New school rankings show San Diego's top-rated and most improved public high schools

New school rankings show San Diego's top-rated and most improved public high schoolsPhoto: Unsplash
Hoodline
Published on August 13, 2019

How strong are the public high schools in San Diego?

With a fresh school year kicking off, we analyzed newly released data from Niche.com, which incorporates comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews to help you choose the right school, to identify those schools that made the biggest strides last year, as well as those that top the city's best public high school rankings.

Serra High School's overall rating improved the most among its peers in San Diego, rising from a B+ to an A-, according to data from Niche.

For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 5156 Santo Road, enrolls 1,650 students. Serra High School serves a somewhat diverse population: 43% of students identify as Hispanic, 28% identify as white and 11% identify as Asian. Niche gave the school mixed grades: A- on an A-D scale for academics, D+ for administration and C- for clubs and activities.

The overall ranking comes from Niche's proprietary algorithms. A school's ranking might change due to many factors, including the relative rankings of similar schools and whether a school gained or lost peers due to openings or closings. Other numbers come from current public data from the U.S. government.

Academically, 40% of Serra High School's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 70% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 38% in math and 63% in reading.

It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. San Diego School of Creative & Performing Arts saw its overall rating improve from a B+ to an A-. The school is located at 2425 Dusk Drive and is a bit smaller, currently serving 1,424 students, of whom 41% identify as Hispanic, 25% identify as Asian and 13% identify as white.

Niche gave San Diego School of Creative & Performing Arts mixed grades: B on an A-D scale for academics, B+ for administration and B- for clubs and activities. San Diego School of Creative & Performing Arts's latest math proficiency was at 31%, and reading proficiency was 58%.

Mission Bay High School also saw improvement in its overall rating, from a B to a B+. The school is located at 2475 Grand Ave. and has 1,054 students currently enrolled, of whom 58% identify as Hispanic and 26% identify as white.

Niche gave Mission Bay High School mixed grades — B on an A-D scale for academics, B- for administration and C- for clubs and activities. Mission Bay High School's latest math proficiency was at 21%, and reading proficiency was 56%. The school's improved overall grade is notable since it serves a less affluent population, with 66% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 11% more than the city average.

While some public high schools are moving up the ranks, others are consistently top-rated overall, including:

  • Torrey Pines High School, with an overall rating of A+.
  • Canyon Crest Academy, with an A+ rating overall.
  • Westview High School, rated A+ overall.

This story was created automatically using data from Niche.com, then reviewed by an editor before publication. Click here for more about how and why Hoodline is automating local news. Got thoughts about what we're doing? Go here to share your feedback.