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Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (2026) - Santa Monica, CA

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District

1717 4th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401-3319
(District boundaries shown in map)
10/
10
Top 10%

Top Rankings

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 10%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 10%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 10%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 10%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 4 public middle schools serving 2,192 students in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 10% of public middle schools in California.
Public Middle Schools in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 53% (versus the California public middle school average of 32%), and reading proficiency score of 73% (versus the 46% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 49% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the California public middle school average of 78% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
17 Schools
3,469 Schools
# Students
8,616 Students
1,858,621 Students
# Teachers
464 Teachers
88,118 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
19:1
19:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, which is ranked #122 of all 1,904 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 94% has increased from 91% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (CA)
#119 out of 1932 school districts
(Top 10%)
57%
34%
75%
47%
55%
29%
94%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.67
0.64
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
8%
11%
% Hispanic
30%
55%
% Black
7%
5%
% White
48%
22%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $31,031 is higher than the state median of $20,100. The school district revenue/student has grown by 22% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $43,360 is higher than the state median of $18,511. The school district spending/student has grown by 27% over four school years.
This School District
This State (CA)
Total Revenue
$267 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$374 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$31,031
$20,100
Spending / Student
$43,360
$18,511

Best Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Public Middle Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Lincoln Middle School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 80%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
1501 California Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 393-9227
Gr: 6-8 | 914 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 46%
Rank: #22.
Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)
Alternative School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 70-74%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
2525 Fifth St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 396-2640
Gr: K-8 | 216 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 44%
Rank: #33.
Malibu Middle School
(Math: 51% | Reading: 78%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
30237 Morning View Dr.
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 457-6801
Gr: 6-8 | 256 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 18%
Rank: #44.
John Adams Middle School
(Math: 45% | Reading: 65%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
2425 16th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 452-2326
Gr: 6-8 | 806 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 64%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 17 schools
  • Grades: K-12
  • Enrollment: 8,616 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 19:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 52%
  • : 94% (Top 10% in CA)
  • : Top 10%
  • : 57% (Top 10%)
  • : 75% (Top 5%)
  • : 55% (Top 10%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

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