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Balboa High

Summary:

Balboa High is a public high school located in San Francisco, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,278 students. It is part of the San Francisco Unified School District, which is ranked 651 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Balboa High consistently ranks in the top 20% of California high schools, with strong academic performance. In the 2023-2024 school year, 69.51% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, and 43.75% were proficient or better in Mathematics, significantly higher than the San Francisco Unified and California state averages. The school also maintains a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 90.7% to 96.2% over the past 5 years, well above the state average. Balboa High has shown strong performance across various student subgroups, including female, male, English Language Learner, Special Education, and Low Socioeconomic Status students.

While Balboa High outperforms most nearby schools in academic achievement and graduation rates, the nearby Asawa (Ruth) SF School of the Arts stands out with exceptional performance, ranking in the top 5% of California high schools. In contrast, some nearby schools, such as Marshall (Thurgood) High and Jordan (June) School for Equity, struggle with lower academic achievement and higher dropout rates. However, Balboa High's strong performance is noteworthy, especially considering its diverse student population, with 61.35% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1000 Cayuga Ave.
       San Francisco, CA  94112-3236

(415) 469-4090

District: San Francisco Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
319th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,103 Help


Feeder schools for Balboa High:

Elementary:    Alamo Elementary
    Alvarado Elementary
    Argonne Elementary
    Bryant Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Aptos Middle
    Brown Junior (Willie L) Middle
    Denman (James) Middle
    Everett Middle
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  21.6 Help
Number of students:  1,278

Racial breakdown:

Asian:
53.5%
Hispanic:
30.6%
African American:
4.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  61.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Balboa High ranks better than 86.3% of high schools in California. It also ranks 5th among 16 ranked high schools in the San Francisco Unified School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.6. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Balboa 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: Asian (53.5%), Hispanic (30.6%), African American (4.8%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 61.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Balboa High is 21.6. 12 high schools in the San Francisco Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Balboa High employs 58.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Balboa High is $6,103, which is the highest among 17 high schools in the San Francisco Unified School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Balboa High:

SchoolDigger ranks Balboa High 319th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Balboa 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:
Hispanic students:


San Francisco Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks San Francisco Unified 651st of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Balboa High?

Rank History for Balboa High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 31.81 890th 1653 46.2%
2005 38.24 853rd 1901 55.1%
2006 45.03 736th 1968 62.6%
2007 53.37 578th 2063 72.0%
2008 59.37 485th 2117 77.1%
2009 54.55 607th 2238 72.9%
2010 57.58 565th 2281 75.2%
2011 57.28 611th 2367 74.2%
2012 58.50 575th 2354 75.6%
2013 57.73 589th 2426 75.7%
2015 80.23 362nd 1994 81.8%
2016 66.96 630th 2039 69.1%
2017 81.47 382nd 2021 81.1%
2018 73.21 530th 2017 73.7%
2019 62.87 679th 2133 68.2%
2022 82.29 324th 2123 84.7%
2023 72.80 437th 2348 81.4%
2024 80.60 319th 2323 86.3%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 36.09 346th 515 32.8%
2024 19.74 604th 804 24.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 93.86 49th 938 94.8%
2019 88.84 38th 941 96.0%
2022 90.11 31st 1044 97.0%
2023 45.55 338th 1323 74.5%
2024 79.25 50th 1350 96.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 56.67 364th 1547 76.5%
2024 79.16 122nd 1534 92.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.06 334th 1862 82.1%
2019 69.37 479th 1937 75.3%
2022 86.51 194th 1943 90.0%
2023 76.25 331st 2247 85.3%
2024 88.38 142nd 2235 93.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 64.33 75th 290 74.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.62 465th 1760 73.6%
2019 61.64 610th 1833 66.7%
2022 85.75 237th 1858 87.2%
2023 73.46 401st 2118 81.1%
2024 75.78 371st 2098 82.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.01 532nd 1052 49.4%
2019 26.19 850th 1117 23.9%
2022 73.07 178th 1161 84.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.54 580th 1834 68.4%
2019 60.29 653rd 1880 65.3%
2022 74.67 416th 1916 78.3%
2023 70.42 459th 2207 79.2%
2024 81.94 281st 2172 87.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.20 345th 581 40.6%
2019 48.02 350th 582 39.9%
2022 55.12 298th 581 48.7%
2023 54.36 371st 731 49.2%
2024 56.88 347th 712 51.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 25.75 538th 720 25.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.59 875th 1742 49.8%
2019 36.22 1163rd 1814 35.9%
2022 46.66 907th 1861 51.3%
2023 26.78 1449th 2142 32.4%
2024 55.40 705th 2125 66.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Balboa High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 44.55 698th 1222 42.9%
2022 92.71 51st 1204 95.8%
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.

Balboa High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Balboa High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 110 495 783 465 5 n/a n/a 0 1858
1989 83 390 658 429 3 n/a n/a 0 1563
1990 71 268 598 399 1 n/a n/a 0 1337
1991 67 209 585 436 4 n/a n/a 0 1301
1992 56 221 564 434 4 n/a n/a 0 1279
1993 52 241 536 400 2 n/a n/a 0 1231
1994 54 275 561 378 3 n/a n/a 0 1271
1995 75 325 645 431 5 n/a n/a 0 1481
1996 75 325 645 431 5 n/a n/a 0 1481
1997 78 339 692 449 3 n/a n/a 0 1561
1998 67 272 652 387 6 n/a n/a 0 1384
1999 78 243 562 328 11 n/a n/a 0 1222
2000 60 260 522 336 9 n/a n/a 0 1187
2001 57 240 457 283 9 n/a n/a 0 1046
2002 37 245 452 275 8 n/a n/a 5 1022
2003 37 245 452 275 8 n/a n/a 5 1022
2004 46 207 431 226 9 n/a n/a 6 925
2005 43 164 548 207 6 n/a n/a 13 981
2006 48 147 617 204 8 n/a n/a 11 1035
2007 55 125 599 208 3 n/a n/a 108 1098
2008 58 120 632 237 6 n/a n/a 0 1053
2009 64 97 675 258 6 13 11 0 1124
2010 78 101 763 290 5 11 47 0 1295
2011 87 103 814 292 5 13 47 0 1361
2012 88 108 801 311 7 22 45 0 1382
2013 89 91 720 345 7 27 57 0 1336
2014 73 81 678 356 4 29 38 0 1259
2015 63 92 629 391 7 35 40 0 1257
2016 52 86 626 414 4 34 44 0 1260
2017 52 72 603 427 4 32 59 0 1249
2018 45 66 625 439 3 32 61 0 1271
2019 41 58 585 418 3 36 76 0 1217
2020 47 66 630 364 4 39 71 0 1221
2021 53 73 646 363 4 27 63 0 1229
2022 53 68 673 384 4 19 61 0 1262
2023 52 61 684 391 4 25 60 1 1278

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 Balboa High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1858 93.8 19.8 n/a
1989 1563 83.3 18.7 n/a
1990 1337 74.0 18.0 n/a
1991 1301 67.1 19.3 n/a
1992 1279 68.2 18.7 7.5
1993 1231 56.8 21.7 24
1994 1271 70.5 18.0 21.5
1995 1481 71.9 20.6 47.5
1996 1481 71.9 20.6 47.5
1997 1561 81.3 19.2 39.8
1998 1384 83.3 16.6 62.7
1999 1222 66.2 18.5 41.9
2000 1187 59.0 20.1 57
2001 1046 56.6 18.5 50.6
2002 1022 57.4 17.8 58.1
2003 1022 57.4 17.8 58.1
2004 925 50.6 18.3 64.5
2005 981 56.6 17.3 45.2
2006 1035 54.1 19.1 0
2007 1098 54.2 20.3 65.3
2008 1053 70.2 15.0 58.8
2009 1124 58.5 16.7 58.7
2010 1295 64.4 20.1 57.4
2011 1361 n/a n/a 66
2012 1382 68.5 20.1 57
2013 1336 65.8 20.2 60.7
2014 1259 63.5 19.8 68.2
2015 1257 64.0 19.6 76.6
2016 1260 68.0 18.5 68.7
2017 1249 58.0 21.5 66.1
2018 1271 64.6 19.6 61.9
2019 1217 51.7 23.5 69.4
2020 1221 n/a n/a 58.1
2021 1229 57.7 21.2 58.8
2022 1262 63.3 19.9 60.1
2023 1278 58.9 21.6 61.3

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 Balboa High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1858 93.8 19.8 n/a
1989 1563 83.3 18.7 n/a
1990 1337 74.0 18.0 n/a
1991 1301 67.1 19.3 n/a
1992 1279 68.2 18.7 7.5
1993 1231 56.8 21.7 24
1994 1271 70.5 18.0 21.5
1995 1481 71.9 20.6 47.5
1996 1481 71.9 20.6 47.5
1997 1561 81.3 19.2 39.8
1998 1384 83.3 16.6 62.7
1999 1222 66.2 18.5 41.9
2000 1187 59.0 20.1 57
2001 1046 56.6 18.5 50.6
2002 1022 57.4 17.8 58.1
2003 1022 57.4 17.8 58.1
2004 925 50.6 18.3 64.5
2005 981 56.6 17.3 45.2
2006 1035 54.1 19.1 0
2007 1098 54.2 20.3 65.3
2008 1053 70.2 15.0 58.8
2009 1124 58.5 16.7 58.7
2010 1295 64.4 20.1 57.4
2011 1361 n/a n/a 66
2012 1382 68.5 20.1 57
2013 1336 65.8 20.2 60.7
2014 1259 63.5 19.8 68.2
2015 1257 64.0 19.6 76.6
2016 1260 68.0 18.5 68.7
2017 1249 58.0 21.5 66.1
2018 1271 64.6 19.6 61.9
2019 1217 51.7 23.5 69.4
2020 1221 n/a n/a 58.1
2021 1229 57.7 21.2 58.8
2022 1262 63.3 19.9 60.1
2023 1278 58.9 21.6 61.3

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 Balboa High

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $6,103

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Balboa 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 679th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 437th of 2348 High schools
 13.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Balboa High)62.760.2
 2.5%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (San Francisco Unified)63.164.5
 1.4%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Balboa High)39.142.6
 3.5%
   11th Grade Mathematics (San Francisco Unified)48.645
 3.6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Balboa High)36.136.5
 0.4%
   11th Grade Science (San Francisco Unified)39.247
 7.8%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%
12th Grade Science (Balboa High)10.80
 10.8%
   12th Grade Science (San Francisco Unified)13.417
 3.6%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students12171278
 5%
African American5861
 5.2%
American Indian34
 33.3%
Asian585684
 16.9%
Hispanic418391
 6.5%
Pacific Islander3625
 30.6%
White4152
 26.8%
Two or More Races7660
 21.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients69.4%61.3%
 8%

Schools Near Balboa High








Frequently Asked Questions about Balboa High

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,278 students attended Balboa High.

Balboa High ranks 319th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Balboa High are 54% Asian, 31% Hispanic, 5% African American, 5% Two or more races, 4% White, 2% Pacific Islander.

Balboa High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Alamo Elementary
Elementary : Alvarado Elementary
Elementary : Argonne Elementary
Elementary : Bryant Elementary
Elementary : Carver (George Washington) Elementary
Elementary : Chavez (Cesar) Elementary
Elementary : Chin (John Yehall) Elementary
Elementary : Clarendon Alternative Elementary
Elementary : Cleveland Elementary
Elementary : Cobb (William L.) Elementary
Elementary : Drew (Charles) College Preparatory Academy
Elementary : El Dorado Elementary
Elementary : Feinstein (Dianne) Elementary
Elementary : Flynn (Leonard R.) Elementary
Elementary : Garfield Elementary
Elementary : Glen Park Elementary
Elementary : Grattan Elementary
Elementary : Guadalupe Elementary
Elementary : Harte (Bret) Elementary
Elementary : Hillcrest Elementary
Elementary : Jefferson Elementary
Elementary : Key (Francis Scott) Elementary
Elementary : King (Thomas Starr) Elementary
Elementary : Lafayette Elementary
Elementary : Lakeshore Alternative Elementary
Elementary : Lau (Gordon J.) Elementary
Elementary : Longfellow Elementary
Elementary : Malcolm X Academy
Elementary : McCoppin (Frank) Elementary
Elementary : McKinley Elementary
Elementary : Milk (Harvey) Civil Rights Elementary
Elementary : Miraloma Elementary
Elementary : Monroe Elementary
Elementary : Moscone (George R.) Elementary
Elementary : Muir (John) Elementary
Elementary : New Traditions Elementary
Elementary : Ortega (Jose) Elementary
Elementary : Parker (Jean) Elementary
Elementary : Parks (Rosa) Elementary
Elementary : Peabody (George) Elementary
Elementary : Redding Elementary
Elementary : Sanchez Elementary
Elementary : Serra (Junipero) Elementary
Elementary : Sheridan Elementary
Elementary : Sherman Elementary
Elementary : Sloat (Commodore) Elementary
Elementary : Spring Valley Elementary
Elementary : Stevenson (Robert Louis) Elementary
Elementary : Sunnyside Elementary
Elementary : Sunset Elementary
Elementary : Sutro Elementary
Elementary : Taylor (Edward R.) Elementary
Elementary : Tenderloin Community
Elementary : Ulloa Elementary
Elementary : Visitacion Valley Elementary
Elementary : Webster (Daniel) Elementary
Elementary : West Portal Elementary
Elementary : Yick Wo Elementary
Middle : Aptos Middle
Middle : Brown Junior (Willie L) Middle
Middle : Denman (James) Middle
Middle : Everett Middle
Middle : Francisco Middle
Middle : Giannini (A.P.) Middle
Middle : Hoover (Herbert) Middle
Middle : King Junior (Martin Luther) Academic Middle
Middle : Lick (James) Middle
Middle : Marina Middle
Middle : Presidio Middle
Middle : Roosevelt Middle
Middle : Visitacion Valley 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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