High Schools in Pittsburg Unified

The Pittsburg Unified school district in California is home to two high schools: Pittsburg Senior High and Black Diamond High (Continuation). While Pittsburg Senior High is the larger of the two with over 3,400 students, it faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism and relatively low test scores compared to state and district averages. In contrast, the smaller Black Diamond High, a continuation school, struggles with extremely low test scores, high dropout rates, and alarmingly high chronic absenteeism.

Pittsburg Senior High has a four-year graduation rate of 90.0%, which is higher than the 71.8% rate at Black Diamond High. However, Pittsburg Senior High also has a higher chronic absenteeism rate of 36.0%, compared to an 87.8% rate at Black Diamond High. In terms of academic performance, Pittsburg Senior High's test scores are generally higher than the district and state averages, but still relatively low, with only 30.9% of 11th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts and 9.84% proficient or better in Mathematics. Black Diamond High's test scores are significantly lower, with only 4.17% of 11th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts and 0% proficient or better in Mathematics.

The stark contrast in performance between the two high schools within the same district highlights the need for targeted interventions and support to address the unique challenges faced by continuation schools and their student populations. The high rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients at both schools, 74.1% at Pittsburg Senior High and 86.64% at Black Diamond High, suggest that the student population comes from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, which may contribute to the academic and attendance challenges faced by these schools.