Original Research by School Decision on Olympic High (continuation)
Olympic High is a small alternative continuation school in Santa Monica serving grades 9 through 12. It sits at the margins of the larger Santa Monica-Malibu Unified district system. The school's enrollment is tiny—a few dozen students total, with the majority in grade 12. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a meaningful share of students who are Black or white; a substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on English learners and students with IEPs is not available.
On state tests, Olympic High's results are very low. In English language arts proficiency, the school's rate was deeply depressed, in single digits. In math, proficiency was roughly one in four students. Science test results were suppressed by the state, which typically occurs when the number of test-takers falls below a reporting threshold. These figures reflect the population a continuation school typically serves: students who have struggled in mainstream high schools and are working toward completion via an alternative pathway.
Continuation schools exist to serve students who have not succeeded in traditional settings. They often enroll older teenagers, students cycling back to earn a diploma, or those with serious gaps. The very small size, the concentration of students in the later grades, the high poverty rate, and the thin testing performance all align with this purpose. Olympic High is not designed as a college-prep feeder. It is a completion and recovery pathway. Parents and students considering this school should understand it as a last-chance or re-entry program, not a comprehensive high school offering broad AP or advanced coursework. The lack of detailed program data means it is unclear what career pathways, work-study options, or intensive academic supports the school provides; a parent may want to speak directly with the school about what its course menu and student support model look like.
Santa Monica itself is an upscale beach city on the west side of Los Angeles, home to entertainment, tech, wellness and media firms, plus Santa Monica College. Housing values are very high. The city is split into walkable neighborhoods—downtown with dense condos and commercial life, Ocean Park and Montana Avenue with boutique retail and dining, and quieter inland zones like Sunset Park with small single-family homes. The Third Street Promenade and downtown Civic Center anchor civic life. Transit includes the Big Blue Bus (city-run, extensive local service) and the Metro E Line light rail connecting Downtown Santa Monica to Downtown Los Angeles.
The broader context matters: Santa Monica-Malibu Unified is currently undergoing a major structural change. Malibu is separating to form its own independent school district, with the split expected by fall 2026. This reshapes governance and funding. Additionally, the district has integrated American Cultures and Ethnic Studies (ACES) into high school course requirements as a graduation expectation. In November 2024, Santa Monica voters approved Measure QS, a large bond for school facilities funded by increased property taxes. These shifts signal an actively investing, curriculum-forward district, though Olympic High's role within that landscape as a continuation program remains specialized and separate from mainstream secondary offerings.
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