Torrance High School
2200 Carson St., Torrance, CA, 90501-3135 -  Map
tel: (310)533-4396
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School Overview:
Definition of Terms Torrance High School
School Level High school
Grades Offered Grades 9 - 12
County Los Angeles County, CA
Students & Faculty
Total Students 2246 students
% Male / % Female 53%  /  47%
Total Classroom Teachers 86 teachers
Students by Grade
Grade 9 - 606 students
Grade 10 - 582 students
Grade 11 - 582 students
Grade 12 - 476 students
This School (CA) School Average
Teacher : Student Ratio 1:26 1:20
Students by Ethnicity
This School (CA) School Average
% American Indian n/a n/a
% Asian 30% 11%
% Hispanic 26% 50%
% Black 4% 7%
% White 38% 28%
% Unknown 2 % 4%
Additional Student Information
This School (CA) School Average
% Eligible for Free Lunch 12% 44%
% Eligible for Reduced Lunch 4% 10%
% Migrant Students Enrolled n/a 3%
School Performance:
(CA) Statewide Testing Performance
School Statewide Performance View Education Department Test Scores
School District:
School District Name Torrance Unified School District
This School's Agency (CA) District Average
Number of Schools Managed 31 4
Number of Students Managed 25,414 students 1,760 students
District Total Revenue $194,421,000 $14,612,000
District Expenditure $223,201,000 $15,326,000
District Revenue / Student $7,650 $7,880
District Expenditure / Student $8,783 $7,807
District Graduation Rates n/a n/a
School Notes:
  • Torrance High School in Torrance, California is one of the oldest high schools in continuous use in California and a popular location for television and motion picture production. Torrance High School's colors are maroon and gray. The school's mascots are the "Tartars", a Mongolian warrior.
  • School history: The school first opened as the area's first Los Angeles School District school on September 11, 1917 as a combination high school and elementary school to accommodate the area's rapid post-war growth brought on by its petroleum industry and iron works as well as the Pacific Electric Railway. Its first commencement ceremony took place June 18, 1918 during which two students received their diplomas.
  • Torrance High School became part of the Redondo Union High School District in 1947. On July 1, 1948, voters in Torrance voted to begin the Torrance Unified School District of which the school remains a part of to this day.
  • The main building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is Torrance's first such listing. It received a major facelift and indoor modernization in the late 1970s and is the building most often seen on film.
  • Athletics: Torrance High offers many sports, for its students to participate and prosper in, they include: Cross Country, Tennis, Volleyball, Water Polo, Golf, Football, Basketball, Track and Field, Wrestling, Soccer, Swimming.
  • Torrance High also has a Debate Team, Comedy Sportz team, Academic Decathalon team, Choir, Jazz Band, Concert Band, Marching Band, and a Drama program.
  • Filming history: Torrance High's unique architecture and relative proximity to Hollywood make it a perfect location for major television programs and motion pictures. Among its credits:In TV, Torrance High served as the facade of fictitious West Beverly High School in the Fox Network series Beverly Hills 90210; as Sunnydale High School, the alma mater of Buffy Summers in the WB Network series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer; and as a location for the short-lived Fox Network series Skin.
  • The movies saw Torrance High used as the high school setting for the Freddie Prinze, Jr. movie She's All That. Torrance High also played a prominent role in The Wild Life, Not Another Teen Movie, Bring It On, Whatever It Takes, Cursed, and Less Than Zero.
  • Other historical facts: Other historical facts.
  • The Long Beach earthquake of 1933 left its mark on the campus as well. The quake destroyed the upper part of the original auditorium and caused the ground near it to sink several feet. The replacement auditorium was built(1937)as a WPA project while elevated administrative offices were added in 1962. The area is nicknamed the "Sunken Garden."
  • Track star and World War II hero Louis Zamperini, for whom Torrance's general aviation airport is named, was a Torrance High graduate(1936) and still makes frequent speaking appearances at the school. Torrance High School's football stadium (which is not actually on campus but is instead at another site about a mile away) is named for Zamperini.
  • In front of Torrance High on West Carson Street there is a Memorial dedicated to Ted T. Tanouye, a member of the famous Americans of Japanese heritage 442nd Regiment, better known as the "Go for Broke" Regiment. This project was dedicated July 7th, 2004. The Memorial was the project of the Ted Tanouye Memorial Foundation and the Torrance High Alumni Association. The ceremony included performances by the Torrance High School NJROTC and Band. He is the only Torrance resident to have received the Medal of Honor. This award was presented to him posthumously on June 21st, 2000 by President Clinton. Ted Tanouye fought bravely as part of the famous 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Ted is from the Class of 1938.
  • Famous alumni: Louis Zamperini (Athlete and WWII hero).
  • Fred Kendall.
  • Ted Tanouye.
  • Bobby Blotzer (Drummer for Ratt).
  • Juan Croucier (Bass player for Ratt and Dokken.
  • Dave Pack (Leader of the band Ambrosia).
  • Paul Moyer (Popular Los Angeles television newscaster cuurently with KNBC).
  • Ryan Hedgecock (Founding Member of the rock band Lone Justice).
  • Steve Brownlee (Music business guru who was instrumental in the careers of Mötley Crüe, Great White, Ratt, Queensrÿche and 100's more).
  • Lisa Moretti (WWF / WWE wrestling champion under the name Ivory).
  • Brian Grillo (Lead singer of the band Extra Fancy).
  • Julie Ronnie (Actress on the soap opera Santa Barbara).
  • Jason Kendall (Major League Baseball catcher with the Oakland A's, formerly with the Pittsburgh Pirates).
  • Merrill Ward (Former lead singer with the SST punk bands Overkill and SWA).
  • Brad Schecter (Comedian / actor from the soap opera General Hospital, Website: www.bradschecter.com).
  • Glen Mancaruso (Drummer for recording artists Vengeance Rising and Die Happy).
  • Justin Miller (Major League Baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.
  • Stevo Polyi (actor / appears in most Quentin Tarantino films and wrote the script for "Mr. Stitch" starring Rutger Hauer).
  • Danny Gans (Headliner at the Mirage in Las Vegas).
  • Mike Goode (Emmy Award Winner - Wonderful World of Disney Opener.
  • Source: Wikipedia; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL
  • Add information about this school (e.g., awards, news stories, notable alumni, fun facts)
 
School Zip Code:
About This Zip Code (90501)
School Zip (90501) (CA) State Average
Population (Approximate) 40,697 people 33,115,272 people
% (age 25+) w/College Degree 28% 32%
Population Average Age 32 years old 32 years old
Average Household size 2.9 persons 2.9 persons
Median Household Income $42,117 $48,909
Avg. # of Rooms in Household 4 rooms 4.8 rooms
Median Age of Housing Structure 47 years old 39 years old
View current housing listings in this area
Median Value of Housing Unit
Zipcode (90501)



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Subject to Zillow Terms of Use
% Owning / % Renting 43% / 57% 58% / 42%
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  Nearby Schools:

1. Shery (kurt T.) High Continuation School - 127 students - view location
2. Southern California Roc - n/a - view location
3. Torrance Community Day - 30 students - view location
4. Narbonne (nathaniel) Senior High School - 3565 students - view location
5. Patton (george S.) Continuatio High School - 67 students - view location
View all schools in: Torrance Town, Los Angeles County, Zip 90501 
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Note: Data has been gathered from several government and commercial data sources. School data reflects years 2002-04 statistics (most recent years available). Area and demographic data reflects year 2000 statistics. Public School Review does not ensure the timeliness or accuracy of the information on this site.

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