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 4 public elementary schools serving 3,162 students in South Pasadena Unified School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 5% of public elementary schools in California.
Public Elementary Schools in South Pasadena Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 77% (versus the California public elementary school average of 35%), and reading proficiency score of 80% (versus the 45% statewide average).
The top ranked public elementary 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. Minority enrollment is 78% of the student body (majority Asian), which is less than the California public elementary school average of 79% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
5 Schools
7,700 Schools
# Students
4,656 Students
3,822,920 Students
# Teachers
189 Teachers
174,006 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.
Overall District Rank
#38 out of 1941 school districts
(Top 5%)
(Top 5%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
75%
33%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
80%
47%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
61%
29%
Graduation Rate
98%
87%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.75
0.64
# American Indian Students
2 Students
16,785 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
1,650 Students
454,357 Students
% Asian Students
36%
12%
# Hispanic Students
1,042 Students
2,114,366 Students
% Hispanic Students
23%
55%
# Black Students
56 Students
189,461 Students
% Black Students
1%
5%
# White Students
1,087 Students
787,389 Students
% White Students
23%
21%
# Hawaiian Students
4 Students
15,077 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
801 Students
240,557 Students
% of Two or more races Students
17%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
-
83
# Students in K Grade:
382
519,574
# Students in 1st Grade:
300
396,601
# Students in 2nd Grade:
317
414,466
# Students in 3rd Grade:
337
416,628
# Students in 4th Grade:
373
426,360
# Students in 5th Grade:
354
430,582
# Students in 6th Grade:
360
432,936
# Students in 7th Grade:
352
312,207
# Students in 8th Grade:
387
312,649
# Students in 9th Grade:
373
44,929
# Students in 10th Grade:
408
37,487
# Students in 11th Grade:
380
37,249
# Students in 12th Grade:
333
41,169
# 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.
Total Revenue
$81 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$95 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$17,449
$19,974
Spending / Student
$20,395
$18,396
Best South Pasadena Unified School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Marengo Elementary School
(Math: 84% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
1400 Marengo Ave.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5850
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5850
Grades: K-5
| 781 students
Rank: #22.
Monterey Hills Elementary School
(Math: 78% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
1624 Via Del Rey
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5860
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5860
Grades: K-5
| 584 students
Rank: #33.
Arroyo Vista Elementary School
(Math: 76% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
335 El Centro St.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5840
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5840
Grades: K-5
| 698 students
Rank: #44.
South Pasadena Middle School
(Math: 75% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
1500 Fair Oaks
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5830
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5830
Grades: 6-8
| 1,099 students
Recent Articles
Year-Round Or Traditional Schedule?
Which is more appropriate for your child? A year-round attendance schedule or traditional schedule? We look at the pros and cons.
Why You Should Encourage Your Child to Join a Sports Team
Participating in team sports has a great many benefits for children, there is no doubt. In this article you will learn what those benefits are.
White Students are Now the Minority in U.S. Public Schools
Increasing birth rates among immigrant families from Asia and Central and South America, combined with lower birth rates among white families, means that for the first time in history, public school students in the United States are majority-minority. This shift in demographics poses difficulties for schools as they work to accommodate children of varying language abilities and socio-economic backgrounds.
