Santa Barbara Unified School District

720 Santa Barbara St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2232
(District boundaries shown in map)
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Santa Barbara Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there is 1 public charter school serving 290 students in Santa Barbara Unified School District. This district's average charter testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public charter schools in California.
Public Charter School in Santa Barbara Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 52% (versus the California public charter school average of 32%), and reading proficiency score of 62% (versus the 48% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 41% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the California public charter school average of 75% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
21 Schools
1,299 Schools
# Students
12,484 Students
711,319 Students
# Teachers
644 Teachers
31,373 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
19:1
19:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Santa Barbara Unified School District, which is ranked #630 of all 1,908 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 92% has increased from 91% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (CA)
#599 out of 1932 school districts
(Top 50%)
38%
34%
48%
47%
33%
29%
92%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.55
0.65
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
3%
7%
% Hispanic
60%
53%
% Black
1%
7%
% White
30%
25%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
7%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $18,994 in this school district is less than the state median of $19,976. The school district revenue/student has grown by 16% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $19,002 is higher than the state median of $18,397. The school district spending/student has grown by 7% over four school years.
This School District
This State (CA)
Total Revenue
$237 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$237 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$18,994
$19,976
Spending / Student
$19,002
$18,397

Best Santa Barbara Unified School District Public Charter Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Santa Barbara Charter
Charter School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
6100 Stow Canyon Rd.
Goleta, CA 93117
(805) 967-6522
Gr: K-8 | 290 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 41%

Recent Articles

Helping Children Overcome First-Week School Anxiety
Helping Children Overcome First-Week School Anxiety
Learn practical strategies to help children overcome first-week school anxiety, with expert-backed tips for parents and educators.
Public School Immunization Requirements 2026–2027
Public School Immunization Requirements 2026–2027
Learn public school immunization and health requirements for 2026–2027, including vaccines, exemptions, and state policy updates.
Public Schools in a Minute: 2026 Snapshot Guide
Public Schools in a Minute: 2026 Snapshot Guide
A clear 2026 snapshot of public schools in the U.S., including enrollment, funding, trends, and what families should know.

Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 21 schools
  • Grades: K-12
  • Enrollment: 12,484 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 19:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 69%
  • : 92% (Top 20% in CA)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 38% (Top 30%)
  • : 48% (Top 50%)
  • : 33% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

Quick Links