Original Research by School Decision on Peninsula High (continuation)
Peninsula High is a continuation high school in Burlingame, serving roughly nine hundred high school students across grades ten through twelve, though the school itself enrolls fewer than two hundred students. As a continuation school within the San Mateo Union High School District, it serves students who have not succeeded in a traditional high school setting, offering an alternative pathway designed to help them complete their diplomas.
The student population is predominantly Hispanic, with more than four-fifths of enrollment from that background. Roughly two-fifths of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school also serves a small number of Pacific Islander students and students of other backgrounds. Data on English learner or special education enrollment was not available.
Academic proficiency at Peninsula High is very low. In the most recent testing year, fewer than one-fifth of students achieved proficiency in English language arts, while proficiency rates in math and science fell well below that, in single digits. These numbers reflect the reality of a continuation school: students arrive having already struggled in traditional settings, and the school's role is remedial and supportive rather than advanced. The proficiency figures are not comparable to traditional comprehensive high schools; they describe a population facing substantial academic barriers. A parent or student considering this school should understand it as a second-chance pathway, not a college-prep or academically selective environment.
The school does not report a four-year graduation rate. This is typical for continuation schools, which often serve students over variable timelines and serve smaller annual cohorts than comprehensive high schools do. State testing data for continuation schools may also be sparse or unavailable due to the alternative nature of the program. A parent should ask the school directly about completion rates and diploma timelines for students in its program.
Peninsula High operates within a district that recently passed a major facilities bond, Measure L, approved by voters in 2020. That bond is funding gymnasiums, athletic facilities, and solar and electric vehicle infrastructure across the district, including at Burlingame High School nearby. The bond carries an ongoing property-tax cost for district homeowners. The district also made ethnic studies a required ninth-grade course starting in 2020, ahead of California's statewide mandate, a curriculum change that has drawn local debate and that would apply to any student in the district.
Burlingame itself is an affluent Peninsula community with a walkable downtown, strong transit access via Caltrain, and high home values. The area is in the midst of active housing development driven by state mandates, with new apartments and mixed-income projects underway. The economic base includes healthcare, technology, life sciences, and retail, with Sutter Health a major local employer. The Caltrain station and downtown commercial core are central to community life. Housing costs are high, and rents are substantial relative to household income.
A student or family considering Peninsula High should see it as a continuation program: a resource for students who need a more flexible, supportive setting to complete high school rather than a path toward advanced academics or competitive college admissions. Prospective families should ask the school about its completion rates, support services, career pathways, and how it works with students on credit recovery and diploma requirements.
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