Continuation · Santa Barbara Unified School District · Santa Barbara
La Cuesta Continuation High School
Last updated 2025. How we source this →
- Students
- 77
- Grades
- 9-12
- Principal
- Carlos Cohen
- District
- Santa Barbara Unified School District
- Phone
- (805) 966-0883
About
La Cuesta Continuation High School is the Santa Barbara Unified School District's continuation high school, serving students (generally ages 16-18) who need an alternative pathway to a high-school diploma. It operates under the district's Alternative Education umbrella alongside Alta Vista. Enrollment is small and fluctuates as students transfer in and out.
Academics & public data
Academic indicators
- Graduation rate
- 57.1% four-year cohort graduation rate (24 of 42 cohort) (2024-25, SARC / sarconline.org; up sharply from 23.7% in 2023-24 and 34.0% in 2022-23 — small, transient continuation cohort)
- AP exam pass rate
- No AP program — 0% of students in AP courses, 0 AP courses offered (2024-25, SARC). Continuation school does not offer AP.
- College-going rate
- Not published / suppressed for this small continuation cohort (null)
- A-G completion rate
- 0% of 2023-24 graduates completed all UC/CSU-required courses; 100% of 2024-25 pupils enrolled in UC/CSU-required courses (2024-25 SARC / sarconline.org). Continuation school focused on credit recovery, not UC/CSU eligibility.
- GreatSchools rating
- Not rated by GreatSchools/Niche/U.S. News for this continuation school (null)
- CAASPP ELA proficiency
- 4.00% met/exceeded standard (All Students, very small tested cohort, n=27 tested) (2024-25, SARC / sarconline.org, CDS 42767864232690; was 9% in 2023-24)
- CAASPP Math proficiency
- 0.00% met/exceeded standard (All Students, n=25 tested) (2024-25, SARC / sarconline.org)
Funding
- Per-pupil spending
- $16,835 per student, district-wide (Santa Barbara Unified, ~2021-24, U.S. News/NCES; not school-specific)
- District budget context
- Part of Santa Barbara Unified School District (Alternative Education program)
Data as of 2025.
AP & advanced coursework
Continuation school focused on credit recovery and an alternative pathway to a diploma; does not offer AP/IB. CAASPP, graduation, A-G, college-going, and EL% data are suppressed/unpublished for this small school.
Athletics
Intramural sports
None verified; as a small continuation school La Cuesta does not appear to offer intramural or interscholastic athletics.
College & career support
La Cuesta (est. 1966) is Santa Barbara Unified's sole continuation high school, serving students 16+ at risk of not graduating. The program emphasizes credit acceleration and recovery so students can graduate on time or as quickly as possible toward an alternative diploma path. Support includes a College and Career center/technician focused on post-secondary transitions, an academic counselor, two full-time licensed therapists, a part-time school psychologist, and a student liaison/family outreach coordinator. Each student pairs with a mentor teacher for a daily homeroom; dual-enrollment/SBCC pathways are available through the broader Santa Barbara Unified alternative-education programs.
Community
Parent–Teacher Association
No parent-teacher association verified for this continuation program.
Athletic boosters
No athletic booster organization verified.
Frequently asked questions
- What grades does La Cuesta Continuation High School serve?
- La Cuesta Continuation High School serves grades 9-12.
- How many students attend La Cuesta Continuation High School?
- La Cuesta Continuation High School enrolls approximately 77 students, based on the most recent published figures.
- Is La Cuesta Continuation High School a public or private school?
- La Cuesta Continuation High School is a continuation high school in the Santa Barbara Unified School District.
- Where is La Cuesta Continuation High School located?
- La Cuesta Continuation High School is located at 710 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101.
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