Original Research by School Decision on Mills High
Mills High is a mid-sized public high school in Millbrae, a small Peninsula suburb that sits between San Francisco and Silicon Valley and straddles the peninsula rail corridor. The school serves all four grades of high school, with enrollment distributed across grades nine through twelve. The student body is predominantly Asian, with meaningful Hispanic enrollment and smaller populations of white, multiracial, and other backgrounds. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
The most recent state proficiency data show mixed academic results. English language arts proficiency sits at a solid level, substantially above half the school's students meeting or exceeding state standards. Mathematics proficiency is lower, with a little over half of students meeting standards. Science proficiency is notably weaker, with about half of students meeting state benchmarks. All three results come from a single testing year with no prior trend data, so a parent may want to look into further detail with the school on longer-term patterns and which specific grade levels or subgroups are strongest and where support is most needed.
The school belongs to the San Mateo Union High School District, which has been in the midst of a sustained capital improvement cycle funded by a voter-approved bond approved in 2020. Projects—new gymnasiums, athletic facilities, solar panels, and EV charging across the district—are slated to complete through the 2026-2027 school year. This bond carries an ongoing property-tax effect for homeowners in the district. The district also made ethnic studies a ninth-grade graduation requirement starting in 2020, ahead of California's eventual statewide mandate; this curriculum requirement has drawn public discussion locally and may be relevant to families evaluating course content and values.
Millbrae itself is undergoing growth centered on downtown and transit corridors. The city lacks major industry and operates as a small-business economy anchored by retail, restaurants, service businesses, and hospitality tied to proximity to San Francisco International Airport. The downtown core near Broadway is walkable and pedestrian-friendly; residential neighborhoods spread from flat central streets to hillside areas with larger lots. A flagship mixed-use development, One Meadow Glen, broke ground on El Camino Real and will bring several hundred apartments and ground-floor retail, with completion expected in 2027—the first multifamily project in Millbrae since the pandemic. The Millbrae intermodal station connects BART and Caltrain and anchors the city's transit identity.
Housing in the Millbrae zip code sits at high Peninsula levels. Median home values are well above state benchmarks, and rents are steep relative to median household income, making affordability a real constraint for families. A thirty-year mortgage at current rates would require a substantial monthly payment. Employment is stable locally; median household income regionally supports many homeowners, though the housing-to-income ratio underscores that this is an expensive place to buy or rent.
Comparative testing data for the school relative to other districts in San Mateo County was not available, and four-year graduation rates and chronic absenteeism figures were not reported for this school. These metrics would help round out a fuller picture of college readiness and daily engagement. The school's website and the district office can provide those details. A parent considering Mills High should ask the school directly about AP course breadth, dual-enrollment or career pathway options, college placement support, and any recent trend data in proficiency that goes beyond the single year shown here.
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