Morro Bay High

Summary:

Morro Bay High is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District, with 795 students. This moderately sized high school has consistently ranked in the top 20% of California high schools over the past decade, with a current statewide ranking of 418 out of 2,323 schools and a 4 out of 5 star rating from SchoolDigger.

Morro Bay High stands out for its strong academic performance, with students consistently outperforming the state and district averages on standardized tests. In 2023-2024, 72.44% of 11th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 55.73% statewide, and 40% were proficient or better in math, compared to 27.9% statewide. The school also maintains an impressive 4-year graduation rate, ranging from 94.9% to 97.1% over the past 5 years, significantly higher than the state average. While Morro Bay High has seen an increase in chronic absenteeism during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching 31% in 2021-2022, the rate has since improved to 22.5% in 2022-2023, still higher than the district and state averages.

Compared to nearby schools, San Luis Obispo High School outperforms Morro Bay High on chronic absenteeism, but Morro Bay High outperforms San Luis Obispo High on most other academic metrics, including test scores and graduation rates. The smaller alternative high schools in the area, such as Pacific Beach High and the schools under the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education, struggle with much lower academic performance, higher dropout rates, and higher chronic absenteeism compared to Morro Bay High.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 235 Atascadero Rd.
       Morro Bay, CA  93442-1516


(805) 771-1845

District: San Luis Coastal Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
418th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,945 Help


Feeder schools for Morro Bay High:

Elementary:    Baywood Elementary
    Del Mar Elementary
    Monarch Grove Elementary
Middle:    Los Osos Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  17.8 Help
Number of students:  773

Racial breakdown:

White:
57.8%
Hispanic:
29.0%
Asian:
6.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  52.8% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Morro Bay High ranks better than 82% of high schools in California. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked high schools in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.97. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Morro Bay High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (57.8%), Hispanic (29%), Asian (6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 52.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Morro Bay High is 17.8. 1 high schools in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Morro Bay High employs 43.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Morro Bay High is $14,945. 1 high schools in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Morro Bay High:

SchoolDigger ranks Morro Bay High 418th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Morro Bay High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


San Luis Coastal Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks San Luis Coastal Unified 254th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Morro Bay High

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Rank History for all students at Morro Bay High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 86.86 39th 1653 97.6%
2005 91.67 14th 1901 99.3%
2006 90.18 28th 1968 98.6%
2007 91.46 22nd 2063 98.9%
2008 85.39 59th 2117 97.2%
2009 82.22 84th 2238 96.2%
2010 74.62 206th 2281 91.0%
2011 73.42 242nd 2367 89.8%
2012 69.08 318th 2354 86.5%
2013 73.89 233rd 2426 90.4%
2015 80.49 355th 1994 82.2%
2016 71.00 541st 2039 73.5%
2017 81.49 381st 2021 81.1%
2018 84.98 311th 2017 84.6%
2019 82.09 324th 2133 84.8%
2021 63.84 420th 1290 67.4%
2022 81.45 342nd 2123 83.9%
2023 87.06 218th 2348 90.7%
2024 73.97 418th 2323 82.0%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Morro Bay High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 58.07 219th 515 57.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Morro Bay High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 84.49 86th 1547 94.4%
2024 56.67 377th 1534 75.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Morro Bay High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.61 466th 1862 75.0%
2019 71.52 444th 1937 77.1%
2021 48.69 570th 1126 49.4%
2022 83.74 218th 1943 88.8%
2023 83.29 246th 2247 89.1%
2024 61.96 557th 2235 75.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Morro Bay High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 75.44 42nd 290 85.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Morro Bay High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 91.36 128th 1760 92.7%
2019 86.49 219th 1833 88.1%
2021 56.53 433rd 1054 58.9%
2022 75.05 395th 1858 78.7%
2023 84.75 220th 2118 89.6%
2024 64.95 518th 2098 75.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Morro Bay High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.71 223rd 1052 78.8%
2019 51.47 395th 1117 64.6%
2021 54.47 179th 555 67.7%
2022 61.18 275th 1161 76.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Morro Bay High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.95 532nd 1834 71.0%
2019 69.01 498th 1880 73.5%
2021 63.34 368th 1122 67.2%
2022 82.32 286th 1916 85.1%
2023 87.33 203rd 2207 90.8%
2024 78.36 333rd 2172 84.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Morro Bay High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.86 843rd 1742 51.6%
2019 48.99 903rd 1814 50.2%
2022 75.89 331st 1861 82.2%
2023 71.88 386th 2142 82.0%
2024 57.90 643rd 2125 69.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Morro Bay High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.83 245th 1173 79.1%
2019 72.92 294th 1222 75.9%
2022 65.64 385th 1204 68.0%
2023 77.82 206th 1434 85.6%
2024 66.27 363rd 1406 74.2%
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.

Morro Bay High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Morro Bay High

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 807 12 50 48 0 n/a n/a 0 917
1989 804 12 58 52 0 n/a n/a 0 926
1990 764 9 64 45 0 n/a n/a 0 882
1991 685 12 53 47 0 n/a n/a 0 797
1992 716 13 46 60 5 n/a n/a 0 840
1993 728 11 44 77 4 n/a n/a 0 864
1994 699 9 50 78 2 n/a n/a 0 838
1995 795 14 48 78 5 n/a n/a 0 940
1996 795 14 48 78 5 n/a n/a 0 940
1997 815 12 47 84 6 n/a n/a 0 964
1998 853 14 44 103 5 n/a n/a 0 1019
1999 835 16 47 107 3 n/a n/a 0 1008
2000 840 18 48 111 6 n/a n/a 0 1023
2001 809 10 41 114 9 n/a n/a 3 986
2002 754 9 47 124 9 n/a n/a 11 954
2003 754 9 47 124 9 n/a n/a 11 954
2004 736 11 51 104 11 n/a n/a 52 965
2005 730 8 61 120 9 n/a n/a 34 962
2006 701 14 62 121 10 n/a n/a 48 956
2007 725 15 64 127 10 n/a n/a 1 942
2008 669 16 67 143 8 n/a n/a 0 903
2009 656 6 64 163 8 3 5 0 905
2010 569 6 57 186 5 0 34 0 857
2011 547 6 54 200 2 0 40 0 849
2012 530 2 56 206 5 0 46 0 845
2013 521 4 59 219 7 0 42 0 852
2014 504 5 55 216 6 0 39 0 825
2015 557 5 59 206 5 0 35 0 867
2016 565 9 63 186 5 0 32 0 860
2017 530 9 63 174 5 1 31 0 813
2018 521 9 61 196 4 1 29 0 821
2019 554 6 56 192 6 1 42 0 857
2020 519 6 52 213 3 1 47 0 841
2021 528 5 54 235 1 0 43 1 867
2022 529 5 40 226 2 0 52 2 856
2023 465 2 50 227 2 1 44 4 795
2024 447 2 46 224 4 1 43 6 773

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 Morro Bay High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 917 52.2 17.5 n/a
1989 926 51.4 18.0 n/a
1990 882 52.9 16.6 n/a
1991 797 48.3 16.5 n/a
1992 840 49.1 17.1 12.9
1993 864 46.7 18.5 16.1
1994 838 44.1 19.0 19.6
1995 940 47.5 19.8 14.6
1996 940 47.5 19.8 14.6
1997 964 42.1 22.9 16.9
1998 1019 41.9 24.3 16.8
1999 1008 49.2 20.5 14.6
2000 1023 52.3 19.6 15.5
2001 986 49.4 20.0 14.9
2002 954 42.7 22.3 19
2003 954 42.7 22.3 19
2004 965 45.2 21.3 21.7
2005 962 44.2 21.8 22.3
2006 956 51.1 18.7 22.5
2007 942 48.0 19.6 24.9
2008 903 39.1 23.1 24.6
2009 905 42.7 18.2 28.6
2010 857 43.6 19.6 32.6
2011 849 n/a n/a 37.2
2012 845 40.6 20.8 38.5
2013 852 41.6 20.4 40.6
2014 825 40.0 20.5 38.9
2015 867 41.0 21.1 42.6
2016 860 41.0 20.9 37.7
2017 813 40.7 19.9 31.1
2018 821 40.9 20.0 38.7
2019 857 41.1 20.8 35.5
2020 841 n/a n/a 34.6
2021 867 43.0 20.1 33.9
2022 856 44.8 19.0 49.3
2023 795 45.0 17.6 36.1
2024 773 43.2 17.8 52.8

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 Morro Bay High

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 917 52.2 17.5 n/a
1989 926 51.4 18.0 n/a
1990 882 52.9 16.6 n/a
1991 797 48.3 16.5 n/a
1992 840 49.1 17.1 12.9
1993 864 46.7 18.5 16.1
1994 838 44.1 19.0 19.6
1995 940 47.5 19.8 14.6
1996 940 47.5 19.8 14.6
1997 964 42.1 22.9 16.9
1998 1019 41.9 24.3 16.8
1999 1008 49.2 20.5 14.6
2000 1023 52.3 19.6 15.5
2001 986 49.4 20.0 14.9
2002 954 42.7 22.3 19
2003 954 42.7 22.3 19
2004 965 45.2 21.3 21.7
2005 962 44.2 21.8 22.3
2006 956 51.1 18.7 22.5
2007 942 48.0 19.6 24.9
2008 903 39.1 23.1 24.6
2009 905 42.7 18.2 28.6
2010 857 43.6 19.6 32.6
2011 849 n/a n/a 37.2
2012 845 40.6 20.8 38.5
2013 852 41.6 20.4 40.6
2014 825 40.0 20.5 38.9
2015 867 41.0 21.1 42.6
2016 860 41.0 20.9 37.7
2017 813 40.7 19.9 31.1
2018 821 40.9 20.0 38.7
2019 857 41.1 20.8 35.5
2020 841 n/a n/a 34.6
2021 867 43.0 20.1 33.9
2022 856 44.8 19.0 49.3
2023 795 45.0 17.6 36.1
2024 773 43.2 17.8 52.8

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 Morro Bay High

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $14,945

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Morro Bay 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 324th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 218th of 2348 High schools
 5.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Morro Bay High)70.377.1
 6.8%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (San Luis Coastal Unified)7675.5
 0.4%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Morro Bay High)43.747.2
 3.5%
   11th Grade Mathematics (San Luis Coastal Unified)52.249.6
 2.6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Morro Bay High)37.847.7
 9.8%
   11th Grade Science (San Luis Coastal Unified)51.854.9
 3%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%
12th Grade Science (Morro Bay High)37.138.5
 1.3%
   12th Grade Science (San Luis Coastal Unified)4537.5
 7.5%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students857795
 7.2%
African American62
 66.7%
American Indian62
 66.7%
Asian5650
 10.7%
Hispanic192227
 18.2%
Pacific Islander11
White554465
 16.1%
Two or More Races4244
 4.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients35.5%36.1%
 0.6%


Schools Near Morro Bay High









Frequently Asked Questions about Morro Bay High

Morro Bay High ranks 418th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 773 students attended Morro Bay High.

Students at Morro Bay High are 58% White, 29% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 6% Two or more races.

Morro Bay High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Baywood Elementary
Elementary : Del Mar Elementary
Elementary : Monarch Grove Elementary
Middle : Los Osos 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.





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