Hilltop Senior High

Summary:

Hilltop Senior High is a public high school located in Chula Vista, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,885 students. It is part of the Sweetwater Union High School District, which is ranked 745 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Hilltop Senior High has consistently ranked in the middle range of California high schools, maintaining a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past 10 years. The school performs relatively well for Hispanic students, ranking in the top 25% of California high schools for this subgroup. However, its performance for White students and students with disabilities is weaker, ranking in the bottom 50% of California high schools. Hilltop Senior High has a strong 4-year graduation rate, ranging from 92.8% to 95.1% in recent years, which is higher than the district and state averages. The school's academic performance is better than the district and state averages in English Language Arts/Literacy, but lags behind in Mathematics and Science compared to nearby schools like Bonita Vista Senior High and San Diego SCPA.

One concerning trend at Hilltop Senior High is the significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 5.1% in 2020-2021 to 24.1% in 2022-2023. This may be a contributing factor to the school's academic performance challenges. The school's higher proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 45.65% to 72.15% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, may also play a role in its academic performance. Overall, Hilltop Senior High has some areas of strength, but also significant challenges that it may need to address to improve outcomes for all students.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 555 Claire Ave.
       Chula Vista, CA  91910-6105


(619) 476-4200

District: Sweetwater Union High

SchoolDigger Rank:
748th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,004 Help


Feeder schools for Hilltop Senior High:

Elementary:    Cook (Hazel Goes) Elementary
    Halecrest Elementary
    Hilltop Drive Elementary
    Kellogg (Karl H.) Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Hilltop Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  22.9 Help
Number of students:  1,841

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
77.0%
White:
14.9%
Asian:
2.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  76.9% Help


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 Compare Hilltop Senior High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Hilltop Senior High ranks better than 67.8% of high schools in California. It also ranks 5th among 14 ranked high schools in the Sweetwater Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55.01. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Hilltop Senior 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 (77%), White (14.9%), Asian (2.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 76.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hilltop Senior High is 22.9. 11 high schools in the Sweetwater Union High School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Hilltop Senior High employs 80.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hilltop Senior High is $7,004. 9 high schools in the Sweetwater Union High School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Hilltop Senior High:

SchoolDigger ranks Hilltop Senior High 748th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Hilltop Senior High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Sweetwater Union High:

SchoolDigger ranks Sweetwater Union High 745th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Hilltop Senior High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Hilltop Senior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 44.95 588th 1653 64.4%
2005 48.65 620th 1901 67.4%
2006 45.16 732nd 1968 62.8%
2007 50.73 640th 2063 69.0%
2008 49.57 685th 2117 67.6%
2009 54.45 610th 2238 72.7%
2010 56.40 587th 2281 74.3%
2011 54.30 682nd 2367 71.2%
2012 50.58 786th 2354 66.6%
2013 47.64 851st 2426 64.9%
2015 66.28 633rd 1994 68.3%
2016 70.28 552nd 2039 72.9%
2017 57.50 847th 2021 58.1%
2018 67.30 651st 2017 67.7%
2019 55.63 839th 2133 60.7%
2021 56.97 499th 1290 61.3%
2022 50.12 930th 2123 56.2%
2023 49.33 879th 2348 62.6%
2024 55.01 748th 2323 67.8%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Hilltop Senior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.75 190th 366 48.1%
2019 44.49 254th 422 39.8%
2022 45.00 293rd 515 43.1%
2023 49.66 332nd 786 57.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Hilltop Senior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.63 182nd 938 80.6%
2019 34.03 633rd 941 32.7%
2021 57.08 132nd 467 71.7%
2022 47.67 361st 1044 65.4%
2023 42.09 419th 1323 68.3%
2024 51.16 235th 1350 82.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Hilltop Senior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 50.38 462nd 1547 70.1%
2024 50.41 497th 1534 67.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hilltop Senior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.46 470th 1862 74.8%
2019 63.87 574th 1937 70.4%
2021 66.26 315th 1126 72.0%
2022 53.27 784th 1943 59.7%
2023 59.20 649th 2247 71.1%
2024 61.96 556th 2235 75.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Hilltop Senior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.56 519th 1760 70.5%
2019 54.24 752nd 1833 59.0%
2021 51.30 499th 1054 52.7%
2022 45.79 920th 1858 50.5%
2023 54.78 718th 2118 66.1%
2024 54.09 724th 2098 65.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Hilltop Senior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.00 315th 1052 70.1%
2019 43.88 498th 1117 55.4%
2021 55.93 163rd 555 70.6%
2022 35.69 671st 1161 42.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Hilltop Senior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.10 757th 1834 58.7%
2019 51.89 824th 1880 56.2%
2021 54.22 463rd 1122 58.7%
2022 50.50 818th 1916 57.3%
2023 41.60 1011th 2207 54.2%
2024 53.30 729th 2172 66.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Hilltop Senior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.26 399th 1742 77.1%
2019 63.73 560th 1814 69.1%
2022 57.46 670th 1861 64.0%
2023 56.98 659th 2142 69.2%
2024 63.55 519th 2125 75.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Hilltop Senior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.14 458th 1173 61.0%
2019 49.82 621st 1222 49.2%
2022 39.49 726th 1204 39.7%
2023 32.36 883rd 1434 38.4%
2024 37.26 791st 1406 43.7%
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.

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





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Hilltop Senior High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 686 20 141 631 12 n/a n/a 0 1490
1989 616 30 120 700 12 n/a n/a 0 1478
1990 567 32 131 788 14 n/a n/a 0 1532
1991 545 35 129 800 10 n/a n/a 0 1519
1992 537 38 141 793 9 n/a n/a 0 1518
1993 540 48 151 839 7 n/a n/a 0 1585
1994 614 40 147 928 9 n/a n/a 0 1738
1995 624 53 91 1088 17 n/a n/a 0 1873
1996 624 53 91 1088 17 n/a n/a 0 1873
1997 648 48 99 1139 14 n/a n/a 0 1948
1998 640 43 108 1175 21 n/a n/a 0 1987
1999 653 54 122 1226 19 n/a n/a 0 2074
2000 680 61 128 1246 25 n/a n/a 0 2140
2001 673 74 146 1296 27 n/a n/a 0 2216
2002 645 75 129 1431 28 n/a n/a 0 2308
2003 645 75 129 1431 28 n/a n/a 0 2308
2004 628 68 122 1464 21 n/a n/a 0 2303
2005 610 91 131 1517 27 n/a n/a 0 2376
2006 552 92 139 1548 25 n/a n/a 0 2356
2007 512 77 142 1728 27 n/a n/a 0 2486
2008 479 84 144 1864 19 n/a n/a 0 2590
2009 458 81 97 1925 21 31 5 0 2618
2010 381 51 90 1757 14 19 6 0 2318
2011 334 42 100 1692 8 17 12 0 2205
2012 288 31 80 1653 5 15 34 0 2106
2013 269 36 67 1783 4 18 49 0 2226
2014 217 30 48 1829 2 11 76 0 2213
2015 203 23 41 1818 3 7 79 0 2174
2016 166 26 47 1877 2 5 77 0 2200
2017 137 19 52 1843 2 5 85 0 2143
2018 126 24 62 1839 2 6 82 0 2141
2019 126 27 58 1797 1 8 72 0 2089
2020 165 25 52 1688 7 4 65 0 2006
2021 206 29 58 1537 15 5 61 0 1911
2022 240 34 53 1507 18 4 50 0 1906
2023 273 34 55 1441 19 7 56 0 1885
2024 274 35 54 1417 11 3 47 0 1841

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 Hilltop Senior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1490 55.1 27.0 n/a
1989 1478 59.2 24.9 n/a
1990 1532 59.0 25.9 n/a
1991 1519 61.1 24.8 n/a
1992 1518 62.1 24.4 10.9
1993 1585 63.5 25.0 11
1994 1738 68.5 25.4 17.4
1995 1873 74.4 25.2 24.6
1996 1873 74.4 25.2 24.6
1997 1948 76.2 25.6 26.9
1998 1987 78.5 25.3 24.4
1999 2074 82.5 25.1 24.5
2000 2140 90.7 23.6 16.6
2001 2216 91.4 24.2 28.2
2002 2308 97.2 23.7 25.7
2003 2308 97.2 23.7 25.7
2004 2303 94.4 24.4 28.6
2005 2376 96.0 24.8 23.6
2006 2356 100.7 23.4 24.8
2007 2486 100.2 24.8 22
2008 2590 115.4 22.4 34.2
2009 2618 102.5 22.3 33.9
2010 2318 99.4 23.3 45.4
2011 2205 n/a n/a 45.4
2012 2106 77.3 27.2 n/a
2013 2226 79.3 28.0 43.8
2014 2213 80.5 27.4 50.7
2015 2174 81.0 26.8 52.9
2016 2200 83.0 26.5 54.8
2017 2143 86.1 24.8 48.2
2018 2141 87.5 24.4 57.8
2019 2089 87.2 23.9 62.2
2020 2006 n/a n/a 61.7
2021 1911 77.3 24.7 61.5
2022 1906 77.8 24.4 45.6
2023 1885 82.9 22.7 72.1
2024 1841 80.2 22.9 76.9

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 Hilltop Senior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1490 55.1 27.0 n/a
1989 1478 59.2 24.9 n/a
1990 1532 59.0 25.9 n/a
1991 1519 61.1 24.8 n/a
1992 1518 62.1 24.4 10.9
1993 1585 63.5 25.0 11
1994 1738 68.5 25.4 17.4
1995 1873 74.4 25.2 24.6
1996 1873 74.4 25.2 24.6
1997 1948 76.2 25.6 26.9
1998 1987 78.5 25.3 24.4
1999 2074 82.5 25.1 24.5
2000 2140 90.7 23.6 16.6
2001 2216 91.4 24.2 28.2
2002 2308 97.2 23.7 25.7
2003 2308 97.2 23.7 25.7
2004 2303 94.4 24.4 28.6
2005 2376 96.0 24.8 23.6
2006 2356 100.7 23.4 24.8
2007 2486 100.2 24.8 22
2008 2590 115.4 22.4 34.2
2009 2618 102.5 22.3 33.9
2010 2318 99.4 23.3 45.4
2011 2205 n/a n/a 45.4
2012 2106 77.3 27.2 n/a
2013 2226 79.3 28.0 43.8
2014 2213 80.5 27.4 50.7
2015 2174 81.0 26.8 52.9
2016 2200 83.0 26.5 54.8
2017 2143 86.1 24.8 48.2
2018 2141 87.5 24.4 57.8
2019 2089 87.2 23.9 62.2
2020 2006 n/a n/a 61.7
2021 1911 77.3 24.7 61.5
2022 1906 77.8 24.4 45.6
2023 1885 82.9 22.7 72.1
2024 1841 80.2 22.9 76.9

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 Hilltop Senior High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $7,004

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Hilltop Senior 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 839th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 879th of 2348 High schools
 1.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Hilltop Senior High)6755.7
 11.4%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sweetwater Union High)58.552.2
 6.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Hilltop Senior High)35.421.8
 13.7%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Sweetwater Union High)28.522.6
 6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Hilltop Senior High)25.922
 3.9%
   11th Grade Science (Sweetwater Union High)24.824.3
 0.5%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%
12th Grade Science (Hilltop Senior High)14.74.6
 10.2%
   12th Grade Science (Sweetwater Union High)20.424.6
 4.3%
   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 Students20891885
 9.8%
African American2734
 25.9%
American Indian119
 1800%
Asian5855
 5.2%
Hispanic17971441
 19.8%
Pacific Islander87
 12.5%
White126273
 116.7%
Two or More Races7256
 22.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients62.2%72.1%
 9.9%


Schools Near Hilltop Senior High









Frequently Asked Questions about Hilltop Senior High

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,841 students attended Hilltop Senior High.

Hilltop Senior High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cook (Hazel Goes) Elementary
Elementary : Halecrest Elementary
Elementary : Hilltop Drive Elementary
Elementary : Kellogg (Karl H.) Elementary
Elementary : Rosebank Elementary
Middle : Hilltop Middle

Hilltop Senior High ranks 748th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Hilltop Senior High are 77% Hispanic, 15% White, 3% Asian, 3% Two or more races, 2% African American.


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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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