Sonora High

Summary:

Sonora High is a public high school located in La Habra, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,730 students. It is part of the Fullerton Joint Union High School District, which is ranked 383 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. Sonora High has consistently maintained a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past several years, indicating it is a high-performing school within the state.

Sonora High consistently outperforms the Fullerton Joint Union High School District and the state of California in standardized test scores, particularly in English Language Arts/Literacy and Science. For the 2023-2024 school year, Sonora High's 11th-grade students scored 72.16% proficient or better in ELA/Literacy, compared to 66.22% for the district and 55.73% for the state. The school also maintains a consistently high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 92.0% to 96.8% over the past five years, outperforming the state average. Sonora High's performance across various student subgroups, such as female, male, Asian, Hispanic, and White students, is generally strong, with many subgroups ranking in the top quartile or top third of California high schools.

While Sonora High outperforms the Fullerton Joint Union High School District on many metrics, it faces competition from nearby high-performing schools like Troy High and Sunny Hills High, which rank among the top 5% and 10% of California high schools, respectively. Additionally, Sonora High has seen a recent increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 7.0% in 2017-2018 to 16.2% in 2022-2023, which is an area the school may want to address to maintain its overall high performance.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 401 South Palm St.
       La Habra, CA  90631-5735


(562) 266-2003

District: Fullerton Joint Union High

SchoolDigger Rank:
364th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,979 Help


Feeder schools for Sonora High:

Elementary:    El Portal Elementary
    Hermosa Drive Elementary
    Las Lomas Elementary
    Las Positas Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Imperial Middle
    Washington Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  23.7 Help
Number of students:  1,730

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
72.4%
White:
10.3%
Asian:
8.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  60.3% Help


 See top rated California high schools

 Compare Sonora High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sonora High ranks better than 84.3% of high schools in California. It also ranks 3rd among 8 ranked high schools in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 77.59. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Sonora High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (72.4%), White (10.3%), Asian (8.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 60.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sonora High is 23.7, which is the 4th best among 8 high schools in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Sonora High employs 72.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sonora High is $7,979. 4 high schools in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sonora High:

SchoolDigger ranks Sonora High 364th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Sonora High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Fullerton Joint Union High:

SchoolDigger ranks Fullerton Joint Union High 383rd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Sonora High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 55.26 416th 1653 74.8%
2005 51.60 564th 1901 70.3%
2006 62.36 418th 1968 78.8%
2007 57.89 501st 2063 75.7%
2008 64.65 380th 2117 82.1%
2009 64.02 357th 2238 84.0%
2010 66.14 370th 2281 83.8%
2011 68.13 327th 2367 86.2%
2012 69.80 308th 2354 86.9%
2013 69.20 318th 2426 86.9%
2015 80.81 347th 1994 82.6%
2016 76.45 437th 2039 78.6%
2017 83.63 344th 2021 83.0%
2018 85.29 302nd 2017 85.0%
2019 76.88 418th 2133 80.4%
2021 72.61 321st 1290 75.1%
2022 84.11 294th 2123 86.2%
2023 86.53 220th 2348 90.6%
2024 77.59 364th 2323 84.3%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.29 120th 366 67.2%
2023 81.43 92nd 786 88.3%
2024 73.14 151st 804 81.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.03 82nd 938 91.3%
2019 71.86 107th 941 88.6%
2021 45.10 210th 467 55.0%
2022 66.40 134th 1044 87.2%
2023 50.27 259th 1323 80.4%
2024 43.93 369th 1350 72.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 86.21 77th 1547 95.0%
2024 72.81 181st 1534 88.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.85 291st 1862 84.4%
2019 67.42 509th 1937 73.7%
2021 66.19 317th 1126 71.8%
2022 80.52 272nd 1943 86.0%
2023 90.12 143rd 2247 93.6%
2024 74.47 352nd 2235 84.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.34 283rd 1760 83.9%
2019 75.41 390th 1833 78.7%
2021 76.17 230th 1054 78.2%
2022 81.63 295th 1858 84.1%
2023 88.18 179th 2118 91.5%
2024 80.00 306th 2098 85.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 93.97 61st 1052 94.2%
2019 57.31 317th 1117 71.6%
2021 54.49 178th 555 67.9%
2022 86.84 96th 1161 91.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 64.11 59th 168 64.9%
2023 53.12 102nd 233 56.2%
2024 39.76 133rd 234 43.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.74 297th 1834 83.8%
2019 73.49 434th 1880 76.9%
2021 62.66 377th 1122 66.4%
2022 82.99 271st 1916 85.9%
2023 81.91 277th 2207 87.4%
2024 70.87 433rd 2172 80.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.39 143rd 581 75.4%
2019 65.11 228th 582 60.8%
2022 78.64 116th 581 80.0%
2023 73.31 192nd 731 73.7%
2024 59.60 316th 712 55.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.39 188th 1742 89.2%
2019 75.58 335th 1814 81.5%
2022 86.90 171st 1861 90.8%
2023 90.42 110th 2142 94.9%
2024 81.21 229th 2125 89.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sonora High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.15 223rd 1173 81.0%
2019 83.35 157th 1222 87.2%
2022 85.10 135th 1204 88.8%
2023 83.64 134th 1434 90.7%
2024 75.17 225th 1406 84.0%
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.

Sonora High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

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by a student
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Open Quote I am a student at Sonora High School, and it is an absolutely extraordinary school! The International Bachelorette Program is wonderful, and I have learned so much from the honors classes that come with the diploma. The faculty and staff is unbelievably amazing, they make the material fun and easy to understand, and really push us to do our best. I am especially fond of the science teachers! They are so into what they teach, that you can't help but have fun in the lab!!! I can't forget to mention the extracurriculars! IMPACT, Best Buds, Science Olympiad, CSF, Scuba! I am confident that being a Sonora student has given me the knowledge and experience I will need while attending a university and following my career path. I can't even express the joy and pride I feel to be attending such an amazing school!:) Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sonora High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 964 10 106 288 0 n/a n/a 0 1368
1989 870 8 110 330 1 n/a n/a 0 1319
1990 801 13 113 358 4 n/a n/a 0 1289
1991 763 15 112 423 4 n/a n/a 0 1317
1992 789 19 104 456 6 n/a n/a 0 1374
1993 782 16 112 494 5 n/a n/a 0 1409
1994 744 14 111 527 7 n/a n/a 0 1403
1995 752 29 118 592 5 n/a n/a 0 1496
1996 752 29 118 592 5 n/a n/a 0 1496
1997 854 46 119 675 4 n/a n/a 0 1698
1998 901 45 122 722 5 n/a n/a 0 1795
1999 950 41 128 756 6 n/a n/a 0 1881
2000 988 36 125 756 7 n/a n/a 3 1915
2001 948 28 163 778 8 n/a n/a 2 1927
2002 864 41 186 928 4 n/a n/a 12 2035
2003 864 41 186 928 4 n/a n/a 12 2035
2004 788 31 171 932 5 n/a n/a 110 2037
2005 748 32 164 953 4 n/a n/a 120 2021
2006 718 36 172 977 3 n/a n/a 122 2028
2007 657 28 186 972 1 n/a n/a 136 1980
2008 623 34 202 1085 n/a n/a n/a 0 1944
2009 590 36 230 1157 1 1 111 0 2126
2010 611 41 249 1252 6 5 20 0 2184
2011 519 30 252 1210 8 6 25 0 2050
2012 491 26 243 1209 8 3 30 0 2010
2013 470 22 225 1192 7 6 22 0 1944
2014 422 22 200 1189 3 5 23 0 1864
2015 413 22 199 1258 0 3 29 0 1924
2016 351 21 191 1272 2 3 42 0 1882
2017 342 20 167 1300 2 5 48 0 1884
2018 354 20 170 1338 2 5 52 0 1941
2019 312 18 139 1287 4 4 49 0 1813
2020 301 26 138 1251 4 6 35 0 1761
2021 286 30 149 1230 4 3 39 0 1741
2022 247 21 155 1230 3 1 39 1 1697
2023 179 27 143 1253 0 2 124 2 1730

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 Sonora High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1368 57.2 23.9 n/a
1989 1319 54.7 24.1 n/a
1990 1289 55.0 23.4 n/a
1991 1317 55.7 23.6 n/a
1992 1374 56.6 24.2 4.4
1993 1409 58.4 24.1 6.2
1994 1403 56.6 24.8 4.1
1995 1496 60.3 24.8 4.2
1996 1496 60.3 24.8 4.2
1997 1698 68.2 24.9 3.6
1998 1795 74.9 24.0 3.3
1999 1881 77.6 24.2 2.1
2000 1915 74.9 25.6 2
2001 1927 75.5 25.5 0.8
2002 2035 76.9 26.5 4.3
2003 2035 76.9 26.5 4.3
2004 2037 76.2 26.7 5.4
2005 2021 73.4 27.5 4.3
2006 2028 76.4 26.5 0
2007 1980 75.8 26.1 8.2
2008 1944 90.8 21.4 12.3
2009 2126 81.7 22.4 33.5
2010 2184 79.0 27.6 40
2011 2050 n/a n/a 43.6
2012 2010 76.8 26.1 n/a
2013 1944 73.2 26.5 42
2014 1864 69.9 26.6 48.9
2015 1924 68.0 28.2 47.9
2016 1882 67.0 28.0 46.5
2017 1884 61.3 30.7 42.1
2018 1941 68.3 28.4 49.4
2019 1813 65.9 27.5 50.9
2020 1761 n/a n/a 50.4
2021 1741 70.2 24.7 40.3
2022 1697 69.3 24.4 56.3
2023 1730 72.7 23.7 60.3

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 Sonora High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1368 57.2 23.9 n/a
1989 1319 54.7 24.1 n/a
1990 1289 55.0 23.4 n/a
1991 1317 55.7 23.6 n/a
1992 1374 56.6 24.2 4.4
1993 1409 58.4 24.1 6.2
1994 1403 56.6 24.8 4.1
1995 1496 60.3 24.8 4.2
1996 1496 60.3 24.8 4.2
1997 1698 68.2 24.9 3.6
1998 1795 74.9 24.0 3.3
1999 1881 77.6 24.2 2.1
2000 1915 74.9 25.6 2
2001 1927 75.5 25.5 0.8
2002 2035 76.9 26.5 4.3
2003 2035 76.9 26.5 4.3
2004 2037 76.2 26.7 5.4
2005 2021 73.4 27.5 4.3
2006 2028 76.4 26.5 0
2007 1980 75.8 26.1 8.2
2008 1944 90.8 21.4 12.3
2009 2126 81.7 22.4 33.5
2010 2184 79.0 27.6 40
2011 2050 n/a n/a 43.6
2012 2010 76.8 26.1 n/a
2013 1944 73.2 26.5 42
2014 1864 69.9 26.6 48.9
2015 1924 68.0 28.2 47.9
2016 1882 67.0 28.0 46.5
2017 1884 61.3 30.7 42.1
2018 1941 68.3 28.4 49.4
2019 1813 65.9 27.5 50.9
2020 1761 n/a n/a 50.4
2021 1741 70.2 24.7 40.3
2022 1697 69.3 24.4 56.3
2023 1730 72.7 23.7 60.3

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 Sonora High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $7,979

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sonora 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 418th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 220th of 2348 High schools
 10.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sonora High)74.475.7
 1.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Fullerton Joint Union High)65.167.3
 2.2%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Sonora High)38.146.9
 8.8%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Fullerton Joint Union High)43.844.4
 0.5%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Sonora High)33.147.1
 14.1%
   11th Grade Science (Fullerton Joint Union High)36.741.9
 5.1%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students18131730
 4.6%
African American1827
 50%
American Indian40
 100%
Asian139143
 2.9%
Hispanic12871253
 2.6%
Pacific Islander42
 50%
White312179
 42.6%
Two or More Races49124
 153.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients50.9%60.3%
 9.4%


Schools Near Sonora High









Frequently Asked Questions about Sonora High

Sonora High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : El Portal Elementary
Elementary : Hermosa Drive Elementary
Elementary : Las Lomas Elementary
Elementary : Las Positas Elementary
Elementary : Sierra Vista Elementary
Middle : Imperial Middle
Middle : Washington Middle

Sonora High ranks 364th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Sonora High are 72% Hispanic, 10% White, 8% Asian, 7% Two or more races, 2% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,730 students attended Sonora High.


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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.





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