Brawley High School: Full Guide

Location: Brawley, CA

Are you a student or parent at Brawley High School? Want to understand how to get the most out of high school?

We've written the best guide to Brawley High available. Here we'll cover:

Breakdowns of student ethnicity, gender, and family income
How safe Brawley High is to attend
SAT/ACT/AP scores earned by Brawley High students
Which AP/IB classes you can take at Brawley High
Every sports team you can join at Brawley High

Let's get started!

Basic Information

Brawley High School is a public school, supporting grades 9 to 12 . It's located in Brawley, CA in Imperial County.

Based on its location, Brawley High is classified as a school in a town fringe area, or more than 10 miles from an urbanized area. Here's the location on a map:

Contact Information

Mailing address:

Brawley High School
480 N. Imperial Ave.
Brawley, CA 92227-1625

Phone number: 7603126073

Brawley High School homepage: http://www.brawleyhigh.org/

Principal: Jesse Sanchez
Email the principal: [email protected]

Student Demographics

Student Enrollment

The total enrollment at Brawley High School is 1693 students, making it a large high school, in the top 25% of all California high schools by size.

Attending Brawley High will feel like attending a small college. You'll have a few hundred students in your class, enough to provide an interesting set of activities, sports, and classes to try. But compared to the largest high schools in California, the student body size won't be overwhelming.

Growth in Student Body Size

Is Brawley High School growing or shrinking? This will help you see trends in where the school is headed.

From our calculations, the enrollment at Brawley High has steadily increased over the past few years. We calculate this by comparing enrollment in grades 9 to 12.

	Male Students	Female Students	All Students
9^th grade	284	244	528
10^th grade	221	212	433
11^th grade	181	218	399
12^th grade	168	165	333

As you can see in the table above, the freshman class is 195 students larger than the senior class. This suggests that the school is growing in size and taking on more students.

There are a few reasons this could be happening. The city of Brawley could be growing in population, thus sending more students into Brawley High. Alternatively, Brawley High could be relaxing its student policies and taking in more students.

Gender Split

Are there more boys or girls at Brawley High School?

From our statistics, Brawley High has a 51:49 split between male and female students in the high school grades.

Brawley High has a balanced male-female ratio that's largely representative of the general population in Imperial County. Since the student body is roughly half and half, it should feel like there are equal numbers of boys and girls in your classes.

This usually means that Brawley High doesn't strongly select for either males or females, unlike other schools that have a large majority of males or females.

Ethnicity Breakdown

What's the racial diversity at Brawley High School? Does one ethnicity make up most of the student body, or is it fairly balanced?

From our statistics, Brawley High has a homogenous student body, with the overwhelming majority of students identifying as one ethnicity. Only a third of California schools show as little diversity as Brawley High does. When attending class, most students will be of the same ethnicity, with some variation.

The majority of students at Brawley High are Hispanic. In California, Hispanic students make up the majority of all students at 51.5%, and are thus the most common ethnicity. Predominantly Hispanic schools are the most common type of homogenous school, and Brawley High fits within this category.

	Percentage	Number
American Indian/Alaska Native	0.0%	1
Asian	1.0%	17
Hispanic	86.7%	1468
Black	0.7%	12
White	10.8%	184
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander	0.0%	0
Two or more races	0.6%	11

High schools usually reflect the population in the surrounding area, so the ethnicities of students likely resembles those of Brawley. If you'd like to see how other nearby schools look in diversity, just google "[name of school] prepscholar" to find our guide to that specific school.

Income Level of Brawley High Families

What are the family incomes of students at Brawley High School? To determine this, we look at the number of students who qualify for free or reduced lunches, a classification by the US federal government.

To qualify for a reduced price meal, family income needs to be below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. For a family of 4, this means an income of around $45,000 or below.

To qualify for a free meal, family income needs to be below 130% of the federal poverty guidelines. For a family of 4, this means an income of around $32,000 or below.

The lower the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced price meals, the higher the income levels are likely to be.

At Brawley High, 9.0% of students qualify for reduced-price lunches, and 57.2% qualify for free lunches.

This means Brawley High has a moderate percentage of students at or near poverty. About half of all schools in California show this level of poverty or greater. The income level of families in Brawley is likely to be relatively low.

	Number	Percent
Reduced-price lunches	153	9.0%
Free lunches	969	57.2%
Do not qualify for reduced-price or free lunches	571	33.7%

As with ethnicity, this likely reflects the surrounding community in Brawley and doesn't speak much about the school itself.

Brawley High is in the middle 50% of schools by income level. Generally, higher income level schools are better-funded and have a higher quality range of classes and activities. Brawley High is likely in the middle of the pack in this regard and will give you a good set of options to try.

If you have any interests that Brawley High doesn't cover, look to your local community for activities, or to the Internet for self-study AP classes.

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School Safety

How safe is Brawley High School to attend? Can you expect a lot of conflict as a student here?

To study this, we look at disciplinary data for two types of incidents at Brawley High: referrals to law enforcement (when incidents are reported to police), and arrests.

These are the most serious disciplinary actions available to school administration and are more severe than suspensions or expulsions. Suspensions are often discretionary and can be given just for being disruptive in class. In contrast, law enforcement referrals and arrests often indicate incidents that put the safety of other Brawley High students at risk.

In the school year of 2011-2012, there were 9 referrals to law enforcement (4 male, 5 female), and 9 school-related arrests (4 males, 5 females). This is out of a total enrollment of 1615 students.

To put this into perspective, most California schools (59% of them) reported 0 law enforcement referrals and arrests.

This means that 1.1 Brawley High has minor safety issues. For every 100 students, there were just 1.1 law-enforcement related actions, but this is still higher than 75% of California schools.

With this record, is Brawley High School significantly different from other schools in the area? It could be that Brawley High has an especially bad record, or it could be that the local area shows a pattern.

Compare this school with other high schools in the same school district, using the following table:

Brawley Union High School District Safety

School Name	Total Referred	Total Arrests	Enrollment
Desert Valley High (continuation)	2	2	165
Renaissance	2	2	24

Academic Performance

Now we get to a major aspect of assessing a high school: academic performance. How good of an education will you get at Brawley High School? Will you be competitive for college? Will you have access to advanced classes?

We've compiled everything we could find about Brawley High's academics here.

Graduation Rate

To start off, an important benchmark of academic achievement is graduation rate. For all students who start high school at Brawley High, the state of California wants as many students to graduate as possible, since a high school diploma can mean a big difference in getting a job.

At Brawley High, 91% (of 390) Brawley High students graduated within four years of starting high school.

Here's how this stacks up to other schools. The California state government has defined 90% as a target rate. The state average is around 80-85%.

Brawley High is in the 73rd percentile of all public high schools in California for graduation rate. This is above average. Generally, a graduation rate of above 90% is considered good and well above average, and below 75% is well below average.

Note: This data comes from a few years back, but the trends are likely to stay the same, since schools don't get significantly better or worse within a short period of time.

Standardized Testing

Next, we'll look at another major piece of high school academics: standardized testing performance for Brawley High School students. These are tests that are administered to large populations of students for comparison purposes.

Let’s start by taking a look at the data for nationally administered standardized tests.

SAT Scores

As you probably know, the SAT is a critical test used for college admissions. The higher the score you get, the better your academic performance compared to students nationwide, and the easier it is to get into top colleges.

We did in-depth research and found the average Brawley High School SAT scores.

The average composite SAT score is a 1370 out of 2400, compared to a national average of 1500. Each year, roughly 221 at Brawley High take the SAT.

This is a below-average SAT score, putting Brawley High School in the bottom 50% of all California schools. Only 29% of students here score the national average or higher. Because the SAT measures academic achievement, this suggests that Brawley High may offer a somewhat lacking high school education, compared to schools with higher SAT averages.

Note, however, that an average is just an average - top performers will still be able to impress. If you work hard and get an SAT score well above Brawley High's average, you'll have a great shot at entering a good college.

Here's a breakdown of SAT scores by section:

Average SAT Scores (2013-2014)

Source	Critical Reading	Math	Writing	Composite
Brawley High	459	464	452	1370
California	498	510	496	1504
United States	495	511	484	1490

Note that the SAT has since changed to a 1600 scale, but the trends above for your high school are likely to continue. Just use this guide to convert between the old 2400 scale and the new 1600 scale.

To learn more about SAT percentile rankings, read our guide on what SAT percentiles really mean.

How good is 1370 as an SAT score? Find out with our complete 1370 SAT score guide, including which colleges you can get into with a 1370 or any other SAT score!

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ACT Scores

In California, the ACT is less popular than the SAT. Fewer students take the ACT, and typically these students are more motivated and academically prepared for college. Therefore, it's harder to compare Brawley High School ACT scores with the rest of the country.

At Brawley High, the average ACT composite score was 20, compared to the nationwide average of 20. Each year, roughly 95 out of 1693 total students take the ACT.

This is below average performance, putting Brawley High in the bottom 50% of California high schools. Most students who take the ACT are below the national average.

Since the ACT tests what you learn in school, this is a pretty strong indicator that you'll get an average or below average education at Brawley High.

Here are the average English, Math, Reading, and Science scores for Brawley High compared to California and the US:

Average ACT Scores

Source	English	Math	Reading	Science
Brawley High	20	21	21	20
California	21.8	22.8	22.3	21.7
United States	20.3	20.9	21.3	20.8

Scores provided are for the 2013-14 school year.

Find out more about percentile rankings and the ACT in this article.

Every individual is different. What counts as a good ACT score for you? Learn more with this article!

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Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement (AP) classes are college-level courses that are an additional academic challenge may give Brawley High School students credit for college.

Here's what we're looking for: high average AP test scores as well as high AP passing rates.

AP Scores

Every year, roughly 146 students in grades 9-12 at Brawley High take 226 AP exams. It's important to understand how students score on the AP - earning a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP test means passing the test and often earning college credit.

The average score of all AP exams taken at Brawley High is 2.8 out of 5.

This score puts Brawley High at average performance. For AP tests, the passing score is considered a 3, and the number of students who pass and don't pass are roughly even. This performance places Brawley High School in the top 50% of schools for AP tests.

It's great that Brawley High offers an AP program so you have the opportunity to take courses at a college level. Even though roughly half of all AP students here don't get a passing grade, half do - so with motivated studying throughout the year, you'll be able to beat the average.

We have specific data on how many students got a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 (out of 5) on AP exams in the chart below:

AP Test-Taking Statistics

Another way to gauge the quality of a school's AP program is to see how many AP students actually took AP exams at Brawley High School. If a lot of students enroll in AP courses but don't actually take the AP tests, it can be a sign that students don't feel adequately prepared to take the test, or the school isn't encouraging students to take the exams enough.

At Brawley High, there is a total enrollment of 163 in AP courses (a student taking more than one AP course counts more than once).

Of AP-taking students, 111 took AP tests for ALL AP courses. 4 students took AP tests for SOME AP Courses, and 31 took AP courses but took NO tests.

This is good test participation. Most AP students at Brawley High School take the AP test for every one of their AP courses, outnumbering the students who take some or no AP exams. This is a good sign that students feel confident enough to take tests for all AP courses available to them, which reflects well on the teachers and course material. Brawley High can continue to improve by reducing the number of students who take AP exams for some or none of their courses, but it's in a good state.

Note: The most recent data we have available is from 2012, so the statistics may have changed since then. Most likely, however, the trends are likely to continue - above average schools are likely to stay above average, and below average schools are likely to stay below average.

AP Passing Rates

For AP students at Brawley High School who take the exam, it's important to know how they do. Here we have specific data on how many students got a passing grade (a 3 or above) on all, some, or none of the AP exams that they took.

Of all AP test takers, 73 students passed every AP test they took, which is a fantastic job. 25 students passed some but not all AP exams, and 42 students didn't pass ANY AP exam they took.

This is very strong performance. The majority of Brawley High School students pass ALL the AP tests they take - an impressive feat, especially if students take multiple AP exams each year!

Overall, this points to a strong AP program at Brawley High: across all AP course offerings, teachers are able to prepare students well for the exam. There are still some students who fail some or all of their exams, but this is a good starting point to improve from. You'll have a strong foundation to learn from throughout high school.

To find out the passing rates for specific AP courses at Brawley High School, you'll have to talk to your guidance counselor (who can then help you find that information). For instance, one AP Calculus teacher may have an above-90% passing rate, while another might only have a 50% passing rate. If you can, you'll want to take the class with the teacher who has more students get a 3 or above on the AP exam.

Find out more about the average score for each AP subject here.

State Tests

As of 2014, eleventh graders attending Brawley High School must take standardized tests in English/Language Arts and Math as part of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). These align with the new Common Core standards and are called the "Smarter Balanced" tests.

If Brawley High students meet or exceed state standards, they're academically prepared to graduate high school and go to college. Specifically, we care about the percentage of students who meet or exceed state standards. The larger this number, the higher the preparation of students at Brawley High.

English/Language Arts

At Brawley High School, 32% of students meet or exceed state standards in English/Language Arts.

This is considered below average and puts Brawley High in the bottom 50% of all high schools in California for English/Language Arts. The majority of Brawley High students do not pass state standards, and only a small percentage pass.

This specific percentage isn't much cause for concern - because the Common Core is new, the pass rate at Brawley High will likely rise over time. But it still reflects Brawley High's below average standing among California high schools.

English/Language Arts Test Results (2015)

Read more about what’s measured in each ELA area score here.

Math

The other major test taken for state assessments is Math. Across the state, Math performance is generally lower than English/Language Arts performance, so it's natural for this number to be lower.

At Brawley High School, 13% of students meet or exceed state standards in Math. This is considered well below average and puts Brawley High in the bottom 25% of all high schools in California. The vast majority of Brawley High students don't meet state standards, and only a small percentage pass.

Math Test Results (2015)

Read more about what’s measured in each Math area score, go here.

Academic Offerings

In addition to the standard high school curriculum, many high schools like Brawley High School offer advanced coursework as part of the Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs.

Brief Intro to AP/IB

AP and IB courses are designed at the difficulty level of college introductory classes. There are several important benefits to taking advanced coursework at Brawley High. First, taking more advanced classes shows colleges that you're committed to challenging yourself academically, and that you're one of the more advanced students at Brawley High. Taking AP/IB classes also raises your weighted GPA and makes you a stronger college applicant.

Furthermore, many colleges will accept your Brawley High AP/IB coursework as college coursework. In some cases, you'll be able to skip introductory-level classes and move to more advanced classes. In other cases, you'll be able to avoid having to take required courses and might even be able to graduate earlier than the standard 4 years. Often this will require you to pass the AP test, getting a score of 3 or above.

So what advanced courses does Brawley High School offer?

AP Courses

Brawley High School offers AP courses in 9 subjects.

This is a relatively low number of AP subjects, putting Brawley High School in the bottom 50% of California schools offering AP courses. You'll likely be able to take the most popular courses like Calculus, English, and US History, but you won't have most other subjects available.

The total number of AP subjects is 38, so Brawley High is missing most. If you want to take any AP courses not being offered at Brawley High, ask your counselor for ideas on how to cover the gap. If you're a strong student, you might consider transferring schools to access a more advanced curriculum.

Of course, keep in mind that even though Brawley High doesn't offer many AP courses, it might teach the ones it does offer quite well. You can see student performance in the AP score analysis section above.

The following AP courses were offered at Brawley High during 2015-2016:

Course Title
Biology
Calculus AB
English Language and Composition
English Literature and Composition
Environmental Science
Spanish Language and Culture
Spanish Literature and Culture
United States History
World History

Sports Teams

Finally, we'll cover which sports teams are available at Brawley High School. Sports are an integral part of many students' high school experiences. The more sports that are available, and the more levels supported (Frosh, JV, Varsity), the more likely you'll be able to participate in a sport at Brawley High.

By the way, the Brawley High mascot is the Wildcats. Go Wildcats!

Brawley High School fields 13 teams for girls' sports. This is a sizable number that puts Brawley High in the top 50% of California schools that offer girls' sports. You won't get the full range of sports and levels, but you'll be able to try out for a few options. If you participate in a sport that Brawley High doesn't offer, consider looking for a local non-school team that you can join.

And now for the boys: Brawley High School fields 17 teams for boys' sports. This puts Brawley High in the top 50% of California schools that offer boys' sports. You won't get every sport and level possible here, but you'll have a decent number of options. If you participate in a sport that Brawley High doesn't offer, consider looking for a local non-school team that you can join.

Boys Teams	Girls Teams
Basketball Var JV Fr	Basketball Var JV Fr
Golf Var JV Fr	Golf Var JV Fr
Tennis Var JV Fr	Tennis Var JV Fr
Football Var JV Fr
Wrestling Var JV Fr
Volleyball Var JV Fr	Volleyball Var JV Fr
Baseball Var JV Fr
	Softball Var JV Fr
Trackfield Var JV Fr
Crosscountry Var JV Fr	Crosscountry Var JV Fr
Soccer Var JV Fr	Soccer Var JV Fr

What’s Next?

Want to get more useful information about high school classes and preparing for colleges? Our blog has a ton of articles and advice on topics ranging from coursework and GPA to letters of recommendation, extracurriculars, and much more!

Ready to bulk up your schedule and maximize your college preparedness? Read all about the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs.

Not quite in high school yet, but eager to get started? We've also got information for younger students interested in advanced learning opportunities, both in and out of school.

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