Original Research by School Decision on Santana High (continuation)
Santana High (Continuation) is an alternative school serving grades nine through twelve in La Puente, a small, densely populated residential city in the San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles. The school enrollment is very small, concentrated heavily in grade twelve, with the vast majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and identifying as Hispanic.
The school's academic data reflects the population it serves. On the most recent state tests, proficiency rates were low across all measured subjects: roughly a fifth of students met standards in English language arts and science, while the math proficiency rate was substantially lower. Only one year of data is available, so trend direction cannot be determined. The comparison metrics that would position this school against other Los Angeles County districts, such as four-year graduation rate and chronic absenteeism rate, are not reported; this is typical for continuation schools, which serve students on alternative pathways and operate outside the standard grade-progression and attendance frameworks that generate those measures.
Continuation schools exist in California's public system as a distinct alternative pathway for students who have not thrived in traditional high school settings. They are smaller, more individualized, and oriented toward helping students earn a diploma or certificate while addressing barriers to success, whether academic, behavioral, or circumstantial. The low proficiency numbers, understood in that context, reflect the reality that students arriving at a continuation setting typically carry significant academic gaps. Whether Santana is successfully closing those gaps, supporting students toward graduation, and preparing them for post-secondary pathways would require information beyond state testing alone: data on diploma attainment, on completion of industry certifications or dual-credit coursework, on student supports and counseling, and on the school's own progression metrics. None of that is available here, and a parent may want to look into those specifics directly with the school and with Rowland Unified.
La Puente itself is a working and middle-class community, predominantly Latino with a growing Asian population, located roughly fifteen to twenty miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It is car-oriented, with most residents driving to work. Housing in the zip code is moderately priced relative to broader Los Angeles County, though rents have risen recently. The city's economy centers on manufacturing, health care, and retail. Civic life concentrates in Old Town La Puente, a compact historic downtown along Main Street with local restaurants, retail, and community spaces. The city is pursuing infill and mixed-use redevelopment to add housing, including affordable units, rather than greenfield expansion; state housing mandates and local planning efforts are reshaping the community incrementally.
Rowland Unified, the parent district, has rolled out free full-day Transitional Kindergarten at all elementary and TK-8 campuses, expanding early-education access for families in the area. The district is also executing voter-approved bond-funded modernization projects, including a recently broken-ground Fine Arts and Aquatics Center at Nogales High School with a completion target of spring 2026, adding a fourteen-lane pool and arts spaces. These bond measures carry an associated property-tax rate that is a factor for families considering the district.
Santana serves a specific and small population of students on an alternative diploma pathway. The proficiency data is low but reflects the entry point of the population rather than the school's performance in isolation. A family considering this school for their child should seek direct conversation with school staff about the specific supports, program offerings, diploma options, and outcome tracking the school provides.
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