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Santiago High · Garden Grove

Santiago High: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Santiago posts 44% meeting the standard against 36% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

12342 Trask Avenue, 92843 (opens in new tab)·Garden Grove Unified·Garden Grove·Grades 9-12·1,664 students·92% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(714) 663-6215·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5244
% Exceeded20%16%
% Met+44%36%
Grad rate90.6%87.6%
College readiness68.0%35.4%
Absence18.3%30.2%
Suspension3.3%3.6%
Scope Score
52
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #660 statewide · #6 of 8 in Garden Grove Unified

Santiago High scores 52 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 69th percentile of 2,160 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

Most rating sites would stop at “44% proficient” and call it done. Santiago deserves a closer read. The school sits in Garden Grove, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Santiago's low-income kids hit 57.3% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has stayed near the 69th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathBlue(Increased Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 44% meet the standard today, versus 48% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1163%60%58%51%58%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1133%22%23%23%29%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
44%
State 36%
Graduate
91%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
68%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 44 are proficient by 11th grade → 91 graduate → 68 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

57.3%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Santiago's most underrated number

57.3% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide. That's the strongest kind of signal a school can post: it holds across income lines.

Santiago low-income: 57.3%State low-income: 38.2%Santiago EL: 9.2%State EL: 10.4%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
90.6%
State 87.6%
3.0pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
19.9%
State 15.8%
4.1pp above state avg
College readiness
68.0%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
43.5%
State 35.7%
7.8pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
18.3%
State 30.2%
11.9pp below state avg
Suspension rate
3.3%
State 3.6%
0.3pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
12.0%
State 18.0%
6.0pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Santiago High in Garden Grove, 57.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 55.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Santiago High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 2.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (27.8% Math proficient); Hispanic students (55.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 48.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 349 students tested.

All students at this school: 44% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 44%, district —, state 36%44%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 43%, district 50%, state 32%43% · −1 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 40%, district 38%, state 32%40% · −4 vs school
MaleMale: this school 43%, district 55%, state 42%43% · −1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 45%, district 56%, state 44%45% · +1 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 6%, district 21%, state 11%6% · −37 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 9%, district 21%, state 15%9% · −34 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 65%, district 78%, state 72%65% · +22 vs school

6 of 14 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 18.3%, district 14.5%, state 30.2%18.3% · −11.9pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 3.3%, district —, state 3.6%3.3% · −0.3pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1217.8%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 20:1, district 23:120:1
Teaching staff88 teachers
Avg. experience15.5 years
Fully credentialed75%
First-year teachers5%
Intern / emergency permit0.6%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$72,504 – $141,634
Principal salary$181,381 – $218,095
Superintendent salary$370,605

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered39
AP exam qualifiers172 students
CTE pathway completers75 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $23,431, CA average $14,815$23,431 · spent at this school
Federal share$508 per student

$508 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$22,744 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction61%
Instruction support11%
Student services11%
Administration4%
Buildings & maintenance9%
Other3%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$14,737 per pupil
2019$13,697 per pupil
2018$13,564 per pupil
2017$12,765 per pupil
2016$11,487 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic83.5%
District 53.2% · CA 56.1%
Asian13.1%
District 35.5% · CA 10.2%
Other1.7%
District 4.8% · CA 9.0%
White1.5%
District 6.0% · CA 19.9%
Black0.2%
District 0.5% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 92.1% (28pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$81K · CA $85K
Median home value$747K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+18% · CA 35%
ZIP population46,414
Median age39 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 38% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Santiago High a good high school?

Santiago High has a Scope Score of 52 out of 100, placing it in the 69th percentile of California high schools and ranked #660 statewide. 19.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 4.1 percentage points above the California average of 15.8%. The Scope Score weights 7 dimensions for high schools: graduation rate (25%), exceeded standard (22%), college/career readiness (20%), met or exceeded (proficient) (18%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Santiago High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 43.5% of students at Santiago High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 19.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 23.6% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 19.9% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 758 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Santiago High rank in California?

Santiago High ranks #660 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 69th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Santiago High?

18.3% of students at Santiago High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 3.3%. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.

How does Santiago High compare to other schools in Garden Grove?

Santiago High scores 52/100 (69th percentile) among California high schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 1,664 students. Use the schools in Garden Grove page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Santiago High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Santiago High in Garden Grove, 57.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 55.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Santiago High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 2.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (27.8% Math proficient); Hispanic students (55.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 48.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 349 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.


For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Graduation rate · 25%
90.6%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 54th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
19.9%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 54th pctile
College readiness · 20%
68.0%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 69th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
43.5%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 56th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
18.3%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 60th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
3.3%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 51th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
12.0%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 43th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1137928%30%21%21%58%+11
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1137912%17%27%44%29%+6
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/113926%32%55%7%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged34957.3%+2+19
Hispanic/Latino31555.2%+10+16
English Learners1099.2%−11−1
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Santiago High ←5219.9%43.5%3.3%
La Quinta High2.8 mi7249.6%76.0%3.1%
Garden Grove High1.4 mi6333.4%59.3%4.5%
Middle College High1.6 mi6143.9%75.3%1.3%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
90.6%
AP Exam Prepared
68.0%
A-G Completion
56.3%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
70.7%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195570#62216.3%47.5%9.9%7.8%
20225274#55217.5%41.2%22.4%3.7%
20235272#60716.5%40.3%20.6%3.2%
20245168#67715.4%37.0%18.8%3.9%
20255269#66019.9%43.5%18.3%3.3%
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female8.9%19.1%+10.2pp
Male9.6%16.6%+7.0pp
Asian2.2%7.6%+5.4pp
Filipino16.7%0.0%-16.7pp
White18.2%
Hispanic/Latino10.0%19.4%+9.4pp
Pacific Islander15.4%
Students with Disabilities16.7%27.8%+11.1pp
English Learners10.7%22.3%+11.6pp
Homeless18.4%37.1%+18.7pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged9.8%18.5%+8.7pp
All Students9.3%17.8%+8.5pp
Foster Youth23.1%
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction