Students
13,601
enrolled at the 32 public schools with a Santa Barbara address.
Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara County
Schools in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara’s 21 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 69 to 99.
75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state.
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Open the map →Elementary schools
Which elementary schools in Santa Barbara score highest?
Montecito Union is highest, with a Scope Score of 99. That is higher than 99 in 100 California elementary schools we score.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
Montecito Union
Montecito Union Elementary · 93108 · Grades K–6
77185% below the standard
Scope Score 99Strong · 99th percentile
Rank 2
Cold Spring Elementary
Cold Spring Elementary · 93108 · Grades K–6
940% below the standard
Scope Score 97Strong · 99th percentile
Rank 3
Mountain View Elementary
Goleta Union Elementary · 93111 · Grades K–6
562222% below the standard
Scope Score 90Strong · 94th percentile
Rank 4
Foothill Elementary
Goleta Union Elementary · 93111 · Grades K–6
462925% below the standard
Scope Score 87Strong · 89th percentile
Rank 5
Washington Elementary
Santa Barbara Unified · 93109 · Grades K–6
422731% below the standard
Scope Score 84Strong · 84th percentile
Rank 6
Monte Vista Elementary
Hope Elementary · 93110 · Grades K–6
372340% below the standard
Scope Score 83Strong · 80th percentile
Rank 7
Peabody CharterCharter
Santa Barbara Unified · 93105 · Grades K–6 · Check how it admits students.
392635% below the standard
Scope Score 82Strong · 79th percentile
Rank 8
Roosevelt Elementary
Santa Barbara Unified · 93101 · Grades K–6
341848% below the standard
Scope Score 81Strong · 76th percentile
Rank 9
Trivium Charter School VoyageCharter
Blochman Union Elementary · 93110 · Grades K–12 · Check how it admits students.
262054% below the standard
Scope Score 81Strong · 75th percentile
Rank 10
Adelante CharterCharter
Santa Barbara Unified · 93103 · Grades K–6 · Check how it admits students.
253243% below the standard
Scope Score 81Strong · 75th percentile
Show the other 11 elementary schools
Rank 11
Harding University Partnership
Santa Barbara Unified · 93101 · Grades K–6
292348% below the standard
Scope Score 81Solid · 74th percentile
Rank 12
Vieja Valley Elementary
Hope Elementary · 93110 · Grades K–6
302644% below the standard
Scope Score 80Solid · 72nd percentile
Rank 13
Hope Elementary
Hope Elementary · 93110 · Grades K–6
302941% below the standard
Scope Score 79Solid · 68th percentile
Rank 14
Hollister Elementary
Goleta Union Elementary · 93111 · Grades K–6
262450% below the standard
Scope Score 78Solid · 62nd percentile
Rank 15
El Camino Elementary
Goleta Union Elementary · 93111 · Grades K–6
201862% below the standard
Scope Score 76Solid · 56th percentile
Rank 16
Santa Barbara Community Academy
Santa Barbara Unified · 93101 · Grades K–6
172459% below the standard
Scope Score 76Solid · 54th percentile
Rank 17
Adams Elementary
Santa Barbara Unified · 93105 · Grades K–6
212059% below the standard
Scope Score 75Solid · 50th percentile
Rank 18
Franklin Elementary
Santa Barbara Unified · 93103 · Grades K–6
163351% below the standard
Scope Score 74Developing · 46th percentile
Rank 19
Monroe Elementary
Santa Barbara Unified · 93109 · Grades K–6
122464% below the standard
Scope Score 73Developing · 39th percentile
Rank 20
Cleveland Elementary
Santa Barbara Unified · 93103 · Grades K–6
2469% below the standard
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 13th percentile
Rank 21
McKinley Elementary
Santa Barbara Unified · 93109 · Grades K–6
1085% below the standard
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 12th percentile
11in 100
The average Santa Barbara elementary school had 11 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100.
Each score compares a school with the 5,726 California elementary schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days. Each figure is an average of school rates. Each school counts once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in Santa Barbara score highest?
La Colina Junior High is highest, with a Scope Score of 88. That is higher than 92 in 100 California middle schools we score.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
La Colina Junior High
Santa Barbara Unified · 93110 · Grades 7–8
393130% below the standard
Scope Score 88Strong · 92nd percentile
Rank 2
Trivium Charter School VoyageCharter
Blochman Union Elementary · 93110 · Grades K–12 · Check how it admits students.
203050% below the standard
Scope Score 77Solid · 61st percentile
Rank 3
La Cumbre Junior High
Santa Barbara Unified · 93101 · Grades 7–8
142363% below the standard
Scope Score 74Developing · 43rd percentile
Rank 4
Santa Barbara Junior High
Santa Barbara Unified · 93103 · Grades 7–8
132166% below the standard
Scope Score 72Developing · 31st percentile
15in 100
The average Santa Barbara middle school had 15 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
Each score compares a school with the 2,529 California middle schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026.
High schools
Which high schools in Santa Barbara score highest?
San Marcos Senior High is highest, with a Scope Score of 78. That is higher than 62 in 100 California high schools we score.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
San Marcos Senior High
Santa Barbara Unified · 93110 · Grades 9–12
242155% below the standard
Scope Score 78Solid · 62nd percentile
Rank 2
Santa Barbara Senior High
Santa Barbara Unified · 93103 · Grades 9–12
2368% below the standard
Scope Score 73Developing · 39th percentile
Rank 3
Alta Vista Alternative High
Santa Barbara Unified · 93101 · Grades 9–12 · Check how it admits students.
1382% below the standard
Scope Score 65Needs Support · 8th percentile
39in 100
The average Santa Barbara high school had 39 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California high school we score had 22 in 100.
5 high schools not ranked statewide
Continuation schools, court and community schools and special education centers enroll students differently from a regular school, so each is compared only with its own kind or not ranked. The others have no statewide percentile this year.
- La Cuesta Continuation HighContinuation high school
- Olive Grove Charter - Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara County CommunityCounty community school
- Santa Barbara County Juvenile CourtJuvenile court school
- Santa Barbara County Special EducationSpecial education center
Each score compares a school with the 1,498 California high schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025. The state called the top two levels Exceeded and Met in spring 2025.
Districts
Which districts run the schools here?
Six districts run the public schools with a Santa Barbara address. The home address decides which district serves a child. Charter schools are not counted here.
District
Santa Barbara Unified
16schools here
Elementary, Middle, High. La Colina, San Marcos, Washington, Santa Barbara Senior High, Roosevelt, Harding University Partnership, Alta Vista Alternative, Santa Barbara Community Academy and 8 more.
Open the district →District
Goleta Union Elementary
4schools here
Elementary. Mountain View, Foothill, Hollister, El Camino.
Open the district →District
Hope Elementary
3schools here
Elementary. Monte Vista, Vieja Valley, Hope Elementary.
Open the district →District
Santa Barbara County Office of Education
3schools here
High. Santa Barbara County Community, Santa Barbara County Juvenile Court, Santa Barbara County Special Education.
Also here: Cold Spring Elementary (1), Montecito Union Elementary (1).
Does living in Santa Barbara decide which school my child attends?
No. A city can hold schools from more than one district, and attendance boundaries decide which school serves an address. Confirm the school for your address with the district.
Charter and private
What other schools are here?
15 private schools have a Santa Barbara address. They don’t take California’s state tests, so we don’t score them.
- Laguna Blanca School93110 · 450 students
- Bishop Garcia Diego High School93110 · 263 students
- Crane Country Day School93108 · 249 students
- Providence School93103 · 245 students
- Providence School93105 · 243 students
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Elementary93108 · 200 students
- The Riviera Ridge School93103 · 200 students
- St. Raphael Elementary93111 · 186 students
- Santa Barbara Middle School93103 · 182 students
- Notre Dame School93101 · 113 students
- Anacapa School93101 · 48 students
- The Knox School of Santa Barbara93101 · 40 students
Show the other 3 private schools
- Saint Therese Classical Academy93111 · 32 students
- St. Therese Classical Academy93101 · 27 students
- Sunrise Montessori School93103 · 5 students
Open the private-school directory →
4 charter schools have a Santa Barbara address. They are in the lists above, marked Charter. Private school names and enrollment are from the California Department of Education’s private school filings and the federal Private School Survey.
Students
Who goes to school here?
13,601 students go to the 32 public schools with a Santa Barbara address. 55 in 100 qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
Low-income families
5–91%
of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, from the lowest elementary school to the highest. California: 63%.
Missing school
11in 100
students chronically absent at the average elementary school here. California: 17 in 100.
Students and meal counts: California Department of Education, free or reduced-price meal file, 2024–25. Chronic absence: California Department of Education, 2025–26, an average of school rates.
Common questions
What do parents ask about schools in Santa Barbara?
Are the public schools in Santa Barbara good?
Santa Barbara’s 21 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 69 to 99. Of those, 10 are Strong, 7 are Solid, 2 are Developing and 2 are Needs Support. Santa Barbara’s 4 public middle schools have Scope Scores from 72 to 88. Of those, 1 is Strong, 1 is Solid and 2 are Developing. Santa Barbara’s 3 public high schools have Scope Scores from 65 to 78. Of those, 1 is Solid, 1 is Developing and 1 is Needs Support. 75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state. How we score schools.
Which public schools in Santa Barbara rank highest?
Montecito Union is the highest elementary school, with a Scope Score of 99. It is Strong, at the 99th percentile. La Colina Junior High is the highest middle school, with a Scope Score of 88. It is Strong, at the 92nd percentile. San Marcos Senior High is the highest high school, with a Scope Score of 78. It is Solid, at the 62nd percentile. Each score compares a school with the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
How does chronic absence in Santa Barbara compare with California?
The average Santa Barbara elementary school had 11 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days. Each figure is an average of school rates. Each school counts once. The average Santa Barbara middle school had 15 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. The average Santa Barbara high school had 39 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California high school we score had 22 in 100.
Where do these results come from?
The test results are from California’s state tests (CAASPP). They are from spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools. The results are from spring 2025 for high schools. Chronic-absence rates are for 2025–26. The California Department of Education publishes both. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Next
Which places nearby can you look at next?
Santa Barbara Unified
The district that runs most public schools here.
Compare schoolsSee the same numbers for each school.
Goleta Union ElementaryRuns 4 public schools with a Santa Barbara address.
School districts
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools with a Santa Barbara address. They can belong to more than one school district.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.
State tests are the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), springs 2025 and 2026.
Download these schools (CSV) Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.