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 5%)
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 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 80% (versus the California public elementary school average of 36%), 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, Arroyo Vista Elementary School and South Pasadena Middle 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
7,693 Schools
# Students
4,656 Students
3,822,438 Students
# Teachers
189 Teachers
173,961 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
25:1
25:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

South Pasadena Unified School District, which is ranked #32 of all 1,908 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 97% has increased from 91% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (CA)
#34 out of 1932 school districts
(Top 5%)
78%
34%
80%
47%
61%
29%
97%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.75
0.64
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
36%
12%
% Hispanic
23%
55%
% Black
1%
5%
% White
23%
21%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
17%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $17,449 in this school district is less than the state median of $19,976. The school district revenue/student has grown by 25% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $20,395 is higher than the state median of $18,397. The school district spending/student has grown by 26% over four school years.
This School District
This State (CA)
Total Revenue
$81 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$95 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$17,449
$19,976
Spending / Student
$20,395
$18,397

Best South Pasadena Unified School District Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Marengo Elementary School
(Math: 88% | Reading: 85%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
1400 Marengo Ave.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5850
Gr: K-5 | 781 students Student-teacher ratio: 30:1 Minority enrollment: 82%
Rank: #22.
Arroyo Vista Elementary School
(Math: 81% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
335 El Centro St.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5840
Gr: K-5 | 698 students Student-teacher ratio: 26:1 Minority enrollment: 71%
Rank: #33.
South Pasadena Middle School
(Math: 78% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
1500 Fair Oaks
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5830
Gr: 6-8 | 1,099 student Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 77%
Rank: #44.
Monterey Hills Elementary School
(Math: 76% | Reading: 79%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
1624 Via Del Rey
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 441-5860
Gr: K-5 | 584 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 81%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 5 schools
  • Grades: K-12
  • Enrollment: 4,656 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 25:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 77%
  • : 97% (Top 5% in CA)
  • : Top 5%
  • : 78% (Top 5%)
  • : 80% (Top 5%)
  • : 61% (Top 5%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

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