Novato High

Novato High is a roomy secondary school in Novato, California, one of the schools within Novato Unified. The school serves 1,287 students in grades 9 through 12. That puts it 54% above the typical public school in California, which averages around 838 students.

Novato Unified comprises 14 schools with combined enrollment of 7,199 students; Novato High is among them.

In terms of who attends, Novato High records that the largest single group is Hispanic at 49%, but no single group is in the majority. Other groups include 35% White, 6% Asian, 5% multiracial, 2% Black. That is visibly more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 20%.

On the income-and-resources front, The school currently runs with 65 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 19.7:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 18.2:1, putting Novato High higher than the state norm the norm. About 48% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Marin County (around 35%), the school's rate is noticeably above typical.

After controlling for student poverty, Novato High tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 50.7% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 40.0%.

In the surrounding community, census data for Marin County shows the typical household earns roughly $149,091 per year, 61% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 4%. Novato High is one of 75 public schools in Marin County (combined enrollment of about 29,867 students).

The closest other public school is Rancho Elementary, roughly 0.4 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 6 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Novato High ranks 5th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 47.4%.

The school occupies a commuter-belt site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Novato High has decreased 11%, going from 1,442 students in 2018 to 1,287 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share fell from 48% to 35%.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Novato High typically covers classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.