Lancaster High School: Full Guide

Location: Lancaster, CA

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

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

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

Let's get started!

Basic Information

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

Based on its location, Lancaster High is classified as a school in a large suburb. Here's the location on a map:

Contact Information

Mailing address:

Lancaster High School
44701 32nd St. W.
Lancaster, CA 93536-7023

Phone number: 6617267649

Lancaster High School homepage: http://www.lnhs.org/

Principal: Jose Barajas
Email the principal: [email protected]

Student Demographics

Student Enrollment

The total enrollment at Lancaster High School is 2318 students, making it a very large high school, in the top 10% of all California high schools by size.

Wow! Attending Lancaster High might feel like attending a college. You'll be surrounded by a large group of students (over 500 per class) and have more options for activities and clubs to join, which can be exciting.

On the other hand, you may also find that resources like counseling are spread thin across so many students. Make sure that you can get enough teacher and counselor attention to succeed at Lancaster High, which may require being proactive.

Growth in Student Body Size

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

From our calculations, the enrollment at Lancaster 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
9^th grade	318	319	637
10^th grade	335	279	614
11^th grade	257	265	522
12^th grade	266	279	545

As you can see in the table above, the freshman class is 92 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 Lancaster could be growing in population, thus sending more students into Lancaster High. Alternatively, Lancaster High could be relaxing its student policies and taking in more students.

Gender Split

Are there more boys or girls at Lancaster High School?

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

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

From our statistics, Lancaster High has a diverse student body. No single ethnicity composes more than 50% of all students, which means you'll be surrounded by a diverse set of students in class. Only a third of California schools show this much diversity.

The most common ethnicity at Lancaster High is Hispanic. In California, 51.5% of all students are Hispanic, making it the most common ethnicity. Even though Lancaster High is relatively diverse, students of Hispanic descent are the most common ethnicity here.

	Percentage	Number
American Indian/Alaska Native	0.7%	18
Asian	5.3%	125
Hispanic	43.8%	1016
Black	19.0%	442
White	26.5%	616
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander	0.3%	9
Two or more races	3.9%	92

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

What are the family incomes of students at Lancaster 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 Lancaster High, 8.3% of students qualify for reduced-price lunches, and 44.0% qualify for free lunches.

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

	Number	Percent
Reduced-price lunches	193	8.3%
Free lunches	1020	44.0%
Do not qualify for reduced-price or free lunches	1105	47.6%

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

Lancaster 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. Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 2452 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:

Antelope Valley Union High School District Safety

School Name	Total Referred	Total Arrests	Enrollment
Antelope Valley High	0	0	1764
Desert Winds Continuation High	0	0	433
Palmdale High	0	0	3067
Quartz Hill High	0	0	3151
Phoenix High Community Day	0	0	140
Desert Sands Charter	0	0	1771

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 Lancaster High School? Will you be competitive for college? Will you have access to advanced classes?

We've compiled everything we could find about Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster High, 86% (of 589) Lancaster 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%.

Lancaster High is in the 59th 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster High School SAT scores.

The average composite SAT score is a 1380 out of 2400, compared to a national average of 1500. Each year, roughly 316 at Lancaster High take the SAT.

This is a below-average SAT score, putting Lancaster High School in the bottom 50% of all California schools. Only 31% of students here score the national average or higher. Because the SAT measures academic achievement, this suggests that Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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
Lancaster High	471	460	458	1380
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 1380 as an SAT score? Find out with our complete 1380 SAT score guide, including which colleges you can get into with a 1380 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 Lancaster High School ACT scores with the rest of the country.

At Lancaster High, the average ACT composite score was 19, compared to the nationwide average of 20. Each year, roughly 77 out of 2318 total students take the ACT.

This is below average performance, putting Lancaster 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 Lancaster High.

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

Average ACT Scores

Source	English	Math	Reading	Science
Lancaster High	19	19	20	19
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 Lancaster 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 283 students in grades 9-12 at Lancaster High take 485 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 Lancaster High is 1.8 out of 5.

Compared to schools across California, this score puts Lancaster High at below average performance. On AP tests, the passing score is considered a 3, and unfortunately the number of students who don't pass is greater than the number of do. This performance places Lancaster High School in the bottom 25 % of schools for AP tests.

This isn't all bad news for you, though. It's still good that Lancaster High offers AP classes so you have the opportunity to take courses at a college level. Your school might be new to offering AP courses, and typically teachers get better at preparing students for AP tests over time. Finally, as you'll see below, there are still students who earn a passing grade of 3 or above - and with hard work, you can be one of them.

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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster High, there is a total enrollment of 450 in AP courses (a student taking more than one AP course counts more than once).

Of AP-taking students, 196 took AP tests for ALL AP courses. 41 students took AP tests for SOME AP Courses, and 209 took AP courses but took NO tests.

This is good test participation. Most students at Lancaster High School are taking some or all AP exams available to them, and only a minority of students end up taking zero AP tests. This means most students feel well enough prepared to take the nationwide AP tests for their courses.

There's still some room for improvement. Lancaster High could reduce the number of AP students who take zero AP exams, and encourage students to take all AP exams available to them. Some students may not feel confident that they'll pass, so they choose not to take the test. By building a better AP program Lancaster High could improve their AP exam participation.

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 Lancaster 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, 35 students passed every AP test they took, which is a fantastic job. 36 students passed some but not all AP exams, and 144 students didn't pass ANY AP exam they took.

Unfortunately, this is poor performance compared to other high schools. At Lancaster High School, the majority of AP students fail ALL of the AP exams they take. This usually means that they're not adequately prepared for the national AP exam at the end of the year.

This isn't necessarily the school's fault. AP courses may be too advanced for the typical student at Lancaster High, and it's still a good thing that AP courses are offered at all. Furthermore, it's possible that a majority of the AP exams taken by students at Lancaster High are on the more difficult side.

However, if you're a student at Lancaster High, this is a warning that you'll have to go above and beyond the typical student to pass your AP exams. This may entail self-studying, figuring out who the better AP teachers are and trying to get into their classes, and working hard.

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

English/Language Arts

At Lancaster High School, 51% of students meet or exceed state standards in English/Language Arts.

This is considered above average and puts Lancaster High in the top 50% of all high schools in California for English/Language Arts. Around half of Lancaster High students pass state standards, and around half do not.

This specific percentage isn't much cause for concern - because the standards have gotten harder with the Common Core, the pass rate at Lancaster High will likely rise over time. But it still reflects Lancaster High's roughly average ranking 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 Lancaster High School, 18% of students meet or exceed state standards in Math. This is considered well below average and puts Lancaster High in the bottom 25% of all high schools in California. The vast majority of Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster High. Taking AP/IB classes also raises your weighted GPA and makes you a stronger college applicant.

Furthermore, many colleges will accept your Lancaster 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 Lancaster High School offer?

AP Courses

Lancaster High School offers AP courses in 15 subjects.

This is a reasonable number of AP subjects, putting Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster High during 2015-2016:

Course Title
Biology
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Chemistry
English Language and Composition
English Literature and Composition
Environmental Science
Physics 1: Algebra-Based
Physics C: Mechanics
Psychology
Spanish Language and Culture
Statistics
United States Government and Politics
United States History
World History

Sports Teams

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

By the way, the Lancaster High mascot is the Eagles. Go Eagles!

Lancaster High School fields 14 teams for girls' sports. This is a sizable number that puts Lancaster 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 Lancaster High doesn't offer, consider looking for a local non-school team that you can join.

And now for the boys: Lancaster High School fields 19 teams for boys' sports. This puts Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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	Wrestling Var JV Fr
Volleyball Var JV Fr	Volleyball Var JV Fr
Baseball Var JV Fr
	Softball Var JV Fr
Trackfield Var JV Fr	Trackfield Var JV Fr
Soccer Var JV Fr	Soccer Var JV Fr
	Fieldhockey 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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