Dinuba High School: Full Guide

Location: Dinuba, CA

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

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

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

Let's get started!

Basic Information

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

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

Contact Information

Mailing address:

Dinuba High School
1327 E. El Monte Way
Dinuba, CA 93618-1825

Phone number: 5595957220

Dinuba High School homepage: http://dhs.dinuba.k12.ca.us/

Principal: Michael Roberts
Email the principal: [email protected]

Student Demographics

Student Enrollment

The total enrollment at Dinuba High School is 1911 students, making it a large high school, in the top 25% of all California high schools by size.

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

From our calculations, the enrollment at Dinuba 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	270	252	522
10^th grade	287	251	538
11^th grade	233	224	457
12^th grade	177	217	394

As you can see in the table above, the freshman class is 128 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 Dinuba could be growing in population, thus sending more students into Dinuba High. Alternatively, Dinuba High could be relaxing its student policies and taking in more students.

Gender Split

Are there more boys or girls at Dinuba High School?

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

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

From our statistics, Dinuba High has a very homogenous student body, with over 90% of students identifying as one ethnicity. This is especially extreme - fewer than 10% of California schools show as little racial diversity as Dinuba High does. When attending class, you'll be surrounded by students of the same ethnicity.

The majority of students at Dinuba 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 Dinuba High fits within this category.

	Percentage	Number
American Indian/Alaska Native	0.2%	5
Asian	1.8%	36
Hispanic	90.3%	1727
Black	0.7%	15
White	6.3%	122
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander	0.2%	5
Two or more races	0.0%	1

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

What are the family incomes of students at Dinuba 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 Dinuba High, 9.7% of students qualify for reduced-price lunches, and 64.9% qualify for free lunches.

This means Dinuba 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 Dinuba is likely to be relatively low.

	Number	Percent
Reduced-price lunches	186	9.7%
Free lunches	1242	64.9%
Do not qualify for reduced-price or free lunches	483	25.2%

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

Dinuba 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. Dinuba 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 Dinuba 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 Dinuba 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 Dinuba 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 Dinuba High students at risk.

In the school year of 2011-2012, there were 14 referrals to law enforcement (12 male, 2 female), and 14 school-related arrests (12 males, 2 females). This is out of a total enrollment of 1828 students.

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

This means that 1.5 Dinuba High has minor safety issues. For every 100 students, there were just 1.5 law-enforcement related actions, but this is still higher than 75% of California schools.

With this record, is Dinuba High School significantly different from other schools in the area? It could be that Dinuba 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:

Dinuba Unified School District Safety

School Name	Total Referred	Total Arrests	Enrollment
Sierra Vista High (continuation)	36	18	73
Ronald Reagan Academy	0	0	182

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

We've compiled everything we could find about Dinuba 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 Dinuba 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 Dinuba High, 96% (of 378) Dinuba 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%.

Dinuba High is in the 90th percentile of all public high schools in California for graduation rate. This is well 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 Dinuba 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 Dinuba High School SAT scores.

The average composite SAT score is a 1280 out of 2400, compared to a national average of 1500. Each year, roughly 244 at Dinuba High take the SAT.

This is a very low SAT score, putting Dinuba High in the bottom 25% of all California schools, and well below the national average. Only 18% of SAT takers here score above the national average. Unfortunately, this suggests that most students attending Dinuba High are not high-achieving, and may find it difficult to be admitted to a good college.

Note, however, that an average is just an average - you still have the potential to rise above expectations. If you work hard and earn an SAT score well above Dinuba 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
Dinuba High	429	437	421	1280
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 1280 as an SAT score? Find out with our complete 1280 SAT score guide, including which colleges you can get into with a 1280 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 Dinuba High School ACT scores with the rest of the country.

At Dinuba High, the average ACT composite score was 17, compared to the nationwide average of 20. Each year, roughly 107 out of 1911 total students take the ACT.

Unfortunately, this is well below average performance, putting Dinuba High in the bottom 25% of high schools in California. Most students who take the ACT here are well below the national average.

Since the ACT tests what you learn in school, this may be a warning sign that the quality of education you'll receive at Dinuba High may be lacking compared to other schools.

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

Average ACT Scores

Source	English	Math	Reading	Science
Dinuba High	16	19	18	18
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 Dinuba 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 182 students in grades 9-12 at Dinuba High take 347 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 Dinuba High is 1.9 out of 5.

Compared to schools across California, this score puts Dinuba 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 Dinuba 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 Dinuba 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 Dinuba 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 Dinuba High, there is a total enrollment of 247 in AP courses (a student taking more than one AP course counts more than once).

Of AP-taking students, 8 took AP tests for ALL AP courses. 117 students took AP tests for SOME AP Courses, and 134 took AP courses but took NO tests.

This is bad test participation. Most AP students at Dinuba High School take the AP exam for NONE of their AP courses. This is an unusual situation, as the goal of an AP course is typically to take the standardized national AP test.

What you want to figure out is why so many students take AP courses but end up not taking the course. Do they not feel comfortable enough taking the AP test, knowing they may not pass? Or is it hard for Dinuba High students to take AP courses? Good people to ask are your counselors and AP teachers.

Hopefully, you may find that there are just logistical issues with taking AP tests that you might be able to overcome. However, you may also learn that the AP courses at Dinuba High don't prepare students well enough for the test, which reflects poorly on the AP program at your school. If the AP resources available to you don't give you confidence, consider self-studying to prepare for the AP test.

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 Dinuba 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, 23 students passed every AP test they took, which is a fantastic job. 17 students passed some but not all AP exams, and 14 students didn't pass ANY AP exam they took.

This is good performance. The majority of students pass SOME or ALL of the AP tests. Only a minority of students at Dinuba High School fail all the AP exams they take.

Overall, this points to a fairly strong AP program at Dinuba High. Most students are able to pass at least one of the AP tests they take, which means the teaching is likely of acceptable quality, and the students are motivated to do well. However, the program isn't strong across the board. Some teachers or courses may be better than others, and students at Dinuba High may be stronger at some subjects and weaker in others.

If you attend Dinuba High, this means you'll have a good starting point to work from - but if you want to pass all the AP tests you take, you'll need to work hard and use good study strategies.

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

English/Language Arts

At Dinuba High School, 48% of students meet or exceed state standards in English/Language Arts.

This is considered above average and puts Dinuba High in the top 50% of all high schools in California for English/Language Arts. Around half of Dinuba 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 Dinuba High will likely rise over time. But it still reflects Dinuba 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 Dinuba High School, 13% of students meet or exceed state standards in Math. This is considered well below average and puts Dinuba High in the bottom 25% of all high schools in California. The vast majority of Dinuba 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 Dinuba 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 Dinuba 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 Dinuba High. Taking AP/IB classes also raises your weighted GPA and makes you a stronger college applicant.

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

AP Courses

Dinuba High School offers AP courses in 11 subjects.

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

Course Title
Biology
Calculus AB
English Language and Composition
English Literature and Composition
Environmental Science
European History
French Language and Culture
Psychology
Spanish Language and Culture
Statistics
United States History

Sports Teams

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

By the way, the Dinuba High mascot is the Emperors. Go Emperors!

Dinuba High School fields 17 teams for girls' sports. This is a high number that puts Dinuba High in the top 25% of California schools that offer girls' sports. If you're a female, you'll have lots of options of sports and levels to try out for.

And now for the boys: Dinuba High School fields 22 teams for boys' sports. This puts Dinuba High in the top 25% of California schools that offer boys' sports. Boys will have a large pick of sports to try out for.

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
Waterpolo Var JV Fr	Waterpolo 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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