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Saugus High · Saugus

Saugus High: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.

Saugus posts 65% meeting the standard, and 33.1% going well past it. Most kids here keep up. Fewer get pushed further. Ask the school what it does for a child who already finds the work easy.

21900 Centurion Way, 91350 (opens in new tab)·William S. Hart Union High·Saugus·Grades 9-12·2,317 students·18% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(661) 297-3900·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6344
% Exceeded33%16%
% Met+65%36%
Grad rate97.8%87.6%
College readiness55.3%35.4%
Absence14.5%30.2%
Suspension1.8%3.6%
Scope Score
63
💪 Strong All-Around · Solid
ranked #244 statewide · #4 of 13 in William S. Hart Union High

Saugus High scores 63 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 89th 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 →

💪 Strong All-Around — Ask about what we don't score — class size, electives, the feel of a classroom — strong numbers everywhere on paper don't mean every classroom feels the same.

Most rating sites would stop at “65% proficient” and call it done. Saugus deserves a closer read. It sits at the 89th percentile of 2,160 California high schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

Saugus's low-income kids hit 73.0% 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 held the 89th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 65% meet the standard today, versus 76% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1189%80%81%83%82%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1163%44%47%47%49%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
65%
State 36%
Graduate
98%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
55%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 65 are proficient by 11th grade → 98 graduate → 55 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

73.0%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Saugus's most underrated number

73.0% 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.

Saugus low-income: 73.0%State low-income: 38.2%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
97.8%
State 87.6%
10.2pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
33.1%
State 15.8%
17.2pp above state avg
College readiness
55.3%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
65.2%
State 35.7%
29.5pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
14.5%
State 30.2%
15.7pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.8%
State 3.6%
1.8pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
25.0%
State 18.0%
7.0pp above 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 Saugus High in Saugus, 73.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 55.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Saugus High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 17.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (37.5% Math proficient); White students (86.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 40.8 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 126 students tested.

All students at this school: 65% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 65%, district —, state 36%65%
MaleMale: this school 64%, district 58%, state 42%64% · −1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 66%, district 60%, state 44%66% · +1 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 70%, district 67%, state 56%70% · +4 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 59%, district 47%, state 32%59% · −7 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 55%, district 44%, state 32%55% · −10 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 26%, district 19%, state 15%26% · −39 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 75%, district 78%, state 65%75% · +9 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 80%, district 86%, state 72%80% · +14 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 63%, district 45%, state 26%63% · −3 vs school

7 of 17 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 14.5%, district 22.9%, state 30.2%14.5% · −15.7pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.8%, district —, state 3.6%1.8% · −1.8pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1214.0%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
No feeder data available for this level
High School
Saugus High
63/100
This school

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 25:1, district 24:125:1
Teaching staff99 teachers
Avg. experience17.2 years
Fully credentialed83%
First-year teachers1%
Intern / emergency permit2.2%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$57,538 – $101,943
Principal salary$0 – $172,444
Superintendent salary$310,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered47
AP exam qualifiers182 students
CTE pathway completers93 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $15,181, CA average $14,815$15,181 · spent at this school
Federal share$17 per student

$17 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$17,176 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
Instruction58%
Instruction support12%
Student services11%
Administration8%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other1%

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$11,844 per pupil
2019$11,615 per pupil
2018$11,989 per pupil
2017$10,579 per pupil
2016$9,869 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White42.0%
District 31.9% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic38.5%
District 45.3% · CA 56.1%
Other11.1%
District 10.3% · CA 9.0%
Asian4.9%
District 8.1% · CA 10.2%
Black3.5%
District 4.4% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 17.6% (46pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$140K · CA $85K
Median home value$801K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+42% · CA 35%
ZIP population43,973
Median age38 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 2,317 students, this school is well above the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 64% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Saugus High a good high school?

Saugus High has a Scope Score of 63 out of 100, placing it in the 89th percentile of California high schools and ranked #244 statewide. 33.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 17.2 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 Saugus High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 65.2% of students at Saugus High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 33.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 32.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 33.1% 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. 1,137 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Saugus High rank in California?

Saugus High ranks #244 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 89th 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 Saugus High?

14.5% of students at Saugus 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 1.8%, indicating a low-discipline-incident environment. 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 Saugus High compare to other schools in Saugus?

Saugus High scores 63/100 (89th 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 2,317 students. Use the schools in Saugus page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

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

At Saugus High in Saugus, 73.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 55.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Saugus High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 17.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (37.5% Math proficient); White students (86.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 40.8 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 126 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%
97.8%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 62th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
33.1%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 68th pctile
College readiness · 20%
55.3%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 62th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
65.2%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 71th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
14.5%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 63th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.8%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 58th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
25.0%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 64th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1156844%38%13%5%82%+35
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1156922%27%25%26%49%+25
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1156917%47%35%2%

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 Disadvantaged12673.0%+18+35
White24786.2%+10+24
Hispanic/Latino23175.8%+17+37
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Saugus High ←6333.1%65.2%1.8%
Mission View Public2.8 mi325.7%20.8%0.7%
Bowman (Jereann) High (Continuation)2 mi261.2%11.4%3.8%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
97.8%
AP Exam Prepared
55.3%
A-G Completion
27.7%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
78.1%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20197294#12844.7%76.2%9.7%1.1%
20226389#22733.0%61.7%16.9%2.4%
20236390#22133.3%63.6%17.0%2.3%
20246389#24431.5%65.2%12.4%2.7%
20256389#24433.1%65.2%14.5%1.8%
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
Female9.7%15.1%+5.4pp
Male8.9%13.1%+4.2pp
Asian8.5%4.3%-4.2pp
Black/African American12.1%8.4%-3.7pp
White4.1%10.4%+6.3pp
Hispanic/Latino9.9%15.9%+6.0pp
Two or More Races7.4%11.8%+4.4pp
Students with Disabilities17.5%22.3%+4.8pp
English Learners16.9%14.7%-2.2pp
Homeless26.2%12.5%-13.7pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged17.0%21.2%+4.2pp
All Students9.3%14.0%+4.7pp
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