How does Independence High compare to other high schools in San Jose?

Independence High has a SchoolScope composite score of 61.9/100, placing it at the 79th percentile statewide. 21% of students exceed standard, with a total of 884 students tested across grades and subjects.

What percentage of students exceed standards at Independence High?

20.7% of students at Independence High exceed the state standard on CAASPP assessments, while 46.7% meet or exceed it. The gap between these two numbers reveals whether the school pushes students beyond basic proficiency.

What is the chronic absenteeism rate at Independence High?

20.7% of students at Independence High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days). This metric reflects school culture and family engagement, and is weighted at 15% in our composite score.

Independence High

High School

East Side Union High San JoseSanta Clara County95133

📍 617 North Jackson Avenue

Composite Score

out of 100

State Percentile

of high schools

State Rank

of 1,739 California high schools

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Composite scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data from the California Dept. of Education (CAASPP, chronic absenteeism, suspension rates). They are not official CDE ratings and should not be the sole basis for school decisions. See methodology.

School overview

Enrollment

2,368 students

Student-Teacher Ratio

21:1

Free/Reduced Lunch

41%

Teachers

112 full-time

College & career readiness

Graduation Rate

85.8%

AP Exam Prepared

77.5%

A-G Completion

55.3%

College-Going Rate

77.4%

Data source: California Department of Education — ACGR, CCI, CGR reports

Dashboard indicators

ELA Year-over-Year

Declined Significantly

-15.9 pts DFS change

Math Year-over-Year

Increased

+6.1 pts DFS change

EL Proficiency (ELPAC)

10.7%

English learners at Level 4 (Well Developed) · 422 tested

Data source: California School Dashboard 2025, ELPAC 2024

Student demographics

Hispanic38.0%

White2.7%

Asian36.2%

Black2.1%

Other21.0%

Performance breakdown

Performance breakdown for Independence High
Category	Percentage
Exceeded Standard	20.7%
Met Standard	26.0%
Below Standard	53.3%

What other rankings don't show you

Most rating sites report "47% proficient" for Independence High and stop there. Here's what that number hides:

20.7% of students exceeded standard while 26.0% met it. That exceeded rate is 5.2 points above the state average of 15.5%. That's 4.9 points above the East Side Union High district average of 15.8%. Compared to the 6 nearby schools within ~3 miles, this exceeded rate is 10.3 points higher (vs 10.4% average). The gap between "met" and "exceeded" can reveal how much a school's curriculum challenges students beyond proficiency.

The graduation rate is 85.8%. 55.3% of students complete A-G requirements for UC/CSU eligibility — a strong college readiness signal. 77.4% of graduates go on to college within a year.

Chronic absenteeism is 20.7%, better than the state average of 34.0%.

Why the exceeded vs. met split matters →