Elementary Schools in Santa Barbara, California: Santa Barbara schools aren't just reaching proficiency — they're pushing students beyond it.
Santa Barbara, California has 21 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 54.2/100 — 9.3 points above the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Montecito Union at 95/100, where 69.1% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Santa Barbara schools average 32.9% exceeded standard (state: 21.3%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Of 21 schools, 2 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 13.5% (below the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Schools | Avg Score | Exceeded | vs State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 21 | Solid 54.2/100 | 32.9% | +9.3 |
| High | 5 | Developing 34.8/100 | 10.6% | -8.9 |
| Middle | 3 | Developing 46.5/100 | 19.3% | +3.9 |
How Santa Barbara schools compare
Santa Barbara has 21 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 54.2/100 — 9.3 points above the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
The top-ranked school is Montecito Union with a Scope Score of 95 and 69.1% of students exceeding standard.
These schools are pushing students past the bar, not just to it. Santa Barbara schools average 32.9% exceeding standard — well above the statewide average of 21.3%.
Chronic absenteeism in Santa Barbara averages 13.5% — below the state average of 17.9%.
How we score · Weighted composite of test performance, growth, and school climate · Full weights on the methodology page
School archetypes in Santa Barbara
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Every school in Santa Barbara
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montecito Union Montecito Union Elementary High Ceiling | 69.1% | Strong 95/100 |
| 2 | Cold Spring Elementary Cold Spring Elementary High Ceiling | 83.9% | Strong 83/100 |
| 3 | Foothill Elementary Goleta Union Elementary Strong All-Around | 48.5% | Strong 72/100 |
| 4 | Mountain View Elementary Goleta Union Elementary Strong All-Around | 54.2% | Solid 69/100 |
| 5 | La Colina Junior High Santa Barbara Unified Strong All-Around | 34.6% | Solid 68/100 |
| 6 | Adelante Charter Santa Barbara Unified Strong All-Around | 26.0% | Solid 67/100 |
| 7 | Monte Vista Elementary Hope Elementary Strong All-Around | 48.5% | Solid 67/100 |
| 8 | Vieja Valley Elementary Hope Elementary Strong All-Around | 35.0% | Solid 61/100 |
| 9 | Hollister Elementary Goleta Union Elementary Strong All-Around | 34.4% | Solid 59/100 |
| 10 | Peabody Charter Santa Barbara Unified Strong All-Around | 41.8% | Solid 59/100 |
| 11 | San Marcos Senior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 23.6% | Solid 55/100 |
| 12 | Washington Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Culture First | 37.8% | Solid 53/100 |
| 13 | Franklin Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 20.6% | Solid 52/100 |
| 14 | Trivium Charter School Voyage Blochman Union Elementary Culture First | 24.5% | Developing 48/100 |
| 15 | Hope Elementary Hope Elementary Culture First | 30.8% | Developing 48/100 |
| 16 | Harding University Partnership Santa Barbara Unified Culture First | 27.0% | Developing 45/100 |
| 17 | Santa Barbara Senior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 9.5% | Developing 45/100 |
| 18 | Adams Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Culture First | 23.7% | Developing 45/100 |
| 19 | Santa Barbara Community Academy Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 9.3% | Developing 45/100 |
| 20 | Monroe Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 14.9% | Developing 45/100 |
| 21 | La Cumbre Junior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 13.1% | Developing 42/100 |
| 22 | Roosevelt Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 29.6% | Developing 40/100 |
| 23 | El Camino Elementary Goleta Union Elementary Culture First | 17.6% | Developing 34/100 |
| 24 | Alta Vista Alternative High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 13.2% | Developing 32/100 |
| 25 | Olive Grove Charter - Santa Barbara SBE - Olive Grove Charter - Santa Barbar Building Momentum | 6.7% | Developing 30/100 |
| 26 | Santa Barbara Junior High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 10.1% | Needs Support 30/100 |
| 27 | Cleveland Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 10.0% | Needs Support 26/100 |
| 28 | McKinley Elementary Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 3.0% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 29 | La Cuesta Continuation High Santa Barbara Unified Building Momentum | 0.0% | Needs Support 12/100 |
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
Private Schools in Santa Barbara
Private schools don't participate in California's standardized testing (CAASPP) and cannot be scored or ranked. Showing enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and affiliation where available.
Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access. Full methodology
Frequently asked questions
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