Henry M. Gunn High

Henry M. Gunn High, a large high school in Palo Alto, California, overseen by Palo Alto Unified, hosts 1,643 students, covering grades 9 through 12. That puts it 96% bigger than the typical public school in California, which averages around 838 students.

Within Palo Alto Unified, which oversees 20 schools and 10,187 students, Henry M. Gunn High is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Henry M. Gunn High shows that the largest single group is Asian at 47%, but no single group is in the majority. Other groups include 27% White, 13% Hispanic, 11% multiracial.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Henry M. Gunn High has 100 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 16.5:1. The state averages around 18.2:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 12% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. That share is south of Santa Clara County's rate of about 37%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Henry M. Gunn High sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 72.5%; this one delivers 80.6%.

Across the wider county, the surrounding county (Santa Clara County) logs that median household earnings sit near $164,281, about 57% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Santa Clara County's 412 public schools (combined enrollment of about 230,059 students), Henry M. Gunn High is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Ellen Fletcher Middle, around 0.5 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Henry M. Gunn High ranks 6th on composite proficiency, higher than the local average of 79.7%.

Geographically, the school is in a high-density area.

Over the past 7-year window. Henry M. Gunn High's enrollment has shrank 18% since 2018, when it stood at 2,008 (now 1,643). Over the same period, the White share edged down from 38% to 27%.

In the discussion threads here, members of the Henry M. Gunn High community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Members of the school community can share what they know.