Laguna Blanca School

About

Founded in 1933, Laguna Blanca School is an independent, co-educational, college-preparatory day school spanning early kindergarten through grade 12 across two campuses (a Lower School in Montecito and the main Hope Ranch-area campus on Paloma Drive). Its Upper School (grades 9-12) is a small, selective college-prep program, and its Owls field roughly 30 middle- and upper-school athletic teams in the CIF Southern Section.

Academics & public data

Data as of 2025-26.

AP & advanced coursework

Offers 20 AP/advanced courses (2026, PrivateSchoolReview); a clean per-course AP list is not published. Average class size 12, student-teacher ratio 7:1. NAIS/WASC/CAIS member. Co-ed, EK-12, two campuses (Lower School in Montecito, main Hope Ranch-area campus on Paloma Dr).

Admissions & key dates

How to apply

Complete the online application and pay the $130 application fee; the K-12 process also includes student records/teacher evaluations, an academic assessment, and a visit/shadow day. Admission decisions are mailed March 6 (2026-27 cycle). (lagunablanca.org/admission)

Tuition & aid

Tuition (2025-26, lagunablanca.org): Grades 7-12 ~$42,914; Grades EK-6 ~$36,982. ~20% of students receive financial aid (average grant ~$20,986, PrivateSchoolReview 2026). Aid is need-based and applied for alongside admission; confirm the financial-aid deadline with the admission office.

Open house / tours

Personal campus tours, in-person meetings, virtual Zoom conversations, and student shadow days are offered by appointment through the admission season. Schedule via the inquiry form, admissions@lagunablanca.org, or 805-687-2461. (2026, lagunablanca.org/admission/visit-us & /schedule-a-campus-tour)

Application deadline

Priority application deadline February 1 (applications submitted September–February 1 get priority consideration). Applications are still accepted and reviewed after Feb 1 on a space-available basis. (2026-27 cycle, lagunablanca.org/admission/how-to-apply & /apply-now)

Athletics

Compare across schools: Volleyball · Football · Basketball · Soccer · Baseball · Softball · Tennis · Track & Field · Cross Country · Lacrosse · Golf

Championship history

Every team title we can source for Laguna Blanca School — CIF State, CIF Southern Section, and league championships — newest first.

2

CIF-SS titles

2

League titles

1. 2026

   • LeagueBoys Soccer — Frontier League · Finished 12-2 overall, 9-1 in league (outscoring league opponents 48-12); clinched with a 6-0 win over Santa Clara. Described as the program's first Frontier League title in 11 years. Rick Rodriguez named Frontier League Coach of the Year; Baylor Wilson set a program record with 31 goals.(source)

2. 2019

   • LeagueGirls Volleyball — Frontier League · Program's first-ever Frontier League volleyball championship; clinched with a sweep at Bishop Diego after a perfect 9-0 league record.(source)

3. 2015

   • CIF-SSGirls Volleyball — 4AA · Defeated Alta Loma 25-21, 24-26, 25-23, 25-29, 15-11 in the Division 4AA final. Head coach Jason Donnelly. The team advanced to the CIF State Division IV final, losing to Notre Dame/Belmont (runner-up, not a title).(source)

4. 2006

   • CIF-SSGirls Volleyball — IV-A · Defeated Calvary Chapel/Murrieta 25-19, 25-20, 25-23 in the Division IV-A final. Head coach Jason Donnelly.(source)

See every Santa Barbara school’s title history →

Clubs & activities

Facilities

• Campus— Hope Ranch campus at 4125 Paloma Drive (Early Kindergarten-Grade 12)
• Tennis Courts
• Athletic Fields— Playing fields on the Hope Ranch (Paloma Drive) campus against the Santa Ynez Mountains
• Merovick Gymnasium— Gym for basketball, volleyball, and events
• Beach Volleyball Courts— Sand volleyball courts on campus

Leadership opportunities

• ASB / student government
• Student publications (e.g., The Mariposa)
• Theatrical productions
• Student-founded and -led clubs (club officers)
• Team captains
• STEM competition teams

College & career support

Laguna Blanca runs a four-year, grade-by-grade college counseling program led by a three-person team (Co-Directors Lalitha Otterness and Veronica Flores; Daniel Reisman, Registrar/Coordinator). It includes individualized course planning, extracurricular/summer guidance, standardized-test strategy, and a fit-over-rankings philosophy. AP exams and a UC A-G approved course list are offered. Graduates have been accepted to highly selective universities (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Princeton, Duke, etc.); no aggregate matriculation percentage is published.

College outcomes

Notable colleges

College acceptance offers for the Classes of 2021-2025 (offer counts, not enrollments) span 400+ institutions; highest counts include University of Colorado Boulder (41), Santa Clara University (30), University of San Diego (29), Loyola Marymount (26), UC Berkeley (24), UC San Diego (23), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (21), San Diego State (19), University of Denver (18), University of Washington-Seattle (18), and the broader UC system, NYU, Tulane, and Northeastern (2021-2025, lagunablanca.org college-matriculation page).

Selective admits

Acceptances include selective and highly selective institutions (e.g., UC Berkeley, NYU, Tulane, Santa Clara); the school publishes offers received rather than a top-tier percentage (2021-2025, lagunablanca.org).

Community

Tuition

Grades 7-12 ~$42,914; Grades EK-6 ~$36,982 (2025-26, school site)

Frequently asked questions

What grades does Laguna Blanca School serve?

Laguna Blanca School serves grades EK-12 (Upper School grades 9-12).

How many students attend Laguna Blanca School?

Laguna Blanca School enrolls approximately 449 students, based on the most recent published figures.

Is Laguna Blanca School a public or private school?

Laguna Blanca School is a private high school.

What is Laguna Blanca School's mascot?

Laguna Blanca School's mascot is the Owls, and its school colors are blue and white.

When was Laguna Blanca School founded?

Laguna Blanca School was founded in 1933.

What sports does Laguna Blanca School offer?

Laguna Blanca School fields 15 sports teams. See the Athletics section above for the full list by season.

How much is tuition at Laguna Blanca School?

Laguna Blanca School's tuition is Grades 7-12 ~$42,914; Grades EK-6 ~$36,982 (2025-26, school site). Confirm the current figure and what it includes directly with the school.

Where is Laguna Blanca School located?

Laguna Blanca School is located at 4125 Paloma Drive, Santa Barbara, CA, 93110.