6% |
| High | 59.0 | 3 | 29.2% | 34.1% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: Santa Monica-Malibu Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 63.3.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages +2.0pp (state avg: -3.0pp), suggesting schools are making incremental gains.
Consistency: Score range of 57.9 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 18.5%, 0.4pp near the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 1.5%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Santa Monica High leads the district at 82 with 46.3% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified
Hidden gems: 2 schools in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified are classified as Growth Engine (2) — 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 Monica-Malibu Unified spends $17,123 per student in current expenditures — $2,309 above 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 (9)
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified has 9 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 63.3 — 19.5 points above the state average of 43.8. 3 of 9 elementary schools score above 70.
District-wide growth averages +2.0pp, suggesting schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Franklin Elementary with a Scope Score of 81 and 57.7% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified High Ceiling | 81 | 57.7% | 83.5% | +3.7pp | 12.1% | 0.3% |
| 2 | Edison Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified High Ceiling | 77 | 50.4% | 81.3% | -10.8pp | 12.1% | 0.1% |
| 3 | Roosevelt Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 72 | 47.4% | 72.5% | +4.9pp | 11.7% | 0.1% |
| 4 | Grant Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 67 | 46.0% | 70.2% | -2.9pp | 9.4% | 0.3% |
| 5 | Webster Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Growth Engine | 64 | 43.1% | 70.7% | +23.4pp | 16.9% | 0.3% |
| 6 | McKinley Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 59 | 36.4% | 62.2% | -5.2pp | 13.2% | 0.9% |
| 7 | Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Culture First | 55 | 31.4% | 58.5% | +4.2pp | 8.7% | 0.7% |
| 8 | Malibu Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Solid Base | 50 | 32.3% | 65.2% | -10.6pp | 22.8% | 0.2% |
| 9 | Will Rogers Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Growth Engine | 45 | 25.0% | 47.8% | +11.0pp | 21.3% | 3.0% |
Middle Schools (3)
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified has 3 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 59.0 — 18.5 points above the state average of 40.5.
Growth averages -5.2pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring middle school is Lincoln Middle with a Scope Score of 67 and 42.1% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln Middle Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 67 | 42.1% | 70.7% | -6.8pp | 12.3% | 2.5% |
| 2 | Malibu Middle Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 55 | 28.1% | 60.1% | -6.1pp | 20.1% | 1.3% |
| 3 | John Adams Middle Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 55 | 28.2% | 56.0% | -2.8pp | 14.2% | 3.0% |
High Schools (3)
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified has 3 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 59.0 — 11.5 points above the state average of 47.5. 2 of 3 high schools score above 70.
The highest-scoring high school is Santa Monica High with a Scope Score of 82 and 46.3% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Monica High Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 82 | 46.3% | 69.9% | 20.8% | 1.5% |
| 2 | Malibu High Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 71 | 29.4% | 56.4% | 27.6% | 4.4% |
| 3 | Olympic High (Continuation) Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 24 | 11.9% | 15.7% | 53.9% | 4.0% |
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 Monica-Malibu 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