Top 100 Best STEM Schools – US News & World Report – 17/100

University High School
4771 CAMPUS DR
IRVINE, CA 92612

Phone: (949) 936-7600

District: Irvine Unified School District

Overview

University High School is ranked 29th within California. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® course work and exams. The AP® participation rate at University High School is 65 percent. The student body makeup is 53 percent male and 47 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 65 percent. University High School is 1 of 6 high schools in the Irvine Unified School District.

Local Map

Address
4771 Campus Dr. Irvine, California, Orange, 92612 United States
Coordinates	33.651673°N 117.822211°WCoordinates: 33.651673°N 117.822211°W
Information
School type	Comprehensive high school
Established	1970
Status	Open
School district	Irvine Unified
NCES District ID	0684500
CEEB Code	051-984
NCES School ID	068450007067[1]
Principal	John Pehrson
Assistant principals	Michael Georgino Matthew Pate Patsy Janda
DHH Principal	Jon Levy
Faculty	106
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	2469  (2013[2])
Grade 9	603
Grade 10	623
Grade 11	655
Grade 12	588
Student to teacher ratio	24:1
Language	English
Color(s)	Navy Blue, Columbia Blue, and White
Athletics conference	Pacific Coast League
Mascot	Trojan
Nickname	UHS, Uni
National ranking	102[3]
Average SATscores	1897  (2013)
Average ACTscores (2013)	28.3
Newspaper	The Sword and Shield
Yearbook	The Odyssey
Website	www.universityhigh.org

Rankings / Awards

This details how this school compares to others based on U.S. News ranking criteria.

Medal Awarded Gold
National Rank
#182
State Rank
#29
STEM Rank
#17
See Best High Schools in California

Students / Teachers

These counts and percentages of students and teachers are from data reported by schools to the government.

Total Enrollment 2,402
Total Minority Enrollment (% of total) 65%
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total) 12%
Full-Time Teachers N/A
More About Student Body

Test Scores

U.S. News calculates these values based on student performance on state exit exams and internationally available exams on college-level coursework (AP®/IB exams).

Academic Performance Index Evaluation Achieves CA goal
College Readiness Index 62.0
More about Test Scores

School Data

School profile information is based on government data.

Grades Served 09 – 12
Setting Mid-size City
Charter School No
Magnet School No
Receives Title I Funding No
District

This information relates to high schools run by this school’s state operating agency. Many districts contain only one high school.

Total Schools 6
Total Students 8,666
Academic Performance Index Evaluation Achieves CA goal
College Readiness (district average) 47.2

Total Enrollment 2,402
9th Grade 595 Students
10th Grade 652 Students
11th Grade 591 Students
12th Grade 563 Students
Student Diversity

This is the breakdown of ethnicity and gender of a school’s student body, based on data reported to the government.

Ethnicity/Race

Total Minority Enrollment (% of total) 65%
American Indian/Alaskan Native Enrollment (% of total) 0.4%
Asian Enrollment (% of total) 51%
Black Enrollment (% of total) 2%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander (% of total) 0.2%
Hispanic Enrollment (% of total) 7%
White Enrollment (% of total) 35%
Two or More Races Enrollment (% of total) 5%
Gender

Male (% of total) 53%
Female (% of total) 47%
Economically Disadvantaged Students

These are the percentages of the school’s students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, based on data reported to the government.

Free Lunch Program (% of total) 9%
Reduced-Price Lunch Program (% of total) 3%
Total Economically Disadvantaged (% of total) 12%

Test Scores

Academic Performance Index

Academic Performance Index is based on California High School Exit Examination and Standardized Testing and Reporting results.

Total Students Tested 1,738
Academic Performance Index 910
Overall Student Performance

This measures overall student performance on state exams. The calculations by U.S. News were the first of two steps in determining which schools received at least a bronze medal.

State Test Performance Index 910.0
Risk-Adjusted Performance Index 157.6
Disadvantaged Student Performance

This measures the proficiency on state exams among typically underperforming subgroups. The calculations by U.S. News were the second of two steps in determining which schools received at least a bronze medal.

Percentage of Disadvantaged Students Who Are Proficient 797.7
Percentage of Non-Disadvantaged Students Who Are Proficient 887.0
Gap Between Disadvantaged and Non-Disadvantaged Students -89.3
Gap Between School and State Among Disadvantaged Students 100.7
College-Ready Student Performance

High school students take AP® and IB exams to earn college credit and demonstrate success at college-level course work. U.S. News calculated a College Readiness Index based on exam participation rates and percentages of students passing at least one exam. The Index determined which types of medals (gold, silver or bronze) were awarded to top-performing schools.

College Readiness Index 62.0
Exam Used for Index AP®
Advanced Placement® (AP®) Student Performance

Many U.S. higher educational institutions grant credits or advanced placement based on student performance on AP® exams. This shows this school’s student participation and performance on these exams if data were available. (N/A means no students participated.)

Participation Rate 65%
Participant Passing Rate 93%
Exams Per Test Taker 4.5
Exam Pass Rate 91%
Quality-Adjusted Participation Rate 61%
Quality-Adjusted Exams Per Test Taker 4.4

University High School (UHS or “Uni”) is one of five public high schools serving grades 9-12 located in the city of Irvine, California. It was established in 1970. The campus is situated on 55 acres (22 ha) of land[2] in the southwestern portion of the city, adjacent to the University of California, Irvine (UCI). The school comprises six main academic buildings, a performing arts theater, a band room for instrumental music, a swimming pool, eight tennis courts, an indoor gymnasium supplemented with other indoor athletic facilities, a stadium, and several practice fields.[4] Housed within the facilities are the departments of English, world languages, math, science, social science, instrumental music, art, industrial technology, athletics, physical education, English proficiency programs, special education, and the Orange County Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program. The school’s mission is “to provide all students with the opportunities and environment to achieve academic and personal excellence while assuring that this is done in a safe and comfortable atmosphere.” The school colors are navy blue, Columbia blue, and white. The school mascot is the Trojan.
University High School was named the best public high school in California and 8th best public high school in America in 2011 by Newsweek.[5] University was also the highest ranked institution on the list that was not a charter or magnet school.