El Segundo High School
El Segundo High School is a public comprehensive high school in El Segundo, California, serving grades 9–12 as the sole secondary school in the El Segundo Unified School District.[1][2] Founded in 1927 and housed in a historic neo-Romanesque landmark building at 640 Main Street, the school enrolls approximately 1,230 students (2024–25) and emphasizes college preparatory academics through more than 150 courses, including honors, Advanced Placement, and dual-enrollment options.[1][3][4][5] It has earned repeated recognition as a California Distinguished School, most recently in 2021 for strong academic achievement, high graduation rates, and innovative programs.[6][7] The school's academic excellence is highlighted by its ranking of 786th nationally and 105th in California according to U.S. News & World Report (2025), a 98% graduation rate, and an A-G course completion rate of 83% for the class of 2025.[8][2][9] El Segundo High maintains a student-teacher ratio of 25:1 and offers four specialized career pathways in biomedical science, business and entrepreneurship, engineering, and visual and performing arts, fostering college and career readiness while integrating social-emotional learning and technology.[4][10] These pathways were key to its 2019 California Distinguished Schools designation for model practices.[7] Athletically, the Eagles compete in the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section and the Pioneer League, fielding teams in sports such as football, basketball, swimming, baseball, volleyball, and track and field, with a focus on character development through respect, responsibility, and sportsmanship.[11][10] The school also supports over 50 extracurricular clubs and activities, including student government and a robust arts program, within a close-knit community where many students are second- or third-generation residents and alumni often return as educators.[1][12] This emphasis on holistic development aligns with the district's recent accolade as the favorite school district in the South Bay by local residents in 2025.[13]History and Campus
Founding and Early Development
El Segundo High School was established in 1927 amid the rapid population growth spurred by the oil industry in El Segundo, a city founded in 1911 by the Standard Oil Company (now Chevron) to house workers for its nearby refinery.[14] The school formed part of the El Segundo Unified School District, which had been created in 1912 to serve the burgeoning community.[15] Construction of the campus began in early 1927, with the cornerstone of the administration building laid on June 18 and the facility dedicated on December 13 of that year.[3] Architects Alfred W. Rea and Charles E. Garstang designed the main buildings in a Lombard Romanesque style, featuring brick facades, rounded arches, and robust towers intended to emulate the aesthetic of East Coast Ivy League institutions, establishing the school as an architectural landmark in the region.[3] The school welcomed its first 124 students on January 3, 1928, marking the beginning of secondary education in the district and leading to the inaugural graduating class in 1929.[3] By 1947, enrollment had expanded significantly to approximately 1,400 students, underscoring the sustained demographic boom driven by industrial development.[16] Early infrastructure challenges included closure for repairs following the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, after which renovations ensured the campus's resilience and continued growth through the mid-20th century.[3]Campus Facilities and Architecture
El Segundo High School is situated at 640 Main Street in El Segundo, California, encompassing a campus characterized by its original 1927 construction featuring five main brick buildings.[17][18] The layout includes a central administration building and an auditorium, contributing to a cohesive physical environment that supports educational and extracurricular functions.[3] The architectural style of the campus draws from Lombard Romanesque influences, designed by Los Angeles architects Alfred W. Rea and Charles E. Garstang to evoke the classic aesthetics of East Coast Ivy League institutions, with prominent brick facades and structured symmetry.[3] This design has earned the school recognition as a historic landmark building, emphasizing durability and timeless appeal in its educational setting.[18] Key facilities include a dedicated gymnasium, such as the South Gym used for physical education and team practices, expansive athletic fields available for sports and community use, a modernized library spanning 6,678 square feet that serves as a central resource hub, and specialized engineering labs supporting innovative projects through pathways like Project Lead The Way.[19][20][21][22] A major $37 million renovation was completed in September 2005, adding a cafeteria, foreign and modern language building, wood and art shops, and a remodeled gymnasium.[18] Recent preservation efforts, funded by Measure ES and with most projects completed by 2025 (two campus upgrades remaining), have focused on maintaining the integrity of the 1927 structures through seismic upgrades, window replacements, and historical feature restorations while integrating modern amenities.[23][24][25] These updates include the completion of a new band and community-based instruction building in 2024 and enhancements to support emerging programs.[26] The campus's athletic facilities, including the gymnasium and fields, play a vital role in hosting varsity teams and community events, underscoring the shared-use model with local government.[1]Academics
Curriculum and Programs
El Segundo High School offers a standard curriculum for grades 9 through 12 that encompasses core academic subjects including mathematics, science, English, and history/social studies, designed to fulfill the University of California and California State University A-G admission requirements for college eligibility.[27] This curriculum includes a sequence of foundational courses allowing students to build progressively in each discipline, with enrollment requiring six classes per semester for 9th through 11th graders.[28] The school maintains a student-teacher ratio of 25:1, supporting personalized instruction within these core areas.[4] For advanced academic opportunities, the school provides a robust Advanced Placement (AP) program featuring 20 courses across subjects such as English, mathematics, science, history, and foreign languages, enabling students to earn college credit through end-of-course exams.[29] Enrollment in AP and honors courses is encouraged for motivated students, with guidelines recommending no more than three advanced classes per semester to balance workload.[30] These offerings align with the A-G requirements, preparing students for postsecondary education by integrating rigorous college-level content into the high school experience.[27] Specialized initiatives at the school include four career pathways established in 2012—Engineering, Biomedical Science, Business, and Visual & Performing Arts—which connect core academics to real-world applications through project-based learning and industry-aligned skills.[22] These pathways emphasize STEM fields, exemplified by student participation in the California Invention Convention, where teams have secured first-place wins for innovative projects, such as in 2024 and 2025 competitions involving over 3,500 statewide submissions.[31] Additionally, the school hosts an annual College & Career Day in October, featuring panels with alumni and professionals to guide students on postsecondary options and career exploration.[32] Support services include a dedicated College & Career Center that provides counseling for college preparation, including assistance with applications, scholarships, and A-G course planning to ensure eligibility for four-year universities.[33] The school also accommodates non-resident students through interdistrict permits, allowing enrollment from outside the El Segundo Unified School District boundaries upon approval via an annual application process.[34] These resources integrate briefly with extracurricular clubs to enhance hands-on learning in pathways like engineering and biomedical science.[7]Performance and Rankings
El Segundo High School demonstrates strong academic performance on state assessments, with 56% of students proficient in mathematics and 82% proficient in reading based on the latest California statewide testing data. These figures reflect the school's outcomes for grades 9-12, exceeding state averages where only about 34% meet math standards and 47% meet English language arts standards. The proficiency rates underscore the school's emphasis on core academic skills, contributing to its overall academic standing.[35] The school's graduation metrics highlight sustained success, with an overall four-year graduation rate of 98%. For the class of 2025, the largest graduating class in district history, the A-G completion rate—measuring eligibility for University of California and California State University admission—rose to 83% from 79% the previous year. This improvement signals enhanced preparation for postsecondary education among graduates.[8][36] In national and state rankings, El Segundo High School places 105th among California high schools and 786th nationally according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report evaluation, positioning it in the top 3% of U.S. public high schools. This ranking accounts for factors including college readiness, measured partly by Advanced Placement participation (74%) and exam passage rates (60% passing at least one AP exam), alongside state test performance and graduation outcomes. The school's strong AP program has notably bolstered these metrics by providing rigorous coursework that aligns with college-level expectations.[8] External recognitions further affirm the school's quality, as the El Segundo Unified School District—encompassing the high school—was named the Favorite School District in the South Bay by the 2025 Readers Choice Awards, based on community voting for educational excellence. This accolade reflects broad parental and local satisfaction with academic programs and student outcomes at the high school level.[17]Student Body
Demographics and Enrollment
El Segundo High School serves a student body of 1,232 in the 2024-2025 school year.[37] The gender distribution is 53% male students and 47% female students (as of 2023-2024).[8] For the 2023-2024 school year, enrollment by grade included approximately 297 ninth-graders, 318 tenth-graders, 355 eleventh-graders, and 320 twelfth-graders, reflecting stable distribution trends into the following year.[38] The school's ethnic composition (as of 2023-2024) shows 47% White students, 24% Hispanic or Latino, 15% of two or more races, 8% Asian, and 6% Black or African American, with overall minority enrollment at 53%.[8] Socioeconomically, 12% of students qualify as economically disadvantaged, based on eligibility for free or reduced-price meals (as of 2023-2024).[8]| Racial/Ethnic Group | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White | 47% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 24% |
| Two or More Races | 15% |
| Asian | 8% |
| Black/African American | 6% |