Santa Barbara Unified on the map

Click a type to show or hide its schools.

District boundary from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Each marker is a graded school; click it for its grade and scores.

Adams ElementaryCleveland ElementaryFranklin ElementaryHarding University PartnershipLa Colina Junior HighLa Cuesta Continuation HighLa Cumbre Junior HighMonroe ElementaryRoosevelt ElementarySanta Barbara Junior HighSanta Barbara Senior HighWashington ElementarySanta Barbara Community AcademyMckinley ElementaryAlta Vista Alternative HighAlta Vista
District boundary from the NCES EDGE composite school district file; each dot is a graded school, tap or hover for its name.

SchoolGrade summary for Santa Barbara Unified

Average SchoolGrade
D+
Meeting or exceeding expectations
40%
Exceeding
40%
Avg actual scores
27%
Avg projected
29.4%

5 of 20 schools in Santa Barbara Unified carry a SchoolGrade (15 have too little test data to grade). Grade distribution:

B: 1D: 3F: 1

Best schools in Santa Barbara Unified

Statewide rankings: all 1051 high schools in California · all 513 middle schools in California · all 1758 elementary schools in California

The ten highest SchoolGrades in the district. Grades reward actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact.

  1. B+ Santa Barbara Junior High (Middle school, greatly exceeds expectations)
  2. D+ Cleveland Elementary (Elementary school, exceeds expectations)
  3. D+ Goleta Valley Junior High (Middle school, underperforms expectations)
  4. D+ Monroe Elementary (Elementary school, doesn't meet expectations)
  5. F La Cumbre Junior High (Middle school, doesn't meet expectations)

Every school in Santa Barbara Unified

High schools (5)

Middle and junior high schools (4)

Elementary and primary schools (7)

Other schools and academies (4)

Where Santa Barbara Unified schools are

Cities and towns served (2)

About this district

  • State: Best schools in California
  • County: Santa Barbara County
  • Type: regular local school district
  • Setting: small city (NCES locale of the district office)
  • Enrollment: 12,491 students with 646 full-time-equivalent teachers and 1,386 total staff FTE (NCES CCD, 2023-24)
  • NCES district ID: 0601414
  • Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model: each school's actual proficiency against the level projected for its student context. How SchoolGrade works

Nearby school districts

Questions about Santa Barbara Unified

How many schools are in Santa Barbara Unified?

SchoolGrade grades 20 public schools in Santa Barbara Unified, across 2 cities and towns. Every one of them is listed on this page with a link to its own report.

Which cities does Santa Barbara Unified serve?

The largest by graded schools: Santa Barbara, Goleta.

How good are the schools in Santa Barbara Unified?

Across the 5 graded schools, the average SchoolGrade is D+, with 27% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 29.4%. 40% of schools meet or exceed the expectation for their student context.

How many students attend Santa Barbara Unified?

12,491 students were enrolled in Santa Barbara Unified in the 2023-24 school year, about 19.3 students per full-time teacher (NCES Common Core of Data).

Where is Santa Barbara Unified?

Santa Barbara Unified is in California, based in Santa Barbara County, with its district office in Santa Barbara. Its boundary covers about 23.1 sq mi.