Public high schools in Santa Ana: What are this year's top-rated and most improved?

Public high schools in Santa Ana: What are this year's top-rated and most improved?Photo: Unsplash
Hoodline
Published on August 13, 2019

How do the public high schools in Santa Ana stack up?

We analyzed newly released data from Niche.com, which incorporates comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews to help you choose the right school, to find out how schools in your area are performing and which have made the biggest leaps over the past year.

Santa Ana High School's overall rating improved the most among its peers in Santa Ana, rising from a C to a C+, according to data from Niche.

For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 520 W. Walnut, enrolls 2,858 students. Niche gave the school mixed grades: C+ on an A-D scale for academics, B+ for administration and B- 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, 9% of Santa Ana High School's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 29% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 22% in math and 39% in reading. The school's improved overall rating is notable since it serves a less affluent population, with 95% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Segerstrom High School saw its overall rating jump from a B to a B+. The school is located at 2301 W. MacArthur Blvd. and is a bit smaller, currently serving 2,435 students, of whom 90% identify as Hispanic.

Niche gave Segerstrom High School mixed grades: B+ on an A-D scale for academics, B for administration and C+ for clubs and activities. Segerstrom High School's latest math proficiency was at 29%, and reading proficiency was 59%.

Saddleback High School also saw improvement in its overall rating, from a C+ to a B-. The school is located at 2801 S. Flower and has 1,639 students currently enrolled.

Niche gave Saddleback High School mixed grades — B- on an A-D scale for academics, A- for administration and C+ for clubs and activities. Saddleback High School's latest math proficiency was at 15%, and reading proficiency was 38%. Saddleback High School also serves a less affluent community, with 92% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

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

  • Foothill High School, with an overall rating of A.
  • Godinez Fundamental High School, with a B+ rating overall.
  • Middle College High School, rated B+ 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.