South Pasadena Unified School District

1100 El Centro St.
South Pasadena, CA 91030-3118
(District boundaries shown in map)
10/
10
Top 5%

Top Rankings

South Pasadena Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 5%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 5%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 5%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 1%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 5 public schools serving 4,656 students in South Pasadena Unified School District. This district's average testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 5% of public schools in California.
Public Schools in South Pasadena Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 76% (versus the California public school average of 33%), and reading proficiency score of 81% (versus the 47% statewide average).
The top ranked public schools in South Pasadena Unified School District are Marengo Elementary School, Monterey Hills Elementary School and Arroyo Vista Elementary School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking. South Pasadena Unified School District has one of the highest concentrations of top ranked public schools in California.
Minority enrollment is 77% of the student body (majority Asian), which is less than the California public school average of 80% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
5 Schools
10,369 Schools
# Students
4,656 Students
5,826,838 Students
# Teachers
189 Teachers
268,018 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
25:1
25:1

District Rank

South Pasadena Unified School District, which is ranked #35 of all 1,925 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 98% has increased from 92% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (CA)
#38 out of 1941 school districts
(Top 5%)
This chart displays the overall district rank of South Pasadena Unified  School District, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
75%
33%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of South Pasadena Unified  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of California by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
80%
47%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of South Pasadena Unified  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of California by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
61%
29%
98%
87%
This chart displays public school graduation rate of South Pasadena Unified  School District and public school graduation rate of California by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.75
0.63
# American Indian Students
2 Students
25,796 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
1,650 Students
705,807 Students
% Asian Students
36%
12%
# Hispanic Students
1,042 Students
3,264,561 Students
% Hispanic Students
23%
56%
# Black Students
56 Students
286,112 Students
% Black Students
1%
5%
# White Students
1,087 Students
1,178,558 Students
% White Students
23%
20%
# Hawaiian Students
4 Students
23,731 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
801 Students
333,755 Students
% of Two or more races Students
17%
6%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
-
83
# Students in K Grade:
382
522,456
# Students in 1st Grade:
300
396,605
# Students in 2nd Grade:
317
414,466
# Students in 3rd Grade:
337
416,628
# Students in 4th Grade:
373
426,361
# Students in 5th Grade:
354
430,587
# Students in 6th Grade:
360
432,997
# Students in 7th Grade:
352
439,621
# Students in 8th Grade:
387
441,777
# Students in 9th Grade:
373
466,534
# Students in 10th Grade:
408
476,585
# Students in 11th Grade:
380
469,511
# Students in 12th Grade:
333
492,627
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $17,449 in this school district is less than the state median of $19,974. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $20,395 is higher than the state median of $18,396. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (CA)
Total Revenue
$81 MM
$116,387 MM
This chart displays total revenue of South Pasadena Unified  School District and median value from total revenues of all school districts in California by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending
$95 MM
$107,188 MM
This chart displays total spending of South Pasadena Unified  School District and median value from total spendings of all school districts in California by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Revenue / Student
$17,449
$19,974
This chart displays average revenue per public school student in South Pasadena Unified  School District and average revenue per public school student of all school districts in California by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending / Student
$20,395
$18,396
This chart displays average spending per public school student in South Pasadena Unified  School District and average spending per public school student of all school districts in California by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Best South Pasadena Unified School District Public Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Marengo Elementary School
(Math: 84% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
1400 Marengo Ave.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5850
Grades: K-5
| 781 students
Rank: #22.
Monterey Hills Elementary School
(Math: 78% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
1624 Via Del Rey
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5860
Grades: K-5
| 584 students
Rank: #33.
Arroyo Vista Elementary School
(Math: 76% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
335 El Centro St.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5840
Grades: K-5
| 698 students
Rank: #44.
South Pasadena Middle School
(Math: 75% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
1500 Fair Oaks
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5830
Grades: 6-8
| 1,099 students
Rank: #55.
South Pasadena Senior High School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 84%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
1401 Fremont Ave.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5820
Grades: 9-12
| 1,494 students

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to South Pasadena Unified School District?
South Pasadena Unified School District manages 5 public schools serving 4,656 students.
What is the rank of South Pasadena Unified School District?
South Pasadena Unified School District is ranked #35 out of 1,925 school districts in California (top 5%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2021-2022 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of California school districts for: Highest overall rank (Top 5%), Highest math proficiency (Top 5%), Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%), Highest science proficiency (Top 5%), Highest graduation rate (Top 1%), Most diverse schools (Top 1%) and Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in South Pasadena Unified School District?
36% of South Pasadena Unified School District students are Asian, 23% of students are Hispanic, 23% of students are White, 17% of students are Two or more races, and 1% of students are Black.
What is the student/teacher ratio of South Pasadena Unified School District?
South Pasadena Unified School District has a student/teacher ratio of 25:1, which is higher than the California state average of 22:1.
What is South Pasadena Unified School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $20,395 is higher than the state median of $18,396. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 5 schools
  • Grades: KG-12
  • Enrollment: 4,656 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 25:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 77%
  • : 98% (Top 1% in CA)
  • : Top 5%
  • : 75% (Top 5%)
  • : 80% (Top 5%)
  • : 61% (Top 5%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

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