Alternative school · Santa Clara Unified

Kathleen MacDonald High

3588 Zanker Road, San Jose · 683 students · Grades 9–12

Shared campus · © OpenStreetMap

The California School Campus Database records Abram Agnew Elementary and Dolores Huerta Middle on this campus too; it gives each school the whole campus, so this drawing doesn’t show which buildings each uses.

Drawn from OpenStreetMap, inside the campus outline from the California School Campus Database (2025). Volunteers map it, so a new building may be missing. Buildings with no mapped height are drawn one storey high.

A picture of the campus, not an attendance boundary or a rating.

Schools maintain a closed campus policy. For students’ safety, visitors may enter a campus only with the school’s official permission; this drawing implies no permission to enter.

No Scope ScoreKathleen MacDonald High has no 2025 Scope Score.

Well above other alternative high schools in English and math, grade 11, spring 2026: 61% and 28% scored Proficient or Advanced, against 33% and 14%.

Source for this line
Source
California’s state tests (CAASPP), California Department of Education, spring 2026
Students
all students tested in grade 11: 176 in English, 178 in math
Comparison
Alternative high schools: the grade 11 results of 109 alternative schools combined, weighted by students tested (our calculation; 11,827 in English and 11,786 in math tested).

In its own words

What does Kathleen MacDonald say about itself?

We haven’t read Kathleen MacDonald’s website yet. Until we do, the school’s own site is the best place to hear it in its own words.

Open macdonald.santaclarausd.org (opens in a new tab)

Over time

Have results changed?

English results were similar to 2025; math results were lower. English went from 65% to 61% and math from 35% to 28%.

Share at the state’s top two test levels, 2025 to 2026

Grade 11. Point at a year, tap it or use the arrow keys to read its figures.

English

25%50%75%2025202665%61%Kathleen MacDonaldThis school

Math

25%50%75%2025202635%28%Kathleen MacDonaldThis school

Each spring tests a different group of students. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

Each year’s results

The top two levels were called Met or Exceeded before 2026 and are called Proficient or Advanced now.

English, grade 11: share at the top two levels
SpringKathleen MacDonaldTested here
202565%193
202661%176
Math, grade 11: share at the top two levels
SpringKathleen MacDonaldTested here
202535%191
202628%178

Tests

How does Kathleen MacDonald compare with California alternative schools?

Well above California alternative schools in both subjects.

English

61%

scored Proficient or Advanced.

18213427
California alternative high schools33%

Math

28%

scored Proficient or Advanced.

5220919
California alternative high schools14%
MinimalDeveloping levelProficientAdvanced

In grade 11, spring 2026, 61% scored Proficient or Advanced in English and 28% in math, against 33% and 14% at California alternative schools.

The state published these results on October 15, 2026. What changed across California. Spring 2026, grade 11 combined. From spring 2026, the state calls its top two levels “Proficient or Advanced” (formerly “Met or Exceeded”). Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

How does math compare with English?

In grade 11, spring 2026, math trails English by 33 percentage points in the share who scored Proficient or Advanced, against 19 points at California alternative schools. The grade 11 cards above give each subject’s share.

All four test levels, with the number of students tested
Share of students tested at each level, spring 2026. The state’s test levels Advanced, Proficient, the Developing level (formerly Nearly met) and Minimal.
StudentsAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalTested
English, grade 11 · This school27%34%21%18%176
English, grade 11 · California alternative high schools10%23%29%38%11,827
Math, grade 11 · This school19%9%20%52%178
Math, grade 11 · California alternative high schools8%6%12%74%11,786

Spring 2026, grade 11 combined: 176 tested in English, 178 tested in math. California alternative schools combines those schools’ results, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

Who goes here

Who goes here?

Hispanic or Latino students are the largest group here, at 47% of students. 138 of 878 students missed 10% or more of school days.

Missing school, 2025–26

16in 100

students were chronically absent. That means they missed 10% or more of school days (138 of 878 students).

At the average California alternative high school we score: 44 in 100.

Suspensions: 4.4% of students were suspended at least once (39 of 896). Average California alternative high school we score 1.0%.

Students, 2024–25

683

students in grades 9–12.

Hispanic or Latino 47%Asian 20%Filipino 13%White 12%Two or more races 4%Black or African American 3%

Family income

32%

of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25, 217 of 683.

Teachers, 2024–25

39

teachers, with 10 years of experience on average.

0% were in their first year.

English learners

46%

of English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top, spring 2025 to spring 2026 (36 of 78 students).

It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent. Sources: California Department of Education and the California School Dashboard. Each tile names its year.

Full student mix, 2025–26
StudentsHere
Hispanic or Latino47%
Asian20%
Filipino13%
White12%
Two or more races4%
Black or African American3%
American Indian or Alaska Native—
Pacific Islander—
Not reported—
Where these figures come from

Attendance and suspensions: California Department of Education, 2025–26. Student mix: the students the state’s attendance file counts, 2025–26; a dash means our records hold no count. English learner progress: California School Dashboard, 2026 . Student count: California Department of Education enrollment, 2024–25. Teachers: California Department of Education staffing files, 2024–25.

Student groups

How do kids like mine do here?

Low-income and Hispanic or Latino students here scored well above the same groups at California alternative high schools in English.

This schoolThe same group, California alternative high schools
  • Asian33 tested78%California alternative high schools 62%
  • Filipino31 tested74%California alternative high schools —
  • Low-income63 tested48%California alternative high schools 30%
  • Hispanic or Latino78 tested45%California alternative high schools 31%

Both groups score below California’s rate for all students statewide. 48% of low-income students scored Proficient or Advanced in English (grade 11, spring 2026), against 30% for the same group at California alternative high schools. Hispanic or Latino students: 45% in English, against 31% for the same group at California alternative high schools. Every group’s math results are in the table below.

Share who scored Proficient or Advanced, grade 11 English, spring 2026. Each group is compared with the same group in the same grades. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

Every group’s results against California alternative high schools

Low-income is the state’s “socioeconomically disadvantaged” group.

Proficient or Advancedgrade 11 · spring 2026
Group and subjectHerevs California alternative high schools
Low-income · 63 tested in English, 64 in math
English48%+1830%
Math16%+313%
Hispanic or Latino · 78 tested
English45%+1431%
Math13%+112%
Asian · 33 tested in English, 34 in math
English78%+1662%
Math62%+1844%
Filipino · 31 tested
English74%—
Math26%—

Each gap is to the same group, grades and subject at California alternative high schools. ■ Green: a group that is behind at California alternative high schools does much better here, by 10 points or more and more than twice the margin of error.

White students, English learners and students with disabilities: fewer than 30 tested here. No published rate here for Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, homeless and military-family students, students of two or more races and foster youth. That can reflect privacy rules or small numbers; it isn’t evidence of a gap. This table covers groups by income, race or ethnicity, language and disability; girls and boys aren’t split out.

After high school

How many students finish ready for college?

Graduation, college and university records

Do students finish prepared, and where do they go?

The state has listed Kathleen MacDonald High under its current school code only since July 2022. Graduation, college-going and UC admission results are reported by school code, so they start with this school’s first graduating class under it.

Ask the school

How did recent graduates do, and where did they enroll after high school?

Advanced courses on record

AP courses the school is approved to teach

The College Board approved this school to teach 13 AP courses in 6 subjects for 2025–26.

College Board AP Course Audit Ledger · 2025–26. Authorization doesn’t show which courses run or who can take them; ask the school.

  • Math & Computer Science4
  • Sciences2
  • English2
  • History & Social Science3
  • World Languages & Cultures1
  • Arts1
Every approved AP course13 courses in 6 subjects
Math & Computer Science 4
  • Calculus AB
  • Computer Science A
  • Computer Science Principles
  • Statistics
Sciences 2
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
English 2
  • English Language and Composition
  • English Literature and Composition
History & Social Science 3
  • Psychology
  • U.S. Government and Politics
  • United States History
World Languages & Cultures 1
  • Spanish Language and Culture
Arts 1
  • Drawing

Family and staff answers

What would families and staff tell you?

Families can answer a short set of questions about Kathleen MacDonald. These are not star ratings or reviews.

  1. Family answers show once 20 families have answered.Until then this page shows how many have answered.
  2. The questions are about the school, never a person.No question asks about a named teacher or staff member.
  3. Answers are never part of the Scope Score.They sit beside the state’s records and do not change a school’s score.

Families

No family answers yet

0 of 20 needed before answers show

  • Does the school tell you how your child is doing, in a way you understand, before report cards arrive?Usually · Sometimes · Rarely
  • When you contact the school with a question, do you hear back within two school days?Usually · Sometimes · Rarely · Haven’t contacted them
  • Can you get school information in the language you read best?Yes · Mostly · No
  • And 4 more questions.

Answer the family questionsResponder en españolHow family answers work

Staff

Staff can’t answer for this school yet

We don’t check staff emails for Santa Clara Unified yet. Tell us your district’s email domain and we’ll work on adding it.

Ask us to add your district

Money

Where does the money go?

$34,764 for each student in 2024–25. California’s high schools spent $20,309 for each student. Santa Clara Unified’s plan for 2026–27 covers $30 million.

$34,764

for each student at this school, 2024–25
Spent at the school
$21,297
The school’s share of district office costs
$13,467
Of the total, from federal funds
$136
  • Kathleen MacDonald$34,764
  • Santa Clara Unified high schools$32,750
  • California high schools$20,309

The district and California figures combine their high schools, weighted by enrollment (our calculation, 1,655 California schools). Spending does not show how well money is used. Source: California Department of Education, per-school spending report, 2024–25. Funding records ↓

Santa Clara Unified’s yearly plan

$30million

in the district’s plan for 2026–27

$12million

planned for services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth

This is the district’s plan. It is not this school’s own budget. The plan has 4 goals. The district’s page lists each one. The plan covers $30 million of $447 million in total budgeted spending. Source: Santa Clara Unified Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), 2026–27. Read the district’s plan →

The neighborhood

What is the area around Kathleen MacDonald like?

These figures are for everyone who lives in ZIP code 95134. They are not figures for the families at Kathleen MacDonald.

Typical household income in a year

$203,649

Typical means half are higher and half are lower. The ZIP code is the school’s address, not its attendance area. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024, ZIP code area 95134.

People who live in this ZIP code
30,471
Typical age
31.3 years
Adults 25 and older with a four-year college degree
76%

What you can do

Who can act on Kathleen MacDonald’s results?

Santa Clara Unified’s board decides Kathleen MacDonald’s plan.

How to take part

  1. Watch the board’s agenda: the hearing is posted at least 72 hours ahead.
  2. Send written comments on the actions and spending the plan proposes.
  3. Raise questions through the district’s parent advisory committee; the superintendent must answer its comments in writing.
  4. Read the midyear report, due by February 28.

State support

The state hasn’t placed Kathleen MacDonald in a support program. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26. Source 

Extra state help for the district

The state is giving Santa Clara Unified extra help in 2026. It qualified on the 2025 California School Dashboard. The county office must help the district for at least three years, including a review of its yearly plan.

Extra help for Santa Clara Unified: CDE’s assistance status file for the 2025 California School Dashboard. Source 

Questions to ask

What should I ask, and when?

Bring these 7 questions to Kathleen MacDonald. Confirm anything about applying with the school itself.

On a tour

  1. What does the school try before a suspension, and who talks with the family?4.4% suspended at least once, 2025–26 (39 of 896 students); average California alternative high school: 1.0%
  2. What extra help do Hispanic students get, and how do you know it’s working?13% of Hispanic students scored Proficient or Advanced in math, grade 11, spring 2026 (78 students tested); the same group at California alternative high schools: 12%
  3. Which courses and career pathways does the school run, and who can enroll?
  4. How do counselors help students plan for college, training or work?
  5. What support is available when a student falls behind on graduation requirements?

At the office

  1. What time does the day start and end, and is any day shorter?
  2. Is there care before or after school, and what does it cost?

Getting in

How do I get in?

Ask Kathleen MacDonald how students enroll.

Where it is

Where is Kathleen MacDonald?

Address
3588 Zanker Road, San Jose 95134Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)
Administrator
Vivian Rhone-LayAs the state’s school directory lists it, last updated August 15, 2023.

Nearby high schools

The closest first, by straight-line distance from this campus. No standing is shown beside Kathleen MacDonald: it is compared only with schools of its own kind.

  1. Mission Early College High2.9 mi · Check how it admits students.

See these schools on the map

A school’s place on the map is its address in the state directory. It does not show which homes the school serves. See nearby schools on the map

Short answers to 3 common questions

How do I get in?

Ask Kathleen MacDonald how students enroll. See the details ↓

How many students reached the top test level here?

In grade 11, spring 2026, 27% scored Advanced in English (reading and writing) and 19% in math. 39% scored below the standard in English and 72% in math. See the details ↓

How often do students miss school or get suspended?

16 in 100 students were chronically absent in 2025–26 (138 of 878), meaning they missed 10% or more of school days. At the average California alternative high school we score, 44 in 100 were. 4.4% of students (39 of 896) were suspended at least once in 2025–26, against 1.0% at the average California alternative high school we score. See the details ↓

The full record

Source records

This page is built from 12 sets of records from public data sources. Every figure keeps its source, grades, year and count.

Data updated

October 15, 2026

Record sets on this page
12
Sources
California Department of EducationU.S. Census BureauCollege Board
State test years
2025–2026

Results

Students

After high school

Money and staff

Place, downloads and method

Scope Score by year2024–25 · each year’s inputs, and the score for each year we could verify

The 2024–25 Scope Score uses the state’s college-or-career readiness measure, 2024–25, and is not published for this school. No verified earlier Scope Scores are available here.

School yearChronic absenceSuspension
2024–2512 in 1005.6% (41 of 731)

Chronic absence and suspension are CDE’s all-students school rates for each year.

Results by gradeEnglish and math · grade 11 · spring 2026 · % of tested students

What each level means: California's level descriptions.

English · 2025–26 results by grade

Share of students tested, spring 2026
EnglishTestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalProficient or Advanced
Grade 1117627%34%21%18%61%

Math · 2025–26 results by grade

Share of students tested, spring 2026
MathTestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalProficient or Advanced
Grade 1117819%9%20%52%28%

A grade the school doesn't teach has no row. “Suppressed” marks a result CDE blanks because fewer than 11 students tested (CDE’s reporting rule); “none tested” marks a grade CDE lists with no students tested; “not on file” marks a result missing from the records we hold. None of them means zero.

CDE assessment recordsCDE CAASPP 2026 · every level, as published · raw grade–subject rows
CDE CAASPP test year 2026 · all-students reporting group · publisher grade–subject records.
Grade · subjectStudents tested with scoresProficient or AdvancedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalMean scale score
Grade 11 · ELA · 202617661.36%27.27%34.09%21.02%17.61%2608.6
All Grades · ELA · 202617661.36%27.27%34.09%21.02%17.61%not on file
Grade 11 · Math · 202617828.09%18.54%9.55%20.22%51.69%2561
All Grades · Math · 202617828.09%18.54%9.55%20.22%51.69%not on file
Every tested year2025–2026 · rates, tested counts, and each grade

English and math by test year · all tested grades

Year · subjectStudents with scoresTop levelTop two levels
2026 · English17627%61%
2026 · Math17819%28%
2025 · English19332%65%
2025 · Math19119%35%

Each year names its school year end (2026 = 2025–26). “Students with scores” counts each subject on its own, so don’t add the English and math counts together. A dash is unavailable, not zero.

Earlier years · grade and subject

Year · grade · subjectStudents with scoresMet or exceeded
2025 · Grade 11 · English19365%
2025 · Grade 11 · Math19135%

Current 2025–26 grade results appear above. “Students with scores” counts the students tested in that grade, subject and year. A missing result is not zero, and each year’s row is a different group of children.

Science (CAST)schoolwide · spring 2026
Science (CAST)TestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimal
Schoolwide18616%27%48%9%

CAST is tested in grades 5 and 8, then once in grade 10, 11, or 12. This row is the school's all-student aggregate. Not part of the Scope Score.

Student groups: test resultsEnglish · spring 2026
Group · EnglishTestedProficient or Advanced
Low-income6348%
Hispanic or Latino7845%
Asian3378%

Each group is compared with the same group at California alternative high schools under Every learner.

Attendance and suspensionsState records · this school and each student group · 2018–19 and 2025–26

CDE’s all-students school rates for 2024–25 and 2025–26; the change is the difference between the two rates as printed.

Year-over-year school rates
Chronic absenteeism2024–25 · 12 in 100 → 2025–26 · 16 in 100 · +4 in 100
Suspension rate2024–25 · 5.6% (41 of 731) → 2025–26 · 4.4% (39 of 896) · −1.2 percentage points
Group2018–192025–26Change
Female—18 in 100—
Male—14 in 100—
Asian—12 in 100—
Black or African American—4 of 24—
Filipino—6 in 100—
Hispanic or Latino—18 in 100—
Two or more races—8 of 38—
White—19 in 100—
Students with disabilities—21 in 100—
English learners—15 of 99—
Low-income—18 in 100—
All students—16 in 100—

Two reported school years only; no intervening-year result is implied. Where fewer than 100 students were counted, the cell shows the count and no change is printed. Source: CDE school-level chronic absenteeism by student group.

Graduation and readinessstate records · each rate for its own year and class of students
MeasureSource record
This school · CCI overall PreparedCDE College/Career Indicator · CCI source year 2025 · all students · all students in the current four-year graduation cohort, plus only Prepared fifth-year graduates from the prior cohort. Overall CCI Prepared percentage and Prepared count not reported in this school row · denominator 4 CCI students.
AP pathway among CCI Prepared studentsCDE College/Career Indicator · CCI source year 2025 · all students · AP pathway rate unavailable · AP-pathway numerator unavailable · denominator unavailable (CCI Prepared students). This measure uses Prepared students as its denominator, not the whole CCI cohort; it is not an AP exam-taking rate or a count of AP courses offered. That cohort includes all students in the current four-year graduation cohort plus only Prepared fifth-year graduates from the prior cohort. In 2025 the pathway accepts two qualifying AP exams, two qualifying AP courses, or a combination of one of each in different subjects.

SchoolScope withholds the high-school score and rank because a verified CDE overall Prepared rate is unavailable. A blank or missing rate is not 0%. The school CCI rate has its own student cohort and source year.

English proficiency (ELPAC)
MeasureSchoolCalifornia reference
Level 417%83 English learners tested18%8,212 reporting public schools

2025–26 · English learners · All grades. California reference: equal-school average across reporting public schools in SchoolScope at all grade levels; not student weighted. The tested count is reported separately from the percentage. Source: CDE Summative ELPAC research files.

AP route, among those ready for college or career
Unavailable
CDE CCI cohort · AP pathway share not reported; course offerings unknown
AP course catalog2025–26 · College Board course authorizations
SubjectAuthorization recorded for
Biologythis school
Calculus ABthis school
Chemistrythis school
Computer Science Athis school
Computer Science Principlesthis school
Drawingthis school
English Language and Compositionthis school
English Literature and Compositionthis school
Psychologythis school
Spanish Language and Culturethis school
Statisticsthis school
U.S. Government and Politicsthis school
United States Historythis school

Authorization ≠ a section running this year — the Ledger records what the school may teach, not seat counts.

Fundingschool and district spending, from state and federal finance records · each row names its fiscal year and measure

Per-pupil spending

District · current expense$20,344 per pupil

NCES F-33 · FY 2020–21 (2021) · fall district membership: 14,808 pupils

California · selected district mean$14,491 per pupil

NCES F-33 · FY 2020–21 (2021) · SchoolScope’s unweighted mean across 818 selected California district finance records

Central federal expenditures attributed here$136 per pupil

CDE ESSA · central expenditures attributed to this school · FY 2024–25 (2025) · source denominator: 683

District current expense · FY 2024–25$32,023 per ADA

CDE SACS Current Expense of Education · district fiscal year ending 2025 · average daily attendance denominator

These figures are not directly comparable: school ESSA attributed spending and NCES district current expense use different measures and populations. Their fiscal years are labeled above.

How the California mean was selected

SchoolScope starts with its selected California finance records, not every NCES California district. For FY 2020–21, it calculates an unweighted mean of NCES F-33 current expense per pupil. District records contribute once, regardless of enrollment. The calculation keeps records with positive per-pupil current expense, enrollment over 100, CCD agency type 1, and a recorded district name; it excludes names ending in County Office of Education, Department of Education, or Superintendent of Schools. This is a SchoolScope calculation, not a state-published spending average.

Selected General Fund operating costs · FY 2024–⁠25 · SchoolScope calculation
Instruction 63%Instruction support 14%Student services 7%Administration 7%Buildings & maintenance 9%
The arithmetic behind these shares · FY 2024–25
GroupDollarsShare, to two decimalsPrinted
Instruction$272,369,52262.41%63%
Instruction support$60,929,06713.96%14%
Student services$32,316,1107.40%7%
Administration$29,680,7016.80%7%
Buildings & maintenance$40,920,1869.38%9%
Total$436,452,510100.00%100%

These shares are our arithmetic: each group’s dollars divided by the $436,452,510 total of the groups shown, rounded to whole percents by largest remainder so they add up to 100. Dollar amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar, so they can differ from the total by a dollar. SchoolScope groups district-level CDE SACS UserGL actuals from Fund 01, using operating objects 1000–5999 and excluding retiree benefits, food and community services, facilities acquisition, other outgo, and nonagency goals. These shares use that filtered total; they do not exactly break down CDE's official current expense per ADA above. The school-level ESSA figure uses a separate source.

NCES F-33 district fiscal-year history, 2017–⁠2021; latest district record shown: 2021
2021$20,344 per pupil
2020$18,925 per pupil
2019$19,279 per pupil
2018$17,223 per pupil
2017$15,125 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The surrounding ZIP codeCensus Bureau survey, 2020–2024 · ZIP 95134 · not the school’s students
American Community Survey 5-year estimates · 2020–2024 · ZIP 95134 area
MeasureEstimate
Median household income$203,649
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)76%
ZIP-area population30,471
Median age31.3 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Median household income covers the past 12 months and is reported in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars. Bachelor's degree or higher uses adults age 25 and over as its population. A dash is unavailable, not zero; a reported zero remains zero. ZIP-area figures do not establish the school's attendance area or describe its enrolled students. These figures are not part of the Scope Score. See all schools in ZIP code 95134 →

Downloads, embed and methodologyCSV · embed code · sources · corrections

Embed this scorecard

<iframe
  src="https://schoolscope.co/embed/school/kathleen-macdonald-high-1283"
  width="100%" height="210" loading="lazy"
  style="border:0;border-radius:12px"
  title="Kathleen MacDonald High — SchoolScope scorecard">
</iframe>

Free to embed with the credit link. Data updates automatically.

Data sources: public data sources, including the California Department of Education · state tests (CAASPP) 2025–26 · Scope Score from 2024–25 results, compared across 1,498 alternative high schools · attendance and suspensions by student group from 2018–19 and 2025–26 · district finance for the year each row names · Census survey (ACS) 2020–2024 · AP courses the College Board approved, 2025–26 (approved to teach, not enrollment) · Data updated October 15, 2026

  • No 2025 SchoolScope score, band or rank is published under this high-school source rule.