San Marino Unified is #1 in the State!
On October 2, 2018, the California Department of Education announced that SMUSD, once again, ranked number one in the state!
Even though SMUSD receives less public funding than nearly all school districts in the state of California, parents and the greater San Marino community generously donate to the San Marino Schools Foundation and PTA to help make up the difference.
These donations support the district in its ongoing endeavors to create (and sustain) an innovative, world-class academic and educational experience for students at all grade levels. Donations fund 21 full-time teaching positions, keeping classroom sizes reasonable so students receive more individualized attention. They also support STEM courses - Lego League, computer coding, and an honors course with Caltech - a robust music and arts program - band, orchestra, and an honors course with the Huntington Library –and a wellness initiative to ensure that students are mentally resilient and prepared for the academic and social challenges they will face. All are occurring from elementary through high school – all made possible with the generous support of donors.
This achievement marks the fourth consecutive year that a majority of SMUSD students met and exceeded state standards for education, as measured by the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). Before CAASPP, SMUSD was ranked #1, as measured by the Academic Performance Index, for fifteen straight years.
While we celebrate this achievement, for our district and our students to continue to excel, we must continue to invest in our schools. Public funding for SMUSD will remain constant, but financial support from parents and the community can change. We thank those donors who have given this school year and encourage others to give.
