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Schools in Seal Beach · Huntington Beach Union High School District, Los Alamitos Unified School District

Seal Beach’s public schools outscore 90% of California districts

58% of students in Seal Beach’s public schools are proficient in math, above the California average (33%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Seal Beach, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within California, not nationally.

#74of 847 California townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From California state tests taken in spring 2022, when 94% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
76%
▲ 30 pts vs CA 47%
2021–22
Math proficiency
58%
▲ 25 pts vs CA 33%
2021–22
Graduate on time
93%
▲ 7 pts vs CA 86%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$18.5K
▼ 13% vs CA $21.2K
FY2024 · Huntington Beach Union High
Students per teacher
23.8
CA 21.6 · larger classes
Schools in town
1
19,197 students on the public path
In brief

Seal Beach’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 577 California towns with household incomes within a quarter of Seal Beach’s, its schools beat 99%, higher than their 90% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state on both counts

Reading proficiency is 76% and math 58% across both districts in spring 2022, against 47% and 33% statewide; 93% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 86%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Huntington Beach Union High spends $18,463 per student and Los Alamitos Unified $16,169, against $21,206 across California (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Seal Beach’s grade

A Test scoresB+ Graduation

A: better than 90% of California school districts, #74 of 847 California towns. Test scores and graduation are both above the California average; test scores are the stronger of the two.

California school districts we grade (1,872)Better than 90%
Lower resultsHigher results
California towns with similar household incomes (577)Better than 99%
A firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 8,089 test results and a graduating class of 3,836 wouldn’t change the letter. The tests are from spring 2022, when 94% of Seal Beach’s students in the tested grades sat them (7,993 in math, 8,185 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Seal Beach, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
K–5J. H. McGaugh ElementaryLos Alamitos Unified School DistrictB+
6–82 middle schoolsDepends on your addressC−
9–127 high schoolsDepends on your addressB+ to A+

Seal Beach runs its own schools through grade 12 (Los Alamitos Unified School District). From grade 9, students attend the Huntington Beach Union High School District, shared with Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Westminster. Its middle school is in Los Alamitos. Parts of Seal Beach (6% of its land) are served by Ocean View Elementary instead. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Seal Beach

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Huntington Beach Union High School DistrictGrades 9–12 · 8 schools · 13,967 students, down 10% since 2020–21 · 23.1 per teacher (CA 21.6)
$18,463CA $21,206 · FY2024
A
Los Alamitos Unified School DistrictGrades K–12 · 9 schools · 8,702 students, down 6% since 2020–21 · 25.2 per teacher (CA 21.6)
$16,169CA $21,206 · FY2024
A
Test scores · 2021–22

Well above the state in reading

Reading · 9–12, Huntington Beach Union High School District73%
State average 46.7% · 3464 students tested
Math · 9–12, Huntington Beach Union High School District45%
State average 33.1% · 3262 students tested
Reading · K–12, Los Alamitos Unified School District79%
State average 46.7% · 4721 students tested
Math · K–12, Los Alamitos Unified School District67%
State average 33.1% · 4731 students tested

Seal Beach vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the California towns that share Seal Beach’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Seal BeachALos Alamitos Unified K–12 · Huntington Beach Union High 9–12
Huntington BeachAHuntington Beach City Elementary K–8 · Ocean View Elementary K–8 · Huntington Beach Union High 9–12
Long BeachBLong Beach Unified
Los AlamitosB+Los Alamitos Unified K–12 · Anaheim Union High 7–12
WestminsterA−Westminster K–8 · Garden Grove Unified K–12 · Huntington Beach Union High 9–12
Garden GroveA−Garden Grove Unified K–12 · Huntington Beach Union High 9–12

3 of the 5 neighbors share Huntington Beach Union High with Seal Beach for grades 9–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Seal Beach

10 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with California’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

District schools in Seal Beachby address
J. H. McGaugh Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5
B+
721 students23:1Rate it →
Also serving Seal Beachin other towns
Sharon Christa McAuliffe Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Los Alamitos
C−
1,018 students26:1Rate it →
Oak Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Los Alamitos
998 students26:1Rate it →
Fountain Valley High
High · Grades 9–12 · Fountain Valley
A+
3,171 students27:1Rate it →
Los Alamitos High
High · Grades 9–12 · Los Alamitos
A
2,915 students25:1Rate it →
Huntington Beach High
High · Grades 9–12 · Huntington Beach
A+
2,645 students23:1Rate it →
Westminster High
High · Grades 9–12 · Westminster
A−
2,529 students23:1Rate it →
Edison High
High · Grades 9–12 · Huntington Beach
A
2,049 students22:1Rate it →
Marina High
High · Grades 9–12 · Huntington Beach
A
1,997 students22:1Rate it →
Ocean View High
High · Grades 9–12 · Huntington Beach
B+
1,154 students19:1Rate it →

Questions about Seal Beach’s schools

Are Seal Beach’s schools good?

By California’s own tests, yes: the public schools Seal Beach children attend outscore 90% of California’s school districts on tests and graduation, an A Schools grade, #74 of 847 California towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 99%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Seal Beach in?

Two districts: Los Alamitos Unified School District runs grades K–12, and Huntington Beach Union High School District runs grades 9–12, shared with Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Westminster.

Where do Seal Beach kids go to high school?

One of 7 high schools, depending on your address: Fountain Valley High, Los Alamitos High, Huntington Beach High, Westminster High, Edison High, Marina High and Ocean View High.

What is Seal Beach’s graduation rate?

93% of the class of 2023 in Huntington Beach Union High School District graduated in four years, against 86% across California.

How much does Seal Beach spend per student?

$18,463 in Huntington Beach Union High School District and $16,169 in Los Alamitos Unified School District (FY2024), against $21,206 across California. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Seal Beach families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Seal Beach → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within California. Stars are from neighbors.