Original Research by School Decision on Apollo High
Apollo High is an alternative high school serving grades nine through twelve in Simi Valley, with a small enrollment concentrated heavily in the final two years. The school served mostly juniors and seniors, with only a handful of students in the tenth grade and none in ninth grade at the time of the latest data. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a smaller white population and very few students of other backgrounds.
State testing results in the most recent year show severe academic challenges. In English language arts, fewer than a quarter of students demonstrated proficiency. In mathematics and science, no students achieved proficiency. These results suggest either that the students served have entered with substantial gaps or that the school's instructional model and resources are not currently closing them. A parent considering this school should ask directly about the school's approach to these students, the support systems in place, and whether recent changes or targeted interventions are underway.
Alternative schools often serve students who have struggled at traditional high schools, are overaged for their grade, or need a different pace or structure. That profile appears to fit here: the concentration of enrollment in grades eleven and twelve, well after typical progression, hints at a population of older students working toward completion. The school may be operating as a recovery or graduation-support model rather than a college-prep pathway. State testing data does not differentiate between student cohorts or prior achievement levels, so the results alone do not reveal whether the school is moving students forward from where they began or whether outcomes have stalled. This gap in the data means a parent would benefit from asking the school about its recent cohorts' progress and any year-to-year changes in student outcomes.
Simi Valley itself is a mature suburban community in Ventura County, built primarily as master-planned residential subdivisions since the 1960s and functioning as a bedroom community with residents commuting to Los Angeles County for work. The city has no traditional walkable downtown; instead, civic functions cluster at a dedicated Civic Center, and commercial activity centers on the Simi Valley Town Center mall. The Envision Simi Valley planning effort is working to create more mixed-use, walkable street life along the Los Angeles Avenue corridor and Tapo Street, indicating that walkability and downtown-style destinations are aspirations rather than current conditions. The city has rail access via the Metrolink station on the Ventura County Line, and local bus service runs three numbered routes plus an on-demand pilot service.
Housing in the Simi Valley area is moderately expensive compared to national benchmarks but slightly below the California state average. Rents in the local zip code run in the mid-range for the broader region, with monthly affordability metrics showing rent consuming a substantial share of median income. The local economy is anchored by health care, manufacturing, and retail, with aerospace and high-tech firms like AeroVironment and Meggitt employing residents alongside traditional employers in education and hospital services.
The district has made recent changes that affect the broader school environment. Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, all sixth graders moved to middle school campuses rather than having the option to remain in elementary school, ending a longstanding dual-track structure. The district also launched a new Dual Language Immersion program in Spanish and English at Arroyo Elementary, starting with transitional kindergarten and kindergarten and adding grades progressively. Residents should be aware that a new school facilities bond, proposed at a substantial amount, is being considered for the November 2026 ballot and showed above-threshold support in a January feasibility survey, which would add to two existing bonds currently being paid off.
No data was available on Apollo High's attendance, discipline, staffing, or program offerings beyond the alternative designation itself. The school's course catalog, specific intervention programs, or recent enrollment trends were also not provided, so a parent would need to request that information directly from the school to form a complete picture of what it offers and how students move through it.
See more original research from School Decision →