Pescadero High

Q: Is Pescadero High a good school?

Pescadero High ranks 672 nd of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Pescadero High is a public high school located in the rural town of Pescadero, California, serving 80 students in grades 9-12. Over the past decade, the school has had a fluctuating statewide ranking, currently placing 672nd out of 2,323 California high schools with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Pescadero High stands out for its strong graduation rates, ranging from 84.2% to 100% over the past five years, which are higher than the state average and compare favorably to nearby schools like Sequoia High (88.5%) and Half Moon Bay High (90.6%). Additionally, the school has had very low dropout rates, ranging from 0% to 4.5%, significantly better than the state average and nearby schools like Sequoia High (10.8%) and Pilarcitos Alternative High (50%). However, Pescadero High has seen a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 15.4% in 2018-2019 to 54.3% in 2022-2023, much higher than the state average and nearby high-performing schools like Monta Vista High (6.2%) and Los Altos High (12.7%).

Pescadero High's test scores in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are generally on par with or slightly above the La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District average, but below the state average and nearby high-performing schools like Monta Vista High, Palo Alto High, and Henry M. Gunn High. The school's student demographics also differ, with a higher percentage of Hispanic students (around 80%) and low socioeconomic status students (around 40%) compared to nearby schools.

Detail:

Public 9-12

350 Butano Cut Off
Pescadero, CA 94060-0730

(650) 879-0274

District: La Honda-Pescadero Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
672^nd of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,689

Feeder schools for Pescadero High:

Elementary:	La Honda Elementary
	Pescadero Elementary and Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 16.1

Number of students: 83

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

79.5%

White:

20.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37.3%

See top rated California high schools

Compare Pescadero High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Pescadero High ranks better than 71.1% of high schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.69. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Pescadero 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 (79.5%), White (20.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 37.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pescadero High is 16.1. (See more...)

Compare Pescadero High employs 5.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pescadero High is $15,689.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pescadero High:

SchoolDigger ranks Pescadero High 672^nd of 2323 California public high schools. (See Pescadero High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

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Rank History for Pescadero High

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Rank History for all students at Pescadero High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	49.35	501^st	1653	69.7%
2005	63.35	364^th	1901	80.9%
2006	67.89	318^th	1968	83.8%
2007	60.29	447^th	2063	78.3%
2008	73.08	217^th	2117	89.7%
2009	59.27	489^th	2238	78.2%
2010	69.55	305^th	2281	86.6%
2011	63.82	423^rd	2367	82.1%
2012	58.32	583^rd	2354	75.2%
2013	47.18	866^th	2426	64.3%
2015	54.68	881^st	1994	55.8%
2016	68.69	599^th	2039	70.6%
2017	78.10	441^st	2021	78.2%
2018	53.20	945^th	2017	53.1%
2019	84.42	286^th	2133	86.6%
2022	53.61	857^th	2123	59.6%
2023	61.41	627^th	2348	73.3%
2024	58.69	672^nd	2323	71.1%

See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pescadero High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	33.00	1268^th	1862	31.9%
2019	69.32	480^th	1937	75.2%
2022	68.53	466^th	1943	76.0%
2023	50.01	879^th	2247	60.9%
2024	74.47	351^st	2235	84.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Pescadero High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	96.52	49^th	1833	97.3%

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

Rank History for Male students at Pescadero High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	47.57	962^nd	1834	47.5%
2024	74.15	397^th	2172	81.7%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pescadero High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	34.05	1182^nd	1742	32.1%
2019	67.59	481^st	1814	73.5%
2022	71.42	404^th	1861	78.3%
2023	50.57	830^th	2142	61.3%
2024	64.63	501^st	2125	76.4%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic 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 Pescadero High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	93	0	0	29	0	n/a	n/a	0	122
1989	72	0	0	43	1	n/a	n/a	0	116
1990	67	0	0	35	1	n/a	n/a	0	103
1991	58	0	0	48	0	n/a	n/a	0	106
1992	71	0	0	35	0	n/a	n/a	0	106
1993	54	0	0	33	0	n/a	n/a	0	87
1994	61	0	0	31	0	n/a	n/a	0	92
1995	71	0	2	43	0	n/a	n/a	0	116
1996	71	0	2	43	0	n/a	n/a	0	116
1997	47	1	2	50	1	n/a	n/a	0	101
1998	56	1	2	47	1	n/a	n/a	0	107
1999	56	0	1	48	0	n/a	n/a	0	105
2000	55	0	0	35	0	n/a	n/a	0	90
2001	34	0	0	31	0	n/a	n/a	0	65
2002	21	0	0	41	0	n/a	n/a	0	62
2003	21	0	0	41	0	n/a	n/a	0	62
2004	29	1	1	35	0	n/a	n/a	1	67
2005	34	0	1	36	0	n/a	n/a	2	73
2006	48	1	2	51	0	n/a	n/a	0	102
2007	53	0	3	52	2	n/a	n/a	0	110
2008	45	n/a	1	58	3	n/a	n/a	0	107
2009	41	0	1	67	3	0	0	0	112
2010	36	0	1	59	2	0	1	0	99
2011	43	0	0	90	1	0	4	0	138
2012	36	0	0	64	0	0	2	0	102
2013	30	1	0	61	0	0	2	0	94
2014	26	0	0	70	0	0	2	0	98
2015	24	1	0	68	0	0	2	0	95
2016	24	1	0	69	0	0	2	0	96
2017	24	0	0	72	0	0	2	0	98
2018	23	0	0	67	0	0	3	0	93
2019	24	0	0	61	0	0	3	0	88
2020	26	0	0	57	0	0	3	0	86
2021	24	0	0	53	1	0	3	0	81
2022	25	0	0	54	0	0	3	0	82
2023	15	0	0	64	0	0	1	0	80
2024	17	0	0	66	0	0	0	0	83

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 Pescadero High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	122	10.0	12.2	n/a
1989	116	8.4	13.8	n/a
1990	103	8.6	11.9	n/a
1991	106	7.9	13.4	n/a
1992	106	8.0	13.2	39.6
1993	87	7.6	11.4	52.9
1994	92	7.0	13.1	42.4
1995	116	7.0	16.6	53.4
1996	116	7.0	16.6	53.4
1997	101	7.0	14.4	49.5
1998	107	9.5	11.3	45.8
1999	105	9.0	11.7	40
2000	90	7.0	12.9	46.7
2001	65	7.1	9.2	55.4
2002	62	7.0	8.9	67.7
2003	62	7.0	8.9	67.7
2004	67	7.2	9.3	54.5
2005	73	7.5	9.7	64.8
2006	102	7.8	13.1	0
2007	110	9.0	12.2	0
2008	107	12.7	8.4	51.4
2009	112	9.4	10.8	46.4
2010	99	9.1	10.8	44.4
2011	138	n/a	n/a	39.1
2012	102	6.9	14.5	n/a
2013	94	7.2	12.9	68.1
2014	98	8.3	11.7	73.5
2015	95	8.0	11.8	72.6
2016	96	8.0	12.0	62.5
2017	98	8.2	11.9	60.2
2018	93	7.9	11.6	54.8
2019	88	8.4	10.3	53.4
2020	86	n/a	n/a	53.5
2021	81	6.6	12.2	39.5
2022	82	7.3	11.1	41.5
2023	80	6.9	11.4	37.5
2024	83	5.1	16.1	37.3

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 Pescadero High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	122	10.0	12.2	n/a
1989	116	8.4	13.8	n/a
1990	103	8.6	11.9	n/a
1991	106	7.9	13.4	n/a
1992	106	8.0	13.2	39.6
1993	87	7.6	11.4	52.9
1994	92	7.0	13.1	42.4
1995	116	7.0	16.6	53.4
1996	116	7.0	16.6	53.4
1997	101	7.0	14.4	49.5
1998	107	9.5	11.3	45.8
1999	105	9.0	11.7	40
2000	90	7.0	12.9	46.7
2001	65	7.1	9.2	55.4
2002	62	7.0	8.9	67.7
2003	62	7.0	8.9	67.7
2004	67	7.2	9.3	54.5
2005	73	7.5	9.7	64.8
2006	102	7.8	13.1	0
2007	110	9.0	12.2	0
2008	107	12.7	8.4	51.4
2009	112	9.4	10.8	46.4
2010	99	9.1	10.8	44.4
2011	138	n/a	n/a	39.1
2012	102	6.9	14.5	n/a
2013	94	7.2	12.9	68.1
2014	98	8.3	11.7	73.5
2015	95	8.0	11.8	72.6
2016	96	8.0	12.0	62.5
2017	98	8.2	11.9	60.2
2018	93	7.9	11.6	54.8
2019	88	8.4	10.3	53.4
2020	86	n/a	n/a	53.5
2021	81	6.6	12.2	39.5
2022	82	7.3	11.1	41.5
2023	80	6.9	11.4	37.5
2024	83	5.1	16.1	37.3

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 Pescadero High

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$15,689

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pescadero 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 286^th of 2133 High schools	Ranks 627^th of 2348 High schools	13.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pescadero High)	81	43.8	37.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (La Honda-Pescadero Unified)	81	43.8	37.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	57.3	55.4	1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Pescadero High)	71.4	31.3	40.2%
11th Grade Mathematics (La Honda-Pescadero Unified)	71.4	31.3	40.2%
11th Grade Mathematics (California)	32.2	27.4	4.9%
12th Grade Science (Pescadero High)	21.1	37.5	16.5%
12th Grade Science (La Honda-Pescadero Unified)	21.1	37.5	16.5%
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	88	80	9.1%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	61	64	4.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	24	15	37.5%
Two or More Races	3	1	66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53.4%	37.5%	15.9%

Schools Near Pescadero High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts (2024)				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	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 9th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 10th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 11th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts End of Course	CAST Science 10th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Pescadero High	Public	9-12	350 Butano Cut Off	Pescadero	94060	San Mateo County	La Honda-Pescadero Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(650) 879-0274	83	5	16.1	37.3%	17 (20.5%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (79.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58.7	672^nd of 2323 public high schools	71.1%		61.4	627^th of 2348 public high schools	73.3%	45							23.5	23.5	57.1	57.1	28.6	28.6	$15,689
Pilarcitos Alternative High (Continuation)	Public	9-12	498 Kelly Ave.	Half Moon Bay	94019	San Mateo County	Cabrillo Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(650) 712-7224	41	1	32.8	53.7%	10 (24.4%)	1 (2.4%)	27 (65.9%)	1 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.9%)								(n/a)								6.3					$6,106
Woodside High	Public	9-12	199 Churchill Ave.	Woodside	94062	San Mateo County	Sequoia Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(650) 367-9750	1,646	98	16.7	28.1%	652 (39.6%)	17 (1.0%)	819 (49.8%)	88 (5.3%)	7 (0.4%)	8 (0.5%)	54 (3.3%)	77.8	361^st of 2323 public high schools	84.5%		82.2	292^nd of 2348 public high schools	87.6%	69						47.9	25.0	46.4	61.0	61.0	39.6	39.6	$11,106
Half Moon Bay High	Public	9-12	1 Lewis Foster Dr.	Half Moon Bay	94019	San Mateo County	Cabrillo Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(650) 712-7200	987	51	19.4	36.0%	407 (41.2%)	6 (0.6%)	496 (50.3%)	25 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (5.3%)	55.3	743^rd of 2323 public high schools	68.0%		46.7	949^th of 2348 public high schools	59.6%	206	0.0	10.6	9.8	6.2		27.1	27.9	27.5	47.7	47.7	30.7	30.7	$6,964
Canyon Oaks Youth Center	Public	7-12	400 Edmonds Rd.	Redwood City	94062	San Mateo County	San Mateo County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(650) 839-1810	8	2	5.3		2 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (62.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)													$44,540
Henry M. Gunn High	Public	9-12	780 Arastradero Rd.	Palo Alto	94306	Santa Clara County	Palo Alto Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(650) 354-8200	1,713	101	16.9	9.5%	494 (28.8%)	22 (1.3%)	210 (12.3%)	799 (46.6%)	2 (0.1%)	4 (0.2%)	180 (10.5%)	97.9	32^nd of 2323 public high schools	98.6%		97.8	38^th of 2348 public high schools	98.4%	6					71.6		90.9	72.1	83.6	83.6	77.6	77.6	$14,036
Los Altos High	Public	9-12	201 Almond Ave.	Los Altos	94022	Santa Clara County	Mountain View-Los Altos Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(650) 940-8812	2,114	114	18.6	15.4%	657 (31.1%)	18 (0.9%)	577 (27.3%)	651 (30.8%)	4 (0.2%)	5 (0.2%)	180 (8.5%)	95.4	72^nd of 2323 public high schools	96.9%		97.5	43^rd of 2348 public high schools	98.2%	29							66.9	66.9	76.3	76.3	66.5	66.5
Palo Alto High	Public	9-12	50 Embarcadero Rd.	Palo Alto	94301	Santa Clara County	Palo Alto Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(650) 329-3701	1,932	115	16.8	10.8%	674 (34.9%)	34 (1.8%)	265 (13.7%)	698 (36.1%)	1 (0.1%)	26 (1.3%)	232 (12.0%)	94.9	82^nd of 2323 public high schools	96.5%		92.7	129^th of 2348 public high schools	94.5%	47					67.4			67.3	72.3	72.3	70.1	70.1	$15,583
Monta Vista High	Public	9-12	21840 McClellan Rd.	Cupertino	95014	Santa Clara County	Fremont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 366-7600	1,636	70	23.4	5.3%	130 (7.9%)	2 (0.1%)	69 (4.2%)	1,300 (79.5%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.2%)	130 (7.9%)	98.8	16^th of 2323 public high schools	99.3%		99.1	14^th of 2348 public high schools	99.4%	2						79.4		79.4	87.8	87.8	89.6	89.6
Sequoia High	Public	9-12	1201 Brewster Ave.	Redwood City	94062	San Mateo County	Sequoia Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(650) 367-9780	1,903	105	18.1	34.3%	604 (31.7%)	18 (0.9%)	1,116 (58.6%)	94 (4.9%)	9 (0.5%)	17 (0.9%)	45 (2.4%)	56.8	702^nd of 2323 public high schools	69.8%		76.3	394^th of 2348 public high schools	83.2%	308						30.6	6.3	27.9	53.8	53.8	28.6	28.6	$9,942

Frequently Asked Questions about Pescadero High

Is Pescadero High a good school?

Pescadero High ranks 672^nd of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Pescadero High in?

La Honda-Pescadero Unified

How many students attend Pescadero High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 83 students attended Pescadero High.

What is the racial makeup of Pescadero High?

Students at Pescadero High are 80% Hispanic, 20% White.

What schools feed into Pescadero High?

Pescadero High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : La Honda Elementary
Elementary : Pescadero Elementary and Middle

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.