Santa Monica-malibu Unified, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Santa Monica-malibu Unified

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified serves the coastal cities of Santa Monica and Malibu in Los Angeles County, spanning kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district encompasses a mid-sized student population distributed across elementary, middle, and high schools, with a notably affluent housing market and strong property wealth. However, the district is navigating a significant structural change: a planned separation into two independent districts, with Malibu schools expected to form their own unified district by fall 2026. This multi-year process will reshape school governance, enrollment boundaries, and funding allocation for families in both communities.

In terms of academic proficiency, the district shows a mixed picture across subjects. English language arts is a clear strength, with students demonstrating solid to strong proficiency at the middle school levels and above. Math proficiency runs lower, particularly in the middle grades, where students show proficiency rates in the low to mid-range. Science proficiency sits near the lower boundary of typical performance. Taken together, the district's overall proficiency index positions it in the top quartile among Los Angeles County districts, reflecting strength in reading and writing even as mathematics remains an area where additional support may help.

The student body is diverse: roughly half white and a substantial Hispanic population; significant Asian and multiracial representation; and smaller numbers of Black students. Enrollment is stable across grade bands, with slightly higher numbers in the upper grades.

An important characteristic of the district is its curriculum approach. American Cultures and Ethnic Studies (ACES) is integrated into high school offerings and serves as a graduation requirement. This means students will encounter ethnic studies and social justice frameworks across history and social science coursework. Families considering the district should evaluate whether this curricular emphasis aligns with their educational values.

Chronic absenteeism in the district is well below the county median, placing it in the top quartile of Los Angeles County districts on this metric. Per-pupil spending is above the county median, reflecting substantial resource allocation and consistent with the wealth of the communities served.

Two major facilities bonds were approved by voters in November 2024: Measure QS for Santa Monica schools and Measure MM for Malibu schools. These bond measures, funded through property tax increases, will support repairs, upgrades, and new school construction over a multiyear period. Additionally, Santa Monica in 2022 approved Measure GS, a higher-tier transfer tax on property sales at the top end of the market, with a portion of revenue directed to schools.

The separation process introduces both opportunity and uncertainty. A property-tax revenue sharing agreement will govern how funding divides between the two future districts. Malibu's strong tax base has historically contributed an outsized share of total district revenue, and the separation agreements directly affect future school funding availability in both communities. Families considering homes in either Santa Monica or Malibu should understand that the transition may affect school funding, enrollment patterns, and governance structure over the next several years.

For families weighing this district, the decision hinges partly on community preference and residential choice between Santa Monica and Malibu, as well as on alignment with the district's curricular commitments in ethnic studies and social justice. Strong ELA results and low absenteeism are positive indicators of school culture and engagement. Math proficiency is an area a parent may want to explore further with individual schools to understand available supports and classroom approaches.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

8,641

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 30%

Black 7%

White 48%

Asian 8%

Two+ 7%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

53%

—

Gr 3

44%

76%

Gr 4

40%

78%

Gr 5

54%

84%

Gr 6

53%

81%

Gr 7

60%

80%

Gr 8

48%

75%

Gr 11

68%

—

Math

Gr ALL

36%

—

Gr 3

43%

77%

Gr 4

40%

78%

Gr 5

39%

73%

Gr 6

38%

66%

Gr 7

38%

67%

Gr 8

28%

65%

Gr 11

33%

—

Science

Gr ALL

34%

—

Gr 5

32%

71%

Gr 8

28%

61%

Gr 11

37%

—

Gr 12

25%

—

Gr HS

32%

—

Gr UG_SEC

36%

—

Schools in this District

18 schools are officially reported under this district.

Olympic High (Continuation)

Will Rogers Elementary

Santa Monica Alternative (K-8)

Santa Monica-Malibu Preschool

Malibu Middle

PBL High

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

69%

Grade 3

69%

Grade 4

64%

Grade 5

58%

Grade 6

58%

Grade 7

53%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

68%

Grade 3

68%

Grade 4

76%

Grade 5

72%

Grade 6

74%

Grade 7

67%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

60%

Grade 5

50%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

71%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$3.02M

Year-over-year change-1.5%

Range across 9 ZIP codes$1.1M to $4.8M

vs. state typical3.89x

vs. national typical8.19x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (9 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
90265	Malibu	$3.2M	-1.7%	83.3%
90290	Topanga	$1.5M	-4.3%	4.8%
90405	Santa Monica	$1.9M	+3.5%	3.4%
90404	Santa Monica	$1.1M	-4.4%	2.4%
90402	Santa Monica	$4.8M	+7.5%	1.8%
90403	Santa Monica	$1.5M	-2.3%	1.7%
91361	Westlake Village	$1.6M	+3.1%	1.1%
90401	Santa Monica	$1.3M	-4.6%	0.9%
91301	Agoura Hills	$1.3M	+0.2%	0.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$15,194/mo

Year-over-year change-2.6%

Range across 9 ZIP codes$3,327 to $17,114/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (9 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
90265	Malibu	$17,114	-3.1%	83.3%
90290	Topanga	$7,150	—	4.8%
90405	Santa Monica	$3,421	-0.0%	3.4%
90404	Santa Monica	$3,327	+1.1%	2.4%
90402	Santa Monica	$10,667	+2.7%	1.8%
90403	Santa Monica	$3,780	+0.1%	1.7%
91361	Westlake Village	$4,144	+2.7%	1.1%
90401	Santa Monica	$3,833	-3.1%	0.9%
91301	Agoura Hills	$4,384	-0.0%	0.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$15,221/mo

Home price / national median income36.0x

Annual rent / national median income217.8%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$27/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.