Public schools in Santa Monica, CA
14 open public schools with an address in Santa Monica, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
14
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
7,944
13 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
19.4:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
1
0 virtual
An overview of Santa Monica public schools
The federal directory lists 14 public schools in Santa Monica, CA: 9 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high, 1 combined or other. The 13 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 7,944 students, an average of 611 per school. The largest campus is Santa Monica High (2,588 students), and the largest elementary school is Franklin Elementary (597).
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified operates the most schools here (13), and 2 regular districts have at least one Santa Monica campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 19.4:1, lower than the statewide school median of 21.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 2 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 0 of 2 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 32% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Santa Monica
Elementary schools in Santa Monica
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Charter Elementary Los Angeles Unified · Charter | KG–05 | 391 | 23:1 | |
| Edison Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | KG–05 | 404 | 19.3:1 | |
| Franklin Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | KG–05 | 597 | 19.7:1 | |
| Grant Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | KG–05 | 562 | 20.3:1 | |
| John Muir Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | KG–05 | 0 | — | |
| McKinley Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | KG–05 | 362 | 16.7:1 | |
| Roosevelt Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | KG–05 | 552 | 18.2:1 | |
| Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) Santa Monica-Malibu Unified · Alternative School | KG–08 | 216 | 18.5:1 | |
| Will Rogers Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | KG–05 | 522 | 19.4:1 |
Middle schools in Santa Monica
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Adams Middle Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | 06–08 | 806 | 18.2:1 | |
| Lincoln Middle Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | 06–08 | 914 | 20.7:1 |
High schools in Santa Monica
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic High (Continuation) Santa Monica-Malibu Unified · Alternative School | 09–12 | 30 | 7.5:1 | |
| Santa Monica High Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | 09–12 | 2,588 | 19.8:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Santa Monica
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica-Malibu Preschool Santa Monica-Malibu Unified | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White43.6%
- Hispanic31.1%
- Black6.8%
- Asian8.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial9.5%
Enrollment-weighted across 12 Santa Monica schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (7,944 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Santa Monica
How many public schools are in Santa Monica, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 14 open public schools with a location address in Santa Monica: 9 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 7,944 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Santa Monica?
Schools with an address in Santa Monica belong to 2 education agencies, led by Santa Monica-Malibu Unified (13 schools), Los Angeles Unified (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Santa Monica?
Santa Monica High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Santa Monica, with 2,588 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Santa Monica?
Yes. 1 of the 14 public schools in Santa Monica are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Canyon Charter Elementary. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Santa Monica schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Santa Monica public schools is 19.4:1, lower than the California school median of 21.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Santa Monica guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby California cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All California cities