Location: Piedmont, CA
Are you a student or parent at Piedmont High School? Want to understand how to get the most out of high school?
We've written the best guide to Piedmont High available. Here we'll cover:
- Breakdowns of student ethnicity, gender, and family income
- How safe Piedmont High is to attend
- SAT/ACT/AP scores earned by Piedmont High students
- Which AP/IB classes you can take at Piedmont High
- Every sports team you can join at Piedmont High
Let's get started!
Basic Information
Piedmont High School is a public school, supporting grades 9 to 12 . It's located in Piedmont, CA in Alameda County.
Based on its location, Piedmont High is classified as a school in a large suburb. Here's the location on a map:
Contact Information
Mailing address:
Piedmont High School800 Magnolia Ave. Piedmont, CA 94611-4029
Phone number: 5105942626
Piedmont High School homepage: http://www.piedmont.k12.ca.us/phs/
Principal: Brent DanielsEmail the principal: [email protected]
Student Demographics
Student Enrollment
The total enrollment at Piedmont High School is 770 students, making it a somewhat large high school, in the top half of all California high schools by size.
As a mid-sized high school, Piedmont High strikes the balance between size and comfort. There will be enough students to provide a diversity of experiences, like clubs and sports, for you to join. But it'll be small enough that you'll likely get to know most people in your class.
Growth in Student Body Size
Is Piedmont High School growing or shrinking? This will help you see trends in where the school is headed.
From our calculations, the enrollment at Piedmont High has increased over the past few years. We calculate this by comparing enrollment in grades 9 to 12.
| Male Students | Female Students | All Students | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9th grade | 112 | 102 | 214 |
| 10th grade | 101 | 86 | 187 |
| 11th grade | 117 | 80 | 197 |
| 12th grade | 80 | 92 | 172 |
As you can see in the table above, the freshman class is 42 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 Piedmont could be growing in population, thus sending more students into Piedmont High. Alternatively, Piedmont High could be relaxing its student policies and taking in more students.
Gender Split
Are there more boys or girls at Piedmont High School?
From our statistics, Piedmont High has a 54:46 split between male and female students in the high school grades.
Piedmont High has a balanced male-female ratio that's largely representative of the general population in Alameda 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 Piedmont 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 Piedmont High School? Does one ethnicity make up most of the student body, or is it fairly balanced?
From our statistics, Piedmont 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 Piedmont High does. When attending class, most students will be of the same ethnicity, with some variation.
The majority of students at Piedmont High are white. In California, white students make up 26.3% of all California students, and are the second most common ethnicity after Hispanic students. Thus Piedmont High is one of hundreds of schools in the state that have a majority of white students.
| Percentage | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.2% | 2 |
| Asian | 20.6% | 159 |
| Hispanic | 3.3% | 26 |
| Black | 1.8% | 14 |
| White | 70.9% | 546 |
| Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 1 |
| Two or more races | 2.8% | 22 |
High schools usually reflect the population in the surrounding area, so the ethnicities of students likely resembles those of Piedmont. 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 Piedmont High Families
What are the family incomes of students at Piedmont 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 Piedmont High, 0.0% of students qualify for reduced-price lunches, and 0.0% qualify for free lunches.
This means Piedmont High has a very low poverty level. Nearly no students at Piedmont High qualify for free or reduced price lunches. Piedmont is thus likely to have a very affluent community, and Piedmont High is in the top 10% of California schools in terms of family income.
| Number | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced-price lunches | 0 | 0.0% |
| Free lunches | 0 | 0.0% |
| Do not qualify for reduced-price or free lunches | 770 | 100.0% |
As with ethnicity, this likely reflects the surrounding community in Piedmont and doesn't speak much about the school itself.
Because Piedmont High is in the top quartile of schools by family income, it's likely to be well-funded relative to other high schools in California. This means you'll likely have access to advanced coursework like AP/IB classes and better-funded extracurriculars and sports.
It's still up to you, though, to take advantage of the resources Piedmont High has to offer. If you work hard and spend your time effectively, you'll likely be well positioned to succeed in college and beyond.
Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.
School Safety
How safe is Piedmont 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 Piedmont 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 Piedmont High students at risk.
Compare this school with other high schools in the same school district, using the following table:
Piedmont City Unified School District Safety
| School Name | Total Referred | Total Arrests | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millennium High Alternative | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 Piedmont High School? Will you be competitive for college? Will you have access to advanced classes?
We've compiled everything we could find about Piedmont High's academics here.
Standardized Testing
Next, we'll look at another major piece of high school academics: standardized testing performance for Piedmont 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 Piedmont High School SAT scores.
The average composite SAT score is a 1860 out of 2400, compared to a national average of 1500. Each year, roughly 208 at Piedmont High take the SAT.
This is an extremely high average SAT score, putting Piedmont High School in the elite top 2% of all California high schools. The average student at Piedmont High is already scoring in the 80th percentile nationwide or higher - indeed, 94% of students score above the national average. This means that the top students are likely scoring well in the top percentiles, and some may even be getting perfect scores every year.
Because you're surrounded by very talented students, this is a good sign that you'll receive a top-of-the-line education at Piedmont High. By following the trend at your school, you'll have a very strong chance at getting into some of the best colleges in the country.
Here's a breakdown of SAT scores by section:
Average SAT Scores (2013-2014)
| Source | Critical Reading | Math | Writing | Composite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont High | 615 | 624 | 629 | 1860 |
| 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 1860 as an SAT score? Find out with our complete 1860 SAT score guide, including which colleges you can get into with a 1860 or any other SAT score!
Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.
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 Piedmont High School ACT scores with the rest of the country.
At Piedmont High, the average ACT composite score was 27, compared to the nationwide average of 20. Each year, roughly 82 out of 770 total students take the ACT.
This is excellent performance, putting Piedmont High in the top 5% of high schools in California by ACT score. Most students who take the ACT here are scoring well above average and in the top tier of the nation.
Since the ACT is meant to gauge what you learn in school, very high average ACT scores are a good indication that you'll get a high-quality education at Piedmont High and be surrounded by other high-achieving students.
Here are the average English, Math, Reading, and Science scores for Piedmont High compared to California and the US:
Average ACT Scores
| Source | English | Math | Reading | Science |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont High | 29 | 27 | 28 | 27 |
| 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!
Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.
Advanced Placement (AP)
Advanced Placement (AP) classes are college-level courses that are an additional academic challenge may give Piedmont 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 212 students in grades 9-12 at Piedmont High take 443 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 Piedmont High is 4.0 out of 5.
This is a remarkable achievement showing top of the line performance. The overwhelming majority of students taking AP exams here earn a 5 or a 4, placing them well above the national average. Only a few dozen schools in all of California show this level of achievement, placing Piedmont High School in the top 1% of schools for AP tests.
It's safe to say that Piedmont High has an excellent AP program, with high quality teachers and classes that will thoroughly prepare students for AP exams. Furthermore, students at Piedmont High are likely to be highly academically motivated. By attending Piedmont High, you'll be in strong academic company.
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:
To find out the passing rates for specific AP courses at Piedmont 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 Piedmont 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 Piedmont 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 Piedmont High.
English/Language Arts
At Piedmont High School, 91% of students meet or exceed state standards in English/Language Arts.
This is considered excellent and puts Piedmont High in the top 5% of all high schools in California for English/Language Arts. The vast majority of Piedmont High students easily meet state standards, and many of them are likely well above average. Students here are very well prepared academically.
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 Piedmont High School, 79% of students meet or exceed state standards in Math. This is considered well below average and puts Piedmont High in the bottom 25% of all high schools in California. The vast majority of Piedmont 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 Piedmont 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 Piedmont 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 Piedmont High. Taking AP/IB classes also raises your weighted GPA and makes you a stronger college applicant.
Furthermore, many colleges will accept your Piedmont 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 Piedmont High School offer?
AP Courses
Piedmont High School offers AP courses in 15 subjects.
This is a reasonable number of AP subjects, putting Piedmont High School in the top 50% of California schools that offer AP courses. You'll likely have access to some of the most popular math and humanities AP subjects, as well as a few others.
The total number of AP subjects is 38, so Piedmont High is missing a large number of subjects, including some popular ones. If there are any AP courses you want to take that aren't being offered at Piedmont High, ask your counselor for ideas on how to cover the gap.
Of course, keep in mind that quality matters even more than quantity - even if Piedmont High doesn't offer every AP course under the sun, the classes might still be taught very well. You can see student performance in the AP score analysis section above.
The following AP courses were offered at Piedmont High during 2015-2016:
| Course Title |
|---|
| Biology |
| Calculus AB |
| Calculus BC |
| Chinese Language and Culture |
| Computer Science A |
| English Literature and Composition |
| Environmental Science |
| European History |
| French Language and Culture |
| Music Theory |
| Spanish Language and Culture |
| Studio Art: 2-D Design |
| Studio Art: 3-D Design |
| Studio Art: Drawing |
| United States History |
Sports Teams
Finally, we'll cover which sports teams are available at Piedmont 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 Piedmont High.
By the way, the Piedmont High mascot is the Highlanders. Go Highlanders!
Piedmont High School fields 15 teams for girls' sports. This is a sizable number that puts Piedmont 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 Piedmont High doesn't offer, consider looking for a local non-school team that you can join.
And now for the boys: Piedmont High School fields 18 teams for boys' sports. This puts Piedmont 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 Piedmont High doesn't offer, consider looking for a local non-school team that you can join.
| Boys Teams | Girls Teams |
|---|---|
| Lacrosse
Var
JV
|
Lacrosse
Var
JV
|
| Basketball
Var
JV
Fr
|
Basketball
Var
JV
|
| Golf
Var
|
|
| Tennis
Var
|
Tennis
Var
|
| Football
Var
JV
Fr
|
|
| Volleyball
Var
JV
Fr
|
|
| Baseball
Var
JV
Fr
|
|
| Softball
Var
JV
|
|
| Waterpolo
Var
|
Waterpolo
Var
|
| Crosscountry
Var
|
|
| Soccer
Var
JV
Fr
|
Soccer
Var
JV
|
| Swimming
Var
|
Swimming
Var
|
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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Sources
The data on this page is drawn from a variety of sources, including (but not limited to):
- National Center for Educational Statistics CCD 2013-2014
- "Free or reduced price lunch: A proxy for poverty?", NCES Blog
- CRDC 2011-2012 school year data
- California Department of Education SAT, ACT, and AP Test Results
- California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System Results
- AP Course Ledger
- IBO.org