Etna Union High School: Full Guide

Location: Etna, CA

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

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

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

Let's get started!

Basic Information

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

Based on its location, Etna Union High is classified as a school in a remote rural area, over 25 miles away from an urbanized area. Here's the location on a map:

Contact Information

Mailing address:

Etna Union High School
Po Box 721
Etna, CA 96027-0721

Phone number: 5304673244

Etna Union High School homepage: http://www.svusd.us/

Principal: Mark Evans
Email the principal: [email protected]

Student Demographics

Student Enrollment

The total enrollment at Etna Union High School is 180 students, making it a somewhat small high school, in the bottom half of all California high schools by size.

As a smaller-sized high school, Etna Union High will feel like a cozy learning environment. With fewer than 100 students in your class, you'll likely get to know most other students and your teachers well. This will give you the feeling of a small liberal arts college.

But with a smaller student body, you won't have as many activities and clubs to choose from. If you find Etna Union High lacking for your interests, consider looking to your local community to supplement your interests.

Growth in Student Body Size

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

From our calculations, the enrollment at Etna Union High has stayed about the same 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	18	27	45
10^th grade	26	26	52
11^th grade	18	20	38
12^th grade	20	25	45

Gender Split

Are there more boys or girls at Etna Union High School?

From our statistics, Etna Union High has a 46:54 split between male and female students in the high school grades.

Etna Union High has a balanced male-female ratio that's largely representative of the general population in Siskiyou 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 Etna Union 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 Etna Union High School? Does one ethnicity make up most of the student body, or is it fairly balanced?

From our statistics, Etna Union High has a somewhat homogenous student body, with the majority of students identifying as one ethnicity, but not representing over 70% of the student body. Most schools in California fit this profile, so Etna Union High isn't out of the ordinary. Most students attending class with you will be of the predominant ethnicity, but there will be meaningful diversity from other races.

The majority of students at Etna Union 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 Etna Union High is one of hundreds of schools in the state that have a majority of white students.

	Percentage	Number
American Indian/Alaska Native	7.7%	14
Asian	1.1%	2
Hispanic	15.5%	28
Black	1.6%	3
White	68.3%	123
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander	0.5%	1
Two or more races	5.0%	9

High schools usually reflect the population in the surrounding area, so the ethnicities of students likely resembles those of Etna. 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 Etna Union High Families

What are the family incomes of students at Etna Union 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 Etna Union High, 11.6% of students qualify for reduced-price lunches, and 36.6% qualify for free lunches.

This means Etna Union High has a below average level of poverty. With most students not qualifying for free or reduced price lunches, Etna Union High is below average among California schools in poverty level. The income level of families in Etna is thus likely to be relatively high.

	Number	Percent
Reduced-price lunches	21	11.6%
Free lunches	66	36.6%
Do not qualify for reduced-price or free lunches	93	51.6%

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

Etna Union 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. Etna Union 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 Etna Union 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 Etna Union 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 Etna Union 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 Etna Union High students at risk.

In the school year of 2011-2012, there were 0 referrals to law enforcement, and 0 school-related arrests. This is out of a total enrollment of 182 students.

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

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

Scott Valley Unified School District Safety

School Name	Total Referred	Total Arrests	Enrollment
Scott River High	0	0	6
Scott Valley Community Day	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 Etna Union High School? Will you be competitive for college? Will you have access to advanced classes?

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

Standardized Testing

Next, we'll look at another major piece of high school academics: standardized testing performance for Etna Union 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 Etna Union High School SAT scores.

The average composite SAT score is a 1540 out of 2400, compared to a national average of 1500. Each year, roughly 35 at Etna Union High take the SAT.

This is an average SAT score, putting Etna Union High School right around the national average. Because the SAT measures academic achievement, this suggests that Etna Union High will offer a fairly standard high school education, neither strongly lacking or outperforming.

Note, however, that this is just an average - the top students can still exceed the average significantly. If you can rise far above your school average, you'll have a great shot at entering a strong college.

Here's a breakdown of SAT scores by section:

Average SAT Scores (2013-2014)

Source	Critical Reading	Math	Writing	Composite
Etna Union High	513	525	502	1540
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 1540 as an SAT score? Find out with our complete 1540 SAT score guide, including which colleges you can get into with a 1540 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 Etna Union High School ACT scores with the rest of the country.

At Etna Union High, the average ACT composite score was 22, compared to the nationwide average of 20. Each year, roughly 21 out of 180 total students take the ACT.

This is above average performance, putting Etna Union High in the top 50% of California high schools. Since the ACT tests what you learn in school, these ACT scores are a good indication that you'll get an above-average education at Etna Union High.

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

Average ACT Scores

Source	English	Math	Reading	Science
Etna Union High	22	22	24	21
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 Etna Union 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 16 students in grades 9-12 at Etna Union High take 24 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 Etna Union High is 3.0 out of 5.

This score puts Etna Union 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 Etna Union High School in the top 50% of schools for AP tests.

It's great that Etna Union 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:

To find out the passing rates for specific AP courses at Etna Union 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 Etna Union 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 Etna Union 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 Etna Union High.

English/Language Arts

At Etna Union High School, 77% of students meet or exceed state standards in English/Language Arts.

This is considered good and puts Etna Union High in the top 25% of all high schools in California for English/Language Arts. Most Etna Union High students pass or exceed state standards, though there is also a sizable portion of students who fail to meet state standards.

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 Etna Union High School, 52% of students meet or exceed state standards in Math. This is considered well below average and puts Etna Union High in the bottom 25% of all high schools in California. The vast majority of Etna Union 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 Etna Union 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 Etna Union 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 Etna Union High. Taking AP/IB classes also raises your weighted GPA and makes you a stronger college applicant.

Furthermore, many colleges will accept your Etna Union 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 Etna Union High School offer?

AP Courses

Etna Union High School offers AP courses in 2 subjects.

This is a low number of AP subjects, putting Etna Union High School in the bottom 25% of California schools offering AP courses. You'll be very limited in your ability to explore your interests in math, science, humanities, or social sciences at Etna Union High.

Take a look at every AP subject offered. If you want to take any AP courses not being offered at Etna Union High, ask your counselor for ideas on how to cover the gap. If you're a strong student and not feeling adequately challenged, you might consider transferring to another high school to access a more advanced curriculum.

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

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

Course Title
English Literature and Composition
United States History

Sports Teams

Finally, we'll cover which sports teams are available at Etna Union 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 Etna Union High.

By the way, the Etna Union High mascot is the Lions. Go Lions!

Etna Union High School fields 9 teams for girls' sports. This is a relatively number that puts Etna Union High in the bottom 50% of California schools that offer girls' sports. This is understandable - sports teams are expensive to support, and many schools would rather put those resources elsewhere. If you participate in a sport that Etna Union High doesn't offer, consider joining a local non-school team to get practice and compete.

And now for the boys: Etna Union High School fields 9 teams for boys' sports. This relatively number puts Etna Union High in the bottom 50% of California schools that offer boys' sports. Sports teams are expensive to support, and Etna Union High may not be able to offer the full range of options. If you participate in a sport that Etna Union High doesn't offer, consider joining a local non-school team to get practice and compete.

Boys Teams	Girls Teams
Basketball Var JV Fr	Basketball Var JV Fr
	Golf 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
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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