Is Sunset High a good school?

Sunset High ranks in the bottom 15.5% of California high schools.

How many students attend Sunset High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 101 students attended Sunset High.

What is the racial makeup of Sunset High?

Students at Sunset High are 44% White, 25% American Indian, 20% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Sunset High

Summary:

Sunset High is a small public high school in Crescent City, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 98 students. The school is part of the Del Norte County Unified School District, which is ranked 1191 out of 1568 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sunset High consistently performs significantly below state and district averages in standardized test scores, with only 22.22% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 55.73% statewide and 44.91% in the district. In Mathematics, 0% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better, compared to 27.9% statewide and 17.67% in the district. The school's performance in Science is also very low, with 0% of students proficient or better. Sunset High has had fluctuating graduation rates, ranging from 76.8% to 92.6%, but its dropout rates have been consistently high, reaching as high as 17.9%, significantly higher than the nearby Del Norte High School, which had a 6.7% dropout rate in 2022-2023. Additionally, Sunset High has an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate, reaching as high as 99.3% in 2020-2021, compared to 30.4% at Del Norte High School.

The high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 75.51% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, may contribute to the challenges Sunset High faces. Despite the school's current struggles, the fluctuating graduation rates and the presence of a nearby higher-performing high school suggest that there may be opportunities for improvement with targeted interventions and additional resources. The analysis of Sunset High highlights the importance of considering a school's unique context, including its size, demographics, and district-level factors, when evaluating its performance.

Detail:

Public 9-12

2500 Elk Valley Cross Rd.
Crescent City, CA 95531-8461

(707) 464-0380

District: Del Norte County Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1964^th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,286

Student/teacher ratio: 20.0

Number of students: 101

Racial breakdown:

White:

43.6%

American Indian:

24.8%

Hispanic:

19.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 85.1%

See top rated California high schools

Compare Sunset High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Sunset High ranks worse than 84.5% of high schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.76. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Sunset High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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

Compare Details Student population at Sunset High is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (43.6%), American Indian (24.8%), Hispanic (19.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 85.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sunset High is 20. (See more...)

Compare Sunset High employs 5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sunset High is $17,286.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sunset High:

SchoolDigger ranks Sunset High 1964^th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Sunset High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Del Norte County Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Del Norte County Unified 1191^st of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Sunset High.

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Your rating for Sunset High?

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Rank History for Sunset High

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Rank History for all students at Sunset High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	13.68	1533^rd	1653	7.3%
2005	25.91	1173^rd	1901	38.3%
2006	20.19	1418^th	1968	27.9%
2007	23.16	1366^th	2063	33.8%
2008	15.98	1715^th	2117	19.0%
2009	28.24	1472^nd	2238	34.2%
2010	14.89	1836^th	2281	19.5%
2011	22.58	1553^rd	2367	34.4%
2012	12.21	1930^th	2354	18.0%
2013	16.30	1819^th	2426	25.0%
2015	14.90	1602^nd	1994	19.7%
2016	13.42	1667^th	2039	18.2%
2017	9.67	1871^st	2021	7.4%
2018	13.03	1663^rd	2017	17.6%
2019	16.63	1709^th	2133	19.9%
2021	22.20	1002^nd	1290	22.3%
2022	14.70	1801^st	2123	15.2%
2023	15.12	1831^st	2348	22.0%
2024	10.76	1964^th	2323	15.5%

See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sunset High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	14.28	1504^th	1862	19.2%
2019	18.92	1510^th	1937	22.0%
2021	24.60	873^rd	1126	22.5%
2022	15.68	1654^th	1943	14.9%
2023	15.61	1778^th	2247	20.9%
2024	10.54	1948^th	2235	12.8%

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

Rank History for Female students at Sunset High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	7.07	1715^th	1760	2.6%
2019	16.25	1507^th	1833	17.8%
2021	12.40	933^rd	1054	11.5%
2022	26.67	1345^th	1858	27.6%
2023	22.50	1533^rd	2118	27.6%
2024	13.88	1738^th	2098	17.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Sunset High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	16.73	1426^th	1834	22.2%
2019	14.66	1576^th	1880	16.2%
2021	25.78	844^th	1122	24.8%
2022	9.98	1853^rd	1916	3.3%
2023	10.06	1946^th	2207	11.8%
2024	8.24	2014^th	2172	7.3%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sunset High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	11.99	1625^th	1814	10.4%
2022	19.13	1511^th	1861	18.8%
2024	6.25	2072^nd	2125	2.5%

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

Rank History for Native American students at Sunset High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	36.14	23^rd	33	30.3%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Sunset High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	4.62	1111^th	1173	5.3%
2019	8.61	1097^th	1222	10.2%
2022	4.53	1170^th	1204	2.8%
2023	4.15	1355^th	1434	5.5%
2024	6.43	1266^th	1406	10.0%

See the entire list of Best California High 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, August 22, 2018

I would not recommend anyone enrolling your kids here unless there is no other option available to them. I personally have seen how this school works and how they handle situations with the students. I have seen them sweep things under the rug rather that actually addressing the problem. I also see that they give kids easy work in order to push them through so they can graduate. but doing this does not teach the student anything and puts them out into the world not prepared for college and sets them up for a life time of struggle. when my child was attending sunset she was getting bullied by a group of kids. sunsets way of taking care of the situation was to put my child on home studies and just allow the group of bullies to go on with there daily routine. to me this was the worst possible way they could of handled it. the head front office lady they have out there is more concerned in sticking her nose into the high school drama then actually doing her job. the whole experience we had with sunset from start to finish was extremely disappointing and made we feel bad for the kids who have no other options and have to go there Close Quote

Enrollment information for Sunset High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	110	0	1	2	24	n/a	n/a	0	137
1989	114	1	1	2	26	n/a	n/a	0	144
1990	123	1	2	5	33	n/a	n/a	0	164
1991	113	0	0	9	28	n/a	n/a	0	150
1992	116	3	2	10	17	n/a	n/a	0	148
1993	108	2	1	6	20	n/a	n/a	0	137
1994	111	0	2	7	24	n/a	n/a	0	144
1995	106	0	1	14	19	n/a	n/a	0	140
1996	106	0	1	14	19	n/a	n/a	0	140
1997	101	2	4	13	23	n/a	n/a	0	143
1998	99	2	2	14	29	n/a	n/a	0	146
1999	115	1	8	11	30	n/a	n/a	0	165
2000	99	0	5	13	24	n/a	n/a	8	149
2001	75	2	6	12	22	n/a	n/a	0	117
2002	86	0	8	13	23	n/a	n/a	0	130
2003	86	0	8	13	23	n/a	n/a	0	130
2004	62	2	5	8	24	n/a	n/a	0	101
2005	54	0	4	6	18	n/a	n/a	0	82
2006	57	0	3	11	13	n/a	n/a	0	84
2007	82	3	4	11	31	n/a	n/a	0	131
2008	60	2	1	11	17	n/a	n/a	0	91
2009	42	1	4	7	12	0	5	0	71
2010	38	1	3	6	16	1	0	0	65
2011	41	0	5	4	20	0	2	0	72
2012	25	0	9	7	16	1	1	0	59
2013	75	1	4	19	26	0	2	0	127
2014	61	2	0	14	18	0	0	0	95
2015	39	0	1	15	16	0	1	0	72
2016	32	3	1	18	22	0	1	0	77
2017	38	1	0	13	14	0	4	0	70
2018	35	0	0	10	14	0	9	0	68
2019	46	3	2	13	13	0	2	0	79
2020	53	2	1	21	11	0	3	1	92
2021	55	3	0	15	9	0	5	0	87
2022	49	1	1	24	12	1	9	0	97
2023	44	0	4	23	21	0	6	0	98
2024	44	0	2	20	25	0	9	1	101

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 Sunset High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	137	7.0	19.5	n/a
1989	144	7.0	20.5	n/a
1990	164	7.0	23.4	n/a
1991	150	7.0	21.4	n/a
1992	148	7.1	20.8	37.8
1993	137	7.0	19.6	55.5
1994	144	5.0	28.8	59.7
1995	140	7.0	20.0	45
1996	140	7.0	20.0	45
1997	143	7.0	20.4	65.7
1998	146	7.4	19.7	66.4
1999	165	8.2	20.1	78.2
2000	149	7.0	21.3	103.5
2001	117	7.0	16.7	97.4
2002	130	7.0	18.6	70
2003	130	7.0	18.6	70
2004	101	6.2	16.3	76.2
2005	82	3.5	23.4	96.3
2006	84	4.2	20.0	59.5
2007	131	4.0	32.8	59.5
2008	91	5.0	18.2	68.1
2009	71	6.0	10.8	63.4
2010	65	6.6	9.8	69.2
2011	72	n/a	n/a	84.7
2012	59	5.0	11.8	n/a
2013	127	5.8	21.8	81.9
2014	95	5.2	18.2	70.5
2015	72	5.0	14.4	68.1
2016	77	4.0	19.2	68.8
2017	70	4.4	15.7	78.6
2018	68	5.0	13.6	63.2
2019	79	5.0	15.8	72.2
2020	92	n/a	n/a	64.1
2021	87	5.0	17.4	80.5
2022	97	5.0	19.4	76.3
2023	98	5.0	19.5	75.5
2024	101	5.0	20.0	85.1

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 Sunset High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	137	7.0	19.5	n/a
1989	144	7.0	20.5	n/a
1990	164	7.0	23.4	n/a
1991	150	7.0	21.4	n/a
1992	148	7.1	20.8	37.8
1993	137	7.0	19.6	55.5
1994	144	5.0	28.8	59.7
1995	140	7.0	20.0	45
1996	140	7.0	20.0	45
1997	143	7.0	20.4	65.7
1998	146	7.4	19.7	66.4
1999	165	8.2	20.1	78.2
2000	149	7.0	21.3	103.5
2001	117	7.0	16.7	97.4
2002	130	7.0	18.6	70
2003	130	7.0	18.6	70
2004	101	6.2	16.3	76.2
2005	82	3.5	23.4	96.3
2006	84	4.2	20.0	59.5
2007	131	4.0	32.8	59.5
2008	91	5.0	18.2	68.1
2009	71	6.0	10.8	63.4
2010	65	6.6	9.8	69.2
2011	72	n/a	n/a	84.7
2012	59	5.0	11.8	n/a
2013	127	5.8	21.8	81.9
2014	95	5.2	18.2	70.5
2015	72	5.0	14.4	68.1
2016	77	4.0	19.2	68.8
2017	70	4.4	15.7	78.6
2018	68	5.0	13.6	63.2
2019	79	5.0	15.8	72.2
2020	92	n/a	n/a	64.1
2021	87	5.0	17.4	80.5
2022	97	5.0	19.4	76.3
2023	98	5.0	19.5	75.5
2024	101	5.0	20.0	85.1

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.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Sunset High

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$17,286

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sunset High

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 1709^th of 2133 High schools	Ranks 1831^st of 2348 High schools	2.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sunset High)	13.7	28.6	14.8%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Del Norte County Unified)	37	40.5	3.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	57.3	55.4	1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Sunset High)	3.9	0	3.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Del Norte County Unified)	12.9	14.3	1.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (California)	32.2	27.4	4.9%
11th Grade Science (Sunset High)	9.8	4.8	5%
11th Grade Science (Del Norte County Unified)	21.4	12.9	8.5%
11th Grade Science (California)	30.4	31.7	1.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	79	98	24.1%
African American	3	0	100%
American Indian	13	21	61.5%
Asian	2	4	100%
Hispanic	13	23	76.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	46	44	4.3%
Two or More Races	2	6	200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	72.2%	75.5%	3.4%

Schools Near Sunset High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CAST Science (2024)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)		Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)		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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Sunset High	Public	9-12	2500 Elk Valley Cross Rd.	Crescent City	95531	Del Norte County	Del Norte County Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 464-0380	101	5	20.0	85.1%	44 (43.6%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (19.8%)	2 (2.0%)	25 (24.8%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (8.9%)	10.8	1964^th of 2323 public high schools	15.5%		15.1	1831^st of 2348 public high schools	22.0%	133	0.0	0.0	22.2	22.2	0.0	0.0	$17,286
Elk Creek	Public	7-12	1115 Williams Dr.	Crescent City	95531	Del Norte County	Del Norte County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 464-0750	0	1	2.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Del Norte County Regional Occupational Program	Public	9-12	1301 El Dorado	Crescent City	95531	Del Norte County	Del Norte County Regional Occupational Program	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(707) 464-0274	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Del Norte High	Public	9-12	1301 El Dorado St.	Crescent City	95531	Del Norte County	Del Norte County Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 464-0274	923	48	19.1	59.0%	421 (45.6%)	7 (0.8%)	259 (28.1%)	47 (5.1%)	121 (13.1%)	1 (0.1%)	64 (6.9%)	50	860^th of 2323 public high schools	63.0%		36.3	1242^nd of 2348 public high schools	47.1%	382	26.9	26.1	50.9	50.9	22.4	22.4	$13,658

Sunset High

Sunset High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Del Norte County Unified:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Sunset High

Rank History for all students at Sunset High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sunset High

Rank History for Female students at Sunset High

Rank History for Male students at Sunset High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sunset High

Rank History for Native American students at Sunset High

Rank History for White students at Sunset High

Review counts

Enrollment information for Sunset High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Sunset High

Student/Teacher Ratio Sunset High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Sunset High

Impact of COVID-19 on Sunset High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Sunset High

Sunset High

Elk Creek

Del Norte County Regional Occupational Program

Del Norte High

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