Pasadena High

Summary:

Pasadena High is a public high school located in Pasadena, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,609 students. It is part of the Pasadena Unified School District, which is ranked 730 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Pasadena High consistently ranks in the top 30% of California high schools, with strong academic performance, particularly in English Language Arts/Literacy and science. The school's four-year graduation rate ranges from 93.3% to 97.6%, higher than the district and state averages, and its dropout rate is relatively low. Pasadena High's performance across different student subgroups is generally strong, with several subgroups ranking in the top 30% of California high schools. However, the school faces challenges with increasing chronic absenteeism, which has risen from 9.6% in 2017-2018 to 35.7% in 2021-2022, higher than the district and state averages.

Compared to nearby schools, Pasadena High performs better academically than other high schools in the Pasadena Unified School District, such as Blair High and John Muir High. However, it lags behind the high-performing Arcadia High School, which is located just a few miles away and consistently ranks in the top 5% of California high schools. The nearby San Marino High School, which is part of the San Marino Unified School District, also outperforms Pasadena High across various academic metrics.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 2925 East Sierra Madre Blvd.
       Pasadena, CA  91107-1846


(626) 396-5880

District: Pasadena Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
639th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,072 Help


Feeder schools for Pasadena High:

Elementary:    Don Benito Fundamental
    Hamilton Elementary
    Norma Coombs Elementary
    Sierra Madre Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Sierra Madre Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  21.5 Help
Number of students:  1,609

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
53.9%
White:
19.6%
African American:
12.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  73.7% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Pasadena High ranks better than 72.5% of high schools in California. It also ranks 2nd among 5 ranked high schools in the Pasadena Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.74. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Pasadena High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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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
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Compare Details Student population at Pasadena High is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (53.9%), White (19.6%), African American (12.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 73.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pasadena High is 21.5. 3 high schools in the Pasadena Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Pasadena High employs 74.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pasadena High is $7,072. 3 high schools in the Pasadena Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pasadena High:

SchoolDigger ranks Pasadena High 639th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Pasadena 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:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Pasadena Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Pasadena Unified 730th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Pasadena High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 36.39 779th 1653 52.9%
2005 35.05 919th 1901 51.7%
2006 40.79 817th 1968 58.5%
2007 48.11 699th 2063 66.1%
2008 41.66 872nd 2117 58.8%
2009 52.96 659th 2238 70.6%
2010 49.72 768th 2281 66.3%
2011 46.39 879th 2367 62.9%
2012 43.48 950th 2354 59.6%
2013 45.60 906th 2426 62.7%
2015 57.29 806th 1994 59.6%
2016 61.72 747th 2039 63.4%
2017 66.75 655th 2021 67.6%
2018 51.84 975th 2017 51.7%
2019 53.62 889th 2133 58.3%
2021 70.48 343rd 1290 73.4%
2022 70.43 525th 2123 75.3%
2023 71.93 451st 2348 80.8%
2024 59.74 639th 2323 72.5%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.82 252nd 366 31.1%
2019 36.76 287th 422 32.0%
2022 74.06 117th 515 77.3%
2023 69.63 177th 786 77.5%
2024 59.69 258th 804 67.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.81 543rd 938 42.1%
2019 28.23 837th 941 11.1%
2022 32.76 736th 1044 29.5%
2024 59.88 152nd 1350 88.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 74.87 158th 1547 89.8%
2024 39.45 723rd 1534 52.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.60 818th 1862 56.1%
2019 50.29 922nd 1937 52.4%
2021 71.74 268th 1126 76.2%
2022 69.65 448th 1943 76.9%
2023 71.09 411th 2247 81.7%
2024 50.54 839th 2235 62.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 63.32 84th 290 71.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.48 981st 1760 44.3%
2019 48.24 895th 1833 51.2%
2021 64.47 337th 1054 68.0%
2022 61.94 581st 1858 68.7%
2023 69.69 456th 2118 78.5%
2024 59.14 617th 2098 70.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.11 610th 1052 42.0%
2019 51.88 384th 1117 65.6%
2021 51.51 195th 555 64.9%
2022 59.27 289th 1161 75.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 41.60 98th 168 41.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.65 880th 1834 52.0%
2019 52.74 798th 1880 57.6%
2021 70.01 299th 1122 73.4%
2022 73.52 439th 1916 77.1%
2023 71.07 445th 2207 79.8%
2024 56.29 668th 2172 69.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.70 376th 581 35.3%
2022 75.93 146th 581 74.9%
2023 66.37 269th 731 63.2%
2024 70.05 217th 712 69.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.67 405th 582 30.4%
2019 39.36 333rd 592 43.8%
2022 59.72 159th 522 69.5%
2023 52.98 280th 720 61.1%
2024 44.21 338th 721 53.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.67 851st 1742 51.1%
2019 44.65 1009th 1814 44.4%
2022 67.98 468th 1861 74.9%
2023 75.64 323rd 2142 84.9%
2024 51.92 781st 2125 63.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Pasadena High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.50 665th 1173 43.3%
2019 61.11 469th 1222 61.6%
2022 82.95 160th 1204 86.7%
2023 71.14 294th 1434 79.5%
2024 68.65 331st 1406 76.5%
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.

Pasadena 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%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Pasadena High

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 680 804 137 625 9 n/a n/a 0 2255
1989 624 702 144 644 0 n/a n/a 0 2114
1990 570 716 144 737 0 n/a n/a 0 2167
1991 609 693 148 799 1 n/a n/a 0 2250
1992 637 673 134 820 2 n/a n/a 0 2266
1993 576 663 110 834 1 n/a n/a 0 2184
1994 502 581 105 810 1 n/a n/a 0 1999
1995 503 644 91 884 2 n/a n/a 0 2124
1996 503 644 91 884 2 n/a n/a 0 2124
1997 558 535 100 885 1 n/a n/a 0 2079
1998 533 551 116 866 2 n/a n/a 0 2068
1999 540 511 126 888 3 n/a n/a 0 2068
2000 505 515 141 913 3 n/a n/a 0 2077
2001 509 586 143 1037 5 n/a n/a 0 2280
2002 557 657 131 1072 2 n/a n/a 0 2419
2003 557 657 131 1072 2 n/a n/a 0 2419
2004 590 631 120 1187 2 n/a n/a 0 2530
2005 637 694 132 1319 2 n/a n/a 0 2784
2006 581 663 146 1242 1 n/a n/a 0 2633
2007 565 598 129 1236 3 n/a n/a 16 2547
2008 514 618 142 1375 4 n/a n/a 0 2653
2009 424 510 117 1136 4 9 13 0 2213
2010 395 379 95 1134 1 5 179 0 2188
2011 392 327 99 1118 2 2 130 0 2070
2012 384 293 107 1130 3 4 95 0 2016
2013 396 277 122 1144 4 2 83 0 2028
2014 388 253 111 1062 5 1 76 0 1896
2015 369 252 121 1073 8 5 75 0 1903
2016 344 230 116 1099 7 7 68 0 1871
2017 303 210 103 1072 3 5 81 0 1777
2018 303 222 101 1102 4 7 68 0 1807
2019 306 194 94 1072 4 8 57 0 1735
2020 352 217 101 1116 6 7 59 0 1858
2021 352 213 116 1091 7 7 56 0 1842
2022 341 193 109 949 5 7 63 4 1671
2023 316 200 124 867 6 5 90 1 1609

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 Pasadena High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2255 89.7 25.1 n/a
1989 2114 89.1 23.7 n/a
1990 2167 97.9 22.1 n/a
1991 2250 91.6 24.5 n/a
1992 2266 93.1 24.3 23.2
1993 2184 102.0 21.4 28.6
1994 1999 96.2 20.8 35.9
1995 2124 82.8 25.7 40.9
1996 2124 82.8 25.7 40.9
1997 2079 80.8 25.7 44.8
1998 2068 87.0 23.8 43.4
1999 2068 84.2 24.6 47.7
2000 2077 93.4 22.2 47.7
2001 2280 92.9 24.5 43.2
2002 2419 101.4 23.9 43.3
2003 2419 101.4 23.9 43.3
2004 2530 103.8 24.4 45.7
2005 2784 113.4 24.6 46.8
2006 2633 113.2 23.3 50.6
2007 2547 104.2 24.4 48.2
2008 2653 110.2 24.1 0
2009 2213 91.7 21.1 43.4
2010 2188 86.2 25.3 60.1
2011 2070 n/a n/a 60
2012 2016 83.5 24.1 n/a
2013 2028 85.0 23.8 63.1
2014 1896 79.4 23.8 63.7
2015 1903 85.0 22.3 66.5
2016 1871 86.0 21.7 60.4
2017 1777 66.9 26.5 58.9
2018 1807 76.4 23.6 59.6
2019 1735 78.8 22.0 58.6
2020 1858 n/a n/a 72
2021 1842 86.5 21.2 62.3
2022 1671 79.0 21.1 71.5
2023 1609 74.7 21.5 73.7

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 Pasadena High

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2255 89.7 25.1 n/a
1989 2114 89.1 23.7 n/a
1990 2167 97.9 22.1 n/a
1991 2250 91.6 24.5 n/a
1992 2266 93.1 24.3 23.2
1993 2184 102.0 21.4 28.6
1994 1999 96.2 20.8 35.9
1995 2124 82.8 25.7 40.9
1996 2124 82.8 25.7 40.9
1997 2079 80.8 25.7 44.8
1998 2068 87.0 23.8 43.4
1999 2068 84.2 24.6 47.7
2000 2077 93.4 22.2 47.7
2001 2280 92.9 24.5 43.2
2002 2419 101.4 23.9 43.3
2003 2419 101.4 23.9 43.3
2004 2530 103.8 24.4 45.7
2005 2784 113.4 24.6 46.8
2006 2633 113.2 23.3 50.6
2007 2547 104.2 24.4 48.2
2008 2653 110.2 24.1 0
2009 2213 91.7 21.1 43.4
2010 2188 86.2 25.3 60.1
2011 2070 n/a n/a 60
2012 2016 83.5 24.1 n/a
2013 2028 85.0 23.8 63.1
2014 1896 79.4 23.8 63.7
2015 1903 85.0 22.3 66.5
2016 1871 86.0 21.7 60.4
2017 1777 66.9 26.5 58.9
2018 1807 76.4 23.6 59.6
2019 1735 78.8 22.0 58.6
2020 1858 n/a n/a 72
2021 1842 86.5 21.2 62.3
2022 1671 79.0 21.1 71.5
2023 1609 74.7 21.5 73.7

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 Pasadena High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $7,072

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Pasadena 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 889th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 451st of 2348 High schools
 22.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pasadena High)53.365.5
 12.2%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pasadena Unified)46.651.6
 5%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Pasadena High)26.231.2
 5%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Pasadena Unified)22.424.1
 1.7%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Pasadena High)24.739.8
 15.1%
   11th Grade Science (Pasadena Unified)20.829.4
 8.6%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%
12th Grade Science (Pasadena High)18.921.8
 2.9%
   12th Grade Science (Pasadena Unified)11.211.8
 0.6%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.8
 1.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students17351609
 7.3%
African American194200
 3.1%
American Indian46
 50%
Asian94124
 31.9%
Hispanic1072867
 19.1%
Pacific Islander85
 37.5%
White306316
 3.3%
Two or More Races5790
 57.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients58.6%73.7%
 15.2%


Schools Near Pasadena High









Frequently Asked Questions about Pasadena High

Pasadena High ranks 639th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Pasadena High are 54% Hispanic, 20% White, 12% African American, 8% Asian, 6% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,609 students attended Pasadena High.

Pasadena High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Don Benito Fundamental
Elementary : Hamilton Elementary
Elementary : Norma Coombs Elementary
Elementary : Sierra Madre Elementary
Elementary : Webster Elementary
Elementary : Willard Elementary
Middle : Sierra Madre Middle


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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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