Is San Marcos Senior High a good school?

San Marcos Senior High ranks 629 th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend San Marcos Senior High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,943 students attended San Marcos Senior High.

What is the racial makeup of San Marcos Senior High?

Students at San Marcos Senior High are 59% Hispanic, 33% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

What schools feed into San Marcos Senior High?

San Marcos Senior High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Adams Elementary Elementary : Harding University Partnership Elementary : Monroe Elementary Middle : La Cumbre Junior High

San Marcos Senior High

Summary:

San Marcos Senior High is a public high school in Santa Barbara, California, serving 2,020 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Santa Barbara Unified School District. While the school has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking and rating, it has maintained a strong 4-year graduation rate. However, San Marcos Senior High struggles with lower academic performance, particularly for Hispanic, English Language Learner, Special Education, and Military Connected students.

Compared to nearby schools, Dos Pueblos Senior High consistently outperforms San Marcos Senior High across various metrics, including test scores, graduation rates, and rankings. Meanwhile, Carpinteria Senior High performs similarly to San Marcos Senior High in many areas. The school's performance for White students is notably stronger than its performance for other subgroups, and it has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, which may be contributing to its lower academic achievement and higher dropout rates.

To address these challenges, San Marcos Senior High could focus on improving support for underperforming student populations and addressing the chronic absenteeism issue. By addressing these areas, the school can work towards improving its overall academic performance and better serving the diverse needs of its student body.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4750 Hollister Ave.
Santa Barbara, CA 93110-1921

(805) 967-4581

District: Santa Barbara Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
629^th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,018

Feeder schools for San Marcos Senior High:

Elementary:	Adams Elementary
	Harding University Partnership
	Monroe Elementary
Middle:	La Cumbre Junior High

Student/teacher ratio: 20.8

Number of students: 1,943

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

59.3%

White:

32.8%

Two or more races:

4.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 57.5%

See top rated California high schools

Compare San Marcos Senior High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details San Marcos Senior High ranks better than 72.9% of high schools in California. It also ranks 2^nd among 5 ranked high schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.35. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at San Marcos Senior High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (59.3%), White (32.8%), two or more races (4.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 57.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at San Marcos Senior High is 20.8. 2 high schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare San Marcos Senior High employs 93.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at San Marcos Senior High is $12,018. 2 high schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

San Marcos Senior High:

SchoolDigger ranks San Marcos Senior High 629^th of 2323 California public high schools. (See San Marcos Senior High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Santa Barbara Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Santa Barbara Unified 696^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for San Marcos Senior High

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Rank History for all students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2013	50.06	788^th	2426	67.5%
2015	68.40	580^th	1994	70.9%
2016	53.84	923^rd	2039	54.7%
2017	68.22	631^st	2021	68.8%
2018	75.25	488^th	2017	75.8%
2019	70.29	526^th	2133	75.3%
2022	55.82	801^st	2123	62.3%
2023	62.47	608^th	2348	74.1%
2024	60.35	629^th	2323	72.9%

See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	79.78	103^rd	786	86.9%
2024	53.14	309^th	804	61.6%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	29.17	655^th	938	30.2%
2019	31.27	714^th	941	24.1%
2022	35.48	655^th	1044	37.3%
2023	23.70	1117^th	1323	15.6%
2024	34.64	647^th	1350	52.1%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	45.54	560^th	1547	63.8%
2024	23.23	1235^th	1534	19.5%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	65.13	621^st	1862	66.6%
2019	59.00	703^rd	1937	63.7%
2022	46.17	942^nd	1943	51.5%
2023	44.87	1010^th	2247	55.1%
2024	42.62	1060^th	2235	52.6%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	43.31	157^th	290	45.9%
2023	54.04	148^th	417	64.5%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	74.46	447^th	1760	74.6%
2019	71.97	433^rd	1833	76.4%
2022	57.90	661^st	1858	64.4%
2023	67.37	488^th	2118	77.0%
2024	63.26	538^th	2098	74.4%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	44.89	456^th	1052	56.7%
2019	21.24	1002^nd	1117	10.3%
2022	47.51	447^th	1161	61.5%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	24.30	128^th	168	23.8%
2023	21.15	190^th	233	18.5%
2024	28.57	170^th	234	27.4%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	69.89	537^th	1834	70.7%
2019	63.19	612^th	1880	67.4%
2022	48.67	852^nd	1916	55.5%
2023	54.48	715^th	2207	67.6%
2024	53.26	730^th	2172	66.4%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	37.64	394^th	581	32.2%
2019	57.55	280^th	582	51.9%
2022	50.06	319^th	581	45.1%
2023	52.20	388^th	731	46.9%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	69.05	515^th	1742	70.4%
2019	61.50	600^th	1814	66.9%
2022	42.88	1018^th	1861	45.3%
2023	44.17	1002^nd	2142	53.2%
2024	41.43	1078^th	2125	49.3%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at San Marcos Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	76.87	265^th	1173	77.4%
2019	71.10	321^st	1222	73.7%
2022	55.75	522^nd	1204	56.6%
2023	67.89	337^th	1434	76.5%
2024	76.66	203^rd	1406	85.6%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for San Marcos Senior High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2012	644	25	69	997	17	3	43	0	1798
2013	655	24	67	1051	13	3	45	0	1858
2014	705	20	78	1068	8	4	59	0	1942
2015	785	17	74	1139	12	1	58	0	2086
2016	851	32	99	1174	23	1	1	0	2181
2017	845	30	98	1196	19	1	3	0	2192
2018	813	22	83	1162	12	1	7	0	2100
2019	782	17	82	1135	4	1	22	0	2043
2020	740	16	72	1115	5	3	30	0	1981
2021	733	11	72	1156	3	3	50	0	2028
2022	699	9	56	1155	4	3	70	2	1998
2023	709	9	58	1154	5	4	78	3	2020
2024	637	6	53	1153	2	3	87	2	1943

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at San Marcos Senior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	1798	77.6	23.1	n/a
2013	1858	74.6	24.8	48.9
2014	1942	74.3	26.1	43.2
2015	2086	89.0	23.4	43.6
2016	2181	92.0	23.7	39.2
2017	2192	83.8	26.1	40.9
2018	2100	92.6	22.6	47.1
2019	2043	86.1	23.7	47.3
2020	1981	n/a	n/a	41
2021	2028	82.6	24.5	48.9
2022	1998	90.1	22.1	56.6
2023	2020	93.9	21.5	57.1
2024	1943	93.3	20.8	57.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio San Marcos Senior High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	1798	77.6	23.1	n/a
2013	1858	74.6	24.8	48.9
2014	1942	74.3	26.1	43.2
2015	2086	89.0	23.4	43.6
2016	2181	92.0	23.7	39.2
2017	2192	83.8	26.1	40.9
2018	2100	92.6	22.6	47.1
2019	2043	86.1	23.7	47.3
2020	1981	n/a	n/a	41
2021	2028	82.6	24.5	48.9
2022	1998	90.1	22.1	56.6
2023	2020	93.9	21.5	57.1
2024	1943	93.3	20.8	57.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for San Marcos Senior High

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$12,018

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on San Marcos Senior High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 526^th of 2133 High schools	Ranks 608^th of 2348 High schools	1.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (San Marcos Senior High)	64.8	55.8	9%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Santa Barbara Unified)	60	55.3	4.7%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	57.3	55.4	1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (San Marcos Senior High)	42.9	31.9	11%
11th Grade Mathematics (Santa Barbara Unified)	40.5	31.7	8.8%
11th Grade Mathematics (California)	32.2	27.4	4.9%
11th Grade Science (San Marcos Senior High)	42.2	33.6	8.6%
11th Grade Science (Santa Barbara Unified)	40.6	35.1	5.5%
11th Grade Science (California)	30.4	31.7	1.3%
12th Grade Science (San Marcos Senior High)	18.4	2.6	15.8%
12th Grade Science (Santa Barbara Unified)	18.5	10.3	8.2%
12th Grade Science (California)	25.6	26.9	1.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	2043	2020	1.1%
African American	17	9	47.1%
American Indian	4	5	25%
Asian	82	58	29.3%
Hispanic	1135	1154	1.7%
Pacific Islander	1	4	300%
White	782	709	9.3%
Two or More Races	22	78	254.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	47.3%	57.1%	9.8%

Schools Near San Marcos Senior High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CAST Science (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
San Marcos Senior High	Public	9-12	4750 Hollister Ave.	Santa Barbara	93110	Santa Barbara County	Santa Barbara Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 967-4581	1,943	93	20.8	57.5%	637 (32.8%)	6 (0.3%)	1,153 (59.3%)	53 (2.7%)	2 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	87 (4.5%)	60.3	629^th of 2323 public high schools	72.9%		62.5	608^th of 2348 public high schools	74.1%	21		33.2		33.2			50.4	50.4			32.1	32.1	$12,018
Santa Barbara County Juvenile Court	Public	5-12	4400 Cathedral Oaks Rd.	Santa Barbara	93110	Santa Barbara County	Santa Barbara County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 967-5307	30	4	7.5	90.0%	2 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (93.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)													$3,725
Santa Barbara County Community	Public	5-12	4400 Cathedral Oaks Rd.	Santa Barbara	93110	Santa Barbara County	Santa Barbara County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 967-5307	14	4	3.4	71.4%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4.4	2314^th of 2323 public high schools	0.4%		4.2	2330^th of 2348 public high schools	0.8%	16	0.0			0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	$29,687
Santa Barbara County Regional Occupational Program-South	Public	9-12	4400 Cathedral Oaks Rd.	Santa Barbara	93160	Santa Barbara County	Santa Barbara County Regional Occupational Program	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(805) 967-4711	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Dos Pueblos Senior High	Public	9-12	7266 Alameda Ave.	Goleta	93117	Santa Barbara County	Santa Barbara Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 968-2541	2,075	92	22.4	45.9%	823 (39.7%)	17 (0.8%)	927 (44.7%)	137 (6.6%)	5 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	153 (7.4%)	84.2	261^st of 2323 public high schools	88.8%		87	219^th of 2348 public high schools	90.7%	42		48.8	10.5	47.4			68.5	68.5			47.0	47.0	$11,880
La Cuesta Continuation High	Public	9-12	710 Santa Barbara St.	Santa Barbara	93101	Santa Barbara County	Santa Barbara Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 966-0883	103	8	12.3	86.4%	8 (7.8%)	2 (1.9%)	92 (89.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	7.6	2205^th of 2323 public high schools	5.1%		7.4	2241^st of 2348 public high schools	4.6%	36		0.0		0.0			9.1	9.1			0.0	0.0	$23,703
Santa Barbara Senior High	Public	9-12	700 East Anapamu St.	Santa Barbara	93103	Santa Barbara County	Santa Barbara Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 966-9101	2,046	96	21.2	60.4%	633 (30.9%)	14 (0.7%)	1,262 (61.7%)	29 (1.4%)	8 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	93 (4.5%)	35.5	1256^th of 2323 public high schools	45.9%		42	1074^th of 2348 public high schools	54.3%	182		19.6		19.5			37.1	37.1			19.5	19.5	$11,746
Alta Vista Alternative High	Public, Virtual	9-12	215 East Ortega St.	Santa Barbara	93101	Santa Barbara County	Santa Barbara Unified	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(805) 966-0883	134	9	14.1	60.4%	43 (32.1%)	1 (0.7%)	77 (57.5%)	4 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.7%)	48.3	904^th of 2323 public high schools	61.1%		40.9	1110^th of 2348 public high schools	52.7%	206		29.2	36.4	31.4			33.3	33.3			25.0	25.0	$17,768
Carpinteria Senior High	Public	9-12	4810 Foothill Rd.	Carpinteria	93013	Santa Barbara County	Carpinteria Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 684-4107	609	35	17.6	69.3%	118 (19.4%)	1 (0.2%)	468 (76.8%)	12 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.5%)	39.2	1155^th of 2323 public high schools	50.3%		45.3	988^th of 2348 public high schools	57.9%	167		18.0		17.7			40.6	40.6			24.0	24.0	$8,649

San Marcos Senior High

San Marcos Senior High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Santa Barbara Unified:

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Rank History for San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for all students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for Multi-racial students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for English Language Learner students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for Special Education students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for Homeless students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for Female students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for Disabled students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for Military Connected students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for Male students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for Asian students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for Hispanic students at San Marcos Senior High

Rank History for White students at San Marcos Senior High

Enrollment information for San Marcos Senior High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at San Marcos Senior High

Student/Teacher Ratio San Marcos Senior High

Per Pupil Expenditures for San Marcos Senior High

Impact of COVID-19 on San Marcos Senior High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near San Marcos Senior High

Frequently Asked Questions about San Marcos Senior High

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