Trivium Charter, Santa Maria CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Trivium Charter

Trivium Charter is a kindergarten-through-twelfth-grade charter school located in Santa Maria, California, serving a small student body in a mid-sized Central Coast city defined by agriculture, aerospace, and healthcare employment. The school enrolls students across all thirteen grade bands, with notably lighter enrollment in the high school grades.

The school's state test results show persistent academic challenges across grades three through eight. In mathematics, proficiency rates decline sharply from the elementary grades into middle school, bottoming out at very low levels in grades five and six before improving somewhat in seventh and eighth grades. English language arts results are somewhat stronger, with a modest majority of fifth graders meeting proficiency standards and mid-range performance in grades six, seven, and eight, though third and fourth grade results remain low. In the two science grades tested, fifth grade shows a meaningful strength with proficiency near two-thirds, but eighth grade science proficiency drops substantially. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint of districts within Santa Barbara County.

The student body reflects Santa Maria's demographic composition, with a significant majority identifying as White or Hispanic, and roughly two-fifths of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on English learners and students with disabilities was not available. The school's small, vertically integrated structure means students may spend years with peers from multiple grades, an arrangement some families prefer for stability and mentorship but that differs from the traditional grade-separated model.

Santa Maria itself is experiencing active growth. The city is updating its General Plan and anticipating substantial population growth over the coming decade, with significant housing development in the pipeline ranging from affordable complexes to market-rate townhomes and apartments. Downtown revitalization efforts are underway, anchored by the Town Center mall and supported by infrastructure investment. The regional economy rests on agriculture in the surrounding valley, employment at Vandenberg Space Force Base, and healthcare centered on Marian Regional Medical Center. Median home values in the zipcode are moderate by California standards and have risen modestly year-over-year. Rental costs are rising at a faster pace than home values. The city offers an extensive park system and public transit service, though daily life is largely car-oriented.

A parent considering Trivium Charter should examine the school's academic trajectory carefully, particularly the mathematics results in the middle grades. The low proficiency rates and grade-level pattern suggest students may benefit from supplemental support or closer conversation with the school about its instructional approach and any recent or planned interventions. The school's small size and integrated grade structure are factual characteristics that appeal to some families; whether that model aligns with a child's learning needs is a matter for direct inquiry with the school. The school's data on English learner support and special education services was not available to us, so a parent may want to look into this further with the school directly.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=50%Cohort of 14 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

2,394 schools plotted. 142 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 346%

School 46% · district not reported

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 432%

School 32% · district not reported

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 517%

School 17% · district not reported

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 617%

School 17% · district not reported

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 732%

School 32% · district not reported

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 828%

School 28% · district not reported

even with state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 332%

School 32% · district not reported

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 438%

School 38% · district not reported

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 552%

School 52% · district not reported

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 646%

School 46% · district not reported

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 746%

School 46% · district not reported

even with state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 846%

School 46% · district not reported

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Science

Grade 565%

School 65% · district not reported

▲ 37 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 821%

School 21% · district not reported

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

This schoolDistrict average, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income17%Higher-income44%27 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income28%Higher-income50%22 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income27%Higher-income62%34 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income42%Higher-income50%8 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income28%Higher-income38%10 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income0%Higher-income33%33 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income27%Higher-income28%1 pp gap