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Does Henry M. Gunn High have enough mental health and stress support?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
1,643
High
DISTRICT 1,193 · STATE 838
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·PALO ALTO UNIFIED·NCES 062961004587
Henry M. Gunn High
780 Arastradero Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94306 · (650) 354-8200 · Santa Clara County
GRADES 09–12HIGH13-CITYREGULAR SCHOOL1,643 STUDENTS
A
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 90% of California public high schools
- A+Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- A-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- C-Three-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded California public high schools
Student : Teacher
16.5:1
100 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 14.8:1 · STATE 18.2:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
12%
192 students
DISTRICT 14% · STATE 65%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 409 | 25% |
| Grade 10 | 394 | 24% |
| Grade 11 | 408 | 25% |
| Grade 12 | 432 | 26% |
Student demographics
68%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 70% · STATE 62% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
84.3%
CA avg 49.1% . +6.3pp since 2014
Math
80.4%
CA avg 37.7% . -0.6pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 84 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 80 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all California schools, those numbers are about 49 and 38. Reading and writing scores are up about 6 points since 2014, while math scores have held steady.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 62.9% | 21.5% | 7.4% | 8.2% |
| Math | 62.8% | 17.5% | 10.7% | 8.9% |
Share of tested students at each CAASPP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
CAASPP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 84.3% | 80.4% |
| 2023-24 | 83.6% | 77.6% |
| 2022-23 | 82.8% | 78.6% |
| 2021-22 | 87.3% | 82.3% |
| 2020-21 | 90.0% | 88.3% |
| 2018-19 | 87.6% | 83.3% |
| 2017-18 | 90.3% | 86.5% |
| 2016-17 | 84.4% | 72.2% |
| 2015-16 | 93.0% | 91.0% |
| 2014-15 | 78.0% | 81.0% |
% met or exceeded standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: CAASPP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
81.5%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
72.7%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+8.8pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 81% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 73% typical for California schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among California's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Henry M. Gunn High
Henry M. Gunn High's state test result (81.5% proficient) is higher than 4 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry M. Gunn High this school | 1,643 | 11.7% | 81.5% |
| Leland High San Jose | 1,471 | 11.3% | 79.5% |
| Canyon Crest Academy San Diego | 2,147 | 11.4% | 88.4% |
| Westview High San Diego | 2,116 | 11.9% | 79.8% |
| Palos Verdes Peninsula High Rolling Hills Estates | 2,075 | 11.8% | 81.0% |
| Homestead High Cupertino | 2,224 | 15.9% | 73.1% |
Matched among California high schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Henry M. Gunn High ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Santa Clara County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 81.5% | #21 of 1,052 | #6 of 43 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 80.4% | #14 of 1,056 ▲ 2 | #5 of 43 ▲ 1 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 84.3% | #58 of 1,056 ▲ 8 | #6 of 43 ▲ 2 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -2.5pp | #233 of 1,044 | #22 of 42 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,643 | #484 of 2,093 | #19 of 76 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 16.5:1 | #181 of 1,352 | #5 of 57 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 67.7% | #185 of 1,351 | #15 of 57 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 11.7% | #1,542 of 1,575 | #61 of 67 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -18.2% | #207 of 802 | #14 of 39 |
Ranked against other public high schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
1,643
-293 (-15%) vs 2020
+45% since 1990-91, when it was 1,131
Student : Teacher
16.5:1
was 18.8:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1,643 | 99.8 | 16.5:1 | 12% (192) |
| 2023-24 | 1,713 | 100.9 | 17.0:1 | 10% (163) |
| 2022-23 | 1,787 | 105.4 | 17.0:1 | 10% (184) |
| 2020-21 | 1,936 | 103 | 18.8:1 | 9% (173) |
| 2017-18 | 2,008 | 115.6 | 17.4:1 | 9% (185) |
| 2015-16 | 1,939 | 100 | 19.4:1 | 6% (114) |
| 2010-11 | 1,885 | N/A | N/A | 8% (155) |
| 2000-01 | 1,654 | 92 | 18.0:1 | 2% (38) |
| 1990-91 | 1,131 | 63 | 17.9:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Henry M. Gunn High.
Since 2017-18: students down 18% (2,008 to 1,643); teachers down 14% (115.6 to 99.8).
About Henry M. Gunn High
Henry M. Gunn High, a large high school, is located in Palo Alto, California. Its grade span covers grades 9 through 12, with 1,643 students on the rolls. On average, high schools in California enroll around 838, and this school is 96% larger than that mark.
Palo Alto Unified runs 20 schools with a combined 10,187 students. Henry M. Gunn High is one of them.
The biggest share of students at Henry M. Gunn High, 47%, is Asian. The next largest groups are 27% White, 13% Hispanic, and 11% multiracial. On the diversity index, which measures the chance that two random students are from different groups, Henry M. Gunn High scores 68%.
Based on 99.8 full-time-equivalent teachers, Henry M. Gunn High has a ratio of 16.5:1. The gap from the 18.2:1 average for high schools in California is 1.7 students per teacher. Eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch stands at 12%. That is 25 points below the 37% average for public schools in Santa Clara County.
Henry M. Gunn High earns an A on the allk12 Grade, which blends test scores, results against poverty-based expectations, and the three-year trend. It scored higher than 90% of California public high schools.
Henry M. Gunn High's actual average proficiency rate across its state test results (81.5%) and its predicted rate (72.7%) put it outside the top and bottom 10% of California schools.
The county, Santa Clara County, is where the school is located. The median household earns about $164,281 a year, 57% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and about 4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The county's public schools total 412, with about 230,059 students.
Measured in a straight line, Ellen Fletcher Middle is about 0.5 miles from Henry M. Gunn High. Other public schools within five miles: at least 8. The school's 81.5% average proficiency ranks 6th among 8 nearby schools.
For locale, NCES codes Henry M. Gunn High as City: Small.
The school's student count fell 15% between the 2020-21 and 2024-25 school years. Students per teacher dropped from 18.8 in 2020-21 to 16.5 in 2024-25.
Parents, students, and staff can share information on pickup and drop-off, after-school programs, and teacher feedback here. Members of the school community can share what they know.
Santa Clara County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
1,902,047
Census ACS
Median income
$164,281
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
57%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
4%
Below federal line
Schools in county
412
230,059 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Palo Alto Unified
- Palo Alto HighHigh · 1,891 students
- Jane Lathrop Stanford MiddleMiddle · 1,002 students
- Frank S. Greene Jr. MiddleMiddle · 732 students
- Ellen Fletcher MiddleMiddle · 572 students
- Ohlone ElementaryElementary · 464 students
- Escondido ElementaryElementary · 432 students
Other schools in Palo Alto
- Palo Alto HighHigh · 1,891 students
- Jane Lathrop Stanford MiddleMiddle · 1,002 students
- Frank S. Greene Jr. MiddleMiddle · 732 students
- Ellen Fletcher MiddleMiddle · 572 students
- Ohlone ElementaryElementary · 464 students
- Fairmeadow ElementaryElementary · 425 students
Nearby schools
- Ellen Fletcher Middle0.5 mi · 572
- Juana Briones Elementary0.5 mi · 260
- Santa Rita Elementary0.8 mi · 326
- Barron Park Elementary0.9 mi · 278
- Ardis G. Egan Junior High1.0 mi · 517
- Bullis Charter1.1 mi · 997
Frequently asked questions
About Henry M. Gunn HighHow large is Henry M. Gunn High?
Henry M. Gunn High enrolls approximately 1,643 students in grades 09-12.
What age range does Henry M. Gunn High serve?
Henry M. Gunn High serves students from grade 09 through grade 12.
How many teachers does Henry M. Gunn High have?
Henry M. Gunn High employs 100 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 16.5:1.
How diverse is Henry M. Gunn High?
Henry M. Gunn High reports a student body of 27% White, 13% Hispanic, 1% Black, 47% Asian, 11% Two or more.
Is Henry M. Gunn High public or private?
Henry M. Gunn High is a public K-12 school, overseen by Palo Alto Unified.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.