Is Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) a good school?

Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) ranks 712 th of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)?

In the 2022-23 school year, 247 students attended Santa Monica Alternative (K-8).

What is the racial makeup of Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)?

Students at Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) are 52% White, 24% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races, 7% Asian, 6% African American.

Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

Summary:

Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) is a high-performing public elementary school serving grades K-8 in Santa Monica, California, part of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. With 247 students and a student-teacher ratio of 16.5, this school consistently ranks among the top 15% of California elementary schools, outperforming both state and district averages on academic assessments.

Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) stands out for its exceptional academic performance, with 72.41% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 68.75% proficient or better in Math, compared to state averages of 47.04% and 35.54%, respectively. The school's performance is particularly strong in 5th grade, where 84.21% of students were proficient or better in ELA and 88.89% in Math. Additionally, the school's female and white students perform exceptionally well, ranking in the top 5% and top 30% of California elementary schools, respectively.

Compared to nearby schools, both within the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified District and in the Los Angeles Unified District, Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) stands out as an exceptional educational institution. The school's academic performance, low chronic absenteeism, and relatively low free/reduced lunch rates suggest a stable and engaged student population, contributing to its overall success.

Detail:

Public K-8

2525 Fifth St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405-3703

(310) 396-2640

District: Santa Monica-Malibu Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
712^th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,658

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 247

Racial breakdown:

White:

51.8%

Hispanic:

23.9%

Two or more races:

10.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 15.4%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) ranks better than 87.9% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 6^th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 89.78. (See more...)

Compare Details Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) ranks better than 92.7% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 93.26. (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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (51.8%), Hispanic (23.9%), two or more races (10.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 15.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) is 16.5, which is the lowest among 10 elementary schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District! (See more...)

Compare Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) employs 14.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) is $7,658, which is the 3^rd highest among 9 elementary schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Santa Monica Alternative (K-8):

SchoolDigger ranks Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) 712^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) 202^nd of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Male students:

White students:

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Santa Monica-Malibu Unified 188^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	40.68	2609^th	4809	45.7%
2005	27.73	3428^th	4822	28.9%
2006	26.67	3543^rd	4818	26.5%
2007	40.88	2856^th	5113	44.1%
2008	44.06	2714^th	5113	46.9%
2009	42.55	2906^th	5193	44.0%
2010	39.32	3213^th	5314	39.5%
2011	63.87	1806^th	5377	66.4%
2012	54.83	2337^th	5390	56.6%
2013	46.79	2874^th	5530	48.0%
2015	86.60	798^th	5611	85.8%
2016	88.34	718^th	5614	87.2%
2017	68.80	1623^rd	5692	71.5%
2018	40.50	3123^rd	5662	44.8%
2019	82.09	1067^th	5789	81.6%
2022	85.67	914^th	5883	84.5%
2023	91.73	590^th	5874	90.0%
2024	89.78	712^th	5862	87.9%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	78.06	1165^th	5492	78.8%
2022	86.76	787^th	5635	86.0%
2024	95.53	247^th	5605	95.6%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	83.44	947^th	5663	83.3%
2023	91.00	551^st	5650	90.2%
2024	85.78	833^rd	5636	85.2%

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

Rank History for elementary school White students at Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	72.52	714^th	2726	73.8%
2023	83.75	285^th	2662	89.3%
2024	64.51	980^th	2647	63.0%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

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Rank History for all middle school students at Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	52.18	737^th	1769	58.3%
2005	40.37	990^th	1777	44.3%
2006	39.25	1029^th	1804	43.0%
2007	34.55	1269^th	1999	36.5%
2008	42.01	1109^th	2005	44.7%
2009	52.55	915^th	2063	55.6%
2010	38.91	1337^th	2179	38.6%
2011	55.83	937^th	2236	58.1%
2012	54.89	950^th	2259	57.9%
2013	58.62	922^nd	2379	61.2%
2015	93.75	133^rd	2477	94.6%
2016	90.04	227^th	2497	90.9%
2017	97.13	58^th	2508	97.7%
2018	95.06	121^st	2480	95.1%
2019	97.18	63^rd	2715	97.7%
2022	90.90	254^th	2740	90.7%
2023	94.91	157^th	2802	94.4%
2024	93.26	202^nd	2777	92.7%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	89.24	248^th	2509	90.1%

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

Rank History for middle school Male students at Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	93.15	174^th	2527	93.1%
2024	86.63	316^th	2547	87.6%

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

Rank History for middle school White students at Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	83.03	192^nd	1496	87.2%
2024	74.84	333^rd	1535	78.3%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary 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 Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	111	16	6	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	150
1989	95	31	6	18	3	n/a	n/a	0	153
1990	95	17	12	18	4	n/a	n/a	0	146
1991	107	10	12	19	2	n/a	n/a	0	150
1992	101	8	16	20	5	n/a	n/a	0	150
1993	109	13	30	23	5	n/a	n/a	0	180
1994	113	9	27	20	9	n/a	n/a	0	178
1995	112	20	31	18	7	n/a	n/a	0	188
1996	112	20	31	18	7	n/a	n/a	0	188
1997	107	21	28	23	7	n/a	n/a	0	186
1998	100	29	25	28	6	n/a	n/a	0	188
1999	106	20	26	33	4	n/a	n/a	0	189
2000	101	24	26	28	4	n/a	n/a	0	183
2001	106	23	29	32	4	n/a	n/a	0	194
2002	92	27	24	34	3	n/a	n/a	0	180
2003	92	27	24	34	3	n/a	n/a	0	180
2004	100	26	20	42	2	n/a	n/a	0	190
2005	111	23	16	36	2	n/a	n/a	3	191
2006	111	22	17	34	1	n/a	n/a	8	193
2007	115	18	21	28	2	n/a	n/a	10	194
2008	125	9	19	25	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	178
2009	126	10	23	20	1	0	13	0	193
2010	147	11	12	9	1	0	41	0	221
2011	135	9	12	29	1	0	37	0	223
2012	132	12	12	29	1	0	41	0	227
2013	143	9	12	27	1	0	43	0	235
2014	137	7	10	25	1	1	47	0	228
2015	136	6	10	26	1	1	45	0	225
2016	136	8	6	34	1	0	42	0	227
2017	133	8	5	40	1	0	41	0	228
2018	121	11	5	42	0	0	45	0	224
2019	120	12	8	44	1	0	40	0	225
2020	126	16	7	43	1	0	34	0	227
2021	134	14	10	40	1	0	33	0	232
2022	155	24	30	77	1	1	45	0	333
2023	128	14	17	59	1	0	27	1	247

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 Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	150	9.0	16.6	n/a
1989	153	9.0	17.0	n/a
1990	146	7.5	19.4	n/a
1991	150	8.0	18.7	n/a
1992	150	8.1	18.5	7.3
1993	180	6.4	28.1	6.7
1994	178	6.4	27.8	8.4
1995	188	6.9	27.2	13.3
1996	188	6.9	27.2	13.3
1997	186	7.9	23.5	13.4
1998	188	7.0	26.9	11.7
1999	189	8.0	23.6	5.3
2000	183	8.5	21.5	19.1
2001	194	9.0	21.6	8.8
2002	180	7.5	24.0	8.3
2003	180	7.5	24.0	8.3
2004	190	9.0	21.1	4.2
2005	191	9.0	21.2	12.8
2006	193	8.5	22.7	3.8
2007	194	8.5	22.8	13.6
2008	178	10.5	17.0	11.8
2009	193	9.0	17.5	9.8
2010	221	9.3	23.7	11.3
2011	223	n/a	n/a	6.3
2012	227	8.5	26.7	n/a
2013	235	8.5	27.6	11.9
2014	228	8.5	26.8	4.8
2015	225	10.0	22.5	4
2016	227	10.0	22.7	4.8
2017	228	10.0	22.8	7
2018	224	10.0	22.4	8.9
2019	225	10.0	22.5	12
2020	227	n/a	n/a	11.5
2021	232	10.0	23.2	7.3
2022	333	16.6	20.0	15.3
2023	247	14.9	16.5	15.4

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 Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	150	9.0	16.6	n/a
1989	153	9.0	17.0	n/a
1990	146	7.5	19.4	n/a
1991	150	8.0	18.7	n/a
1992	150	8.1	18.5	7.3
1993	180	6.4	28.1	6.7
1994	178	6.4	27.8	8.4
1995	188	6.9	27.2	13.3
1996	188	6.9	27.2	13.3
1997	186	7.9	23.5	13.4
1998	188	7.0	26.9	11.7
1999	189	8.0	23.6	5.3
2000	183	8.5	21.5	19.1
2001	194	9.0	21.6	8.8
2002	180	7.5	24.0	8.3
2003	180	7.5	24.0	8.3
2004	190	9.0	21.1	4.2
2005	191	9.0	21.2	12.8
2006	193	8.5	22.7	3.8
2007	194	8.5	22.8	13.6
2008	178	10.5	17.0	11.8
2009	193	9.0	17.5	9.8
2010	221	9.3	23.7	11.3
2011	223	n/a	n/a	6.3
2012	227	8.5	26.7	n/a
2013	235	8.5	27.6	11.9
2014	228	8.5	26.8	4.8
2015	225	10.0	22.5	4
2016	227	10.0	22.7	4.8
2017	228	10.0	22.8	7
2018	224	10.0	22.4	8.9
2019	225	10.0	22.5	12
2020	227	n/a	n/a	11.5
2021	232	10.0	23.2	7.3
2022	333	16.6	20.0	15.3
2023	247	14.9	16.5	15.4

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.

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