Big Sur Charter

Q: Is Big Sur Charter a good school?

Big Sur Charter ranks 475 th of 2323 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Big Sur Charter is an alternative public charter school located in Monterey, California, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 85 students. The school is part of the Big Sur Charter District.

Big Sur Charter stands out for its strong academic performance, outperforming the state averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics at various grade levels. In 2022-2023, 56% of Big Sur Charter students were proficient or better in ELA/Literacy, compared to the state average of 46.66%, and 51.06% were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 34.62%. The school also performs well in CAST Science assessments, with 52% of students proficient or better, compared to the state average of 30.18%. Additionally, Big Sur Charter has a very low chronic absenteeism rate of 1.0% and a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 29.41%, both significantly better than the state averages.

Compared to the nearby schools, such as North Monterey County Center for Independent Study, Wellington M. Smith Junior, and Monterey County Special Education, Big Sur Charter stands out with its higher academic performance, lower chronic absenteeism, and more favorable student-teacher ratio of 18.3. These factors suggest that Big Sur Charter is providing a more supportive and effective educational environment for its students, likely due to its focus on alternative education and specialized programs.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-12

304 Foam St.
Monterey, CA 93940-1408

(831) 324-4573

District: Big Sur Charter District

SchoolDigger Rank:
475^th of 2,323 California Alternative Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 18.3

Number of students: 85

Racial breakdown:

White:

51.8%

Hispanic:

31.8%

Two or more races:

11.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 29.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Big Sur Charter is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.36. (See more...)

Compare Details Big Sur Charter is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.77. (See more...)

Compare Details Big Sur Charter ranks better than 79.6% of high schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.12. (See more...)

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

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Teachers

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Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Big Sur Charter:

SchoolDigger ranks Big Sur Charter 475^th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Big Sur Charter in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

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Rank History for Big Sur Charter

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	69.36	1610^th	5874	72.6%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Big Sur Charter

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	80.18	482^nd	2715	82.2%
2022	81.94	436^th	2740	84.1%
2023	88.77	310^th	2802	88.9%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Big Sur Charter

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Rank History for all high school students at Big Sur Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	78.73	348^th	2348	85.2%
2024	70.12	475^th	2323	79.6%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Big Sur Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	59.53	612^th	2235	72.6%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Big Sur Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	77.03	351^st	2118	83.4%
2024	41.96	1030^th	2098	50.9%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Military Connected students at Big Sur Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	73.66	52^nd	233	77.7%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Big Sur Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	78.57	334^th	2207	84.9%
2024	79.78	307^th	2172	85.9%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Big Sur Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	53.45	759^th	2142	64.6%
2024	62.92	529^th	2125	75.1%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Big Sur Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	77.32	213^th	1434	85.1%
2024	73.90	244^th	1406	82.6%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative 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.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Big Sur Charter

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2019	52	2	2	26	2	17	0	101
2020	40	1	2	21	0	18	0	82
2021	49	0	2	20	0	23	0	94
2022	39	1	3	36	0	18	1	98
2023	44	1	1	27	2	10	0	85

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 Big Sur Charter

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	101	4.0	25.2	20.8
2020	82	n/a	n/a	20.7
2021	94	4.0	23.5	21.3
2022	98	4.1	23.7	26.5
2023	85	4.6	18.3	29.4

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 Big Sur Charter

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	101	4.0	25.2	20.8
2020	82	n/a	n/a	20.7
2021	94	4.0	23.5	21.3
2022	98	4.1	23.7	26.5
2023	85	4.6	18.3	29.4

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.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Big Sur Charter

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 482^nd of 2715 Middle schools	Ranks 310^th of 2802 Middle schools	6.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Big Sur Charter)	45.5	80	34.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	51.4	49.2	2.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Big Sur Charter)	45.5	66.7	21.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (California)	37.9	32	5.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Big Sur Charter)	81.3	61.5	19.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	49.4	45.7	3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Big Sur Charter)	68.8	50	18.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (California)	36.6	29.9	6.7%
8th Grade Science (Big Sur Charter)	37.5	61.5	24%
8th Grade Science (California)	30.8	28.8	2.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	101	85	15.8%
African American	2	1	50%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	26	27	3.8%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	52	44	15.4%
Two or More Races	17	10	41.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	20.8%	29.4%	8.6%

Schools Near Big Sur Charter

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				CAST Science (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)				% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Total
Big Sur Charter	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	304 Foam St.	Monterey	93940	Monterey County	Big Sur Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 324-4573	85	5	18.3	29.4%	44 (51.8%)	1 (1.2%)	27 (31.8%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.4%)	10 (11.8%)								(n/a)								52.8				47.2
Monterey County Special Education	Public, Alternative	K-12	901 Blanco Cir.	Salinas	93912	Monterey County	Monterey County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 755-0300	256	39	6.4	45.7%	16 (6.3%)	4 (1.6%)	221 (86.3%)	8 (3.1%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.6%)								(n/a)								6.3				9.1							$55,412
Monterey County Home Charter	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	901 Blanco Cir.	Salinas	93901	Monterey County	Monterey County Office of Education	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 755-0331	241	14	16.9	64.7%	52 (21.6%)	1 (0.4%)	181 (75.1%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	3 (1.2%)								(n/a)	9.5		10.0	11.8	23.1	26.1	37.2	29.8	0.0	4.4	7.0	5.2							$11,038
Wellington M. Smith Junior	Public, Alternative	4-12	1420 Natividad Rd.	Salinas	93906	Monterey County	Monterey County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 755-3979	29	4	7.3	89.7%	1 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (96.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																			$11,920
North Monterey County Center for Independent Study	Public, Alternative	K-12	17500 Pesante Rd.	Salinas	93907	Monterey County	North Monterey County Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(831) 633-7050	168	7	24.4	73.2%	34 (20.2%)	0 (0.0%)	128 (76.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.6%)								(n/a)	25.0	15.6		18.0		18.8	34.4	25.4		18.8	18.8	14.5	75.0	85.0	85.0	85.0	80.0	85.0	$5,355

Frequently Asked Questions about Big Sur Charter

Is Big Sur Charter a good school?

Big Sur Charter ranks 475^th of 2323 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Big Sur Charter?

Students at Big Sur Charter are 52% White, 32% Hispanic, 12% Two or more races, 2% Pacific Islander, 1% African American, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Big Sur Charter?

In the 2022-23 school year, 85 students attended Big Sur Charter.

What district is Big Sur Charter in?

Big Sur Charter District

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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.