Location: Oakland, CA
Are you a student or parent at Skyline High School? Want to understand how to get the most out of high school?
We've written the best guide to Skyline High available. Here we'll cover:
- Breakdowns of student ethnicity, gender, and family income
- How safe Skyline High is to attend
- SAT/ACT/AP scores earned by Skyline High students
- Which AP/IB classes you can take at Skyline High
- Every sports team you can join at Skyline High
Let's get started!
Basic Information
Skyline High School is a public school, supporting grades 9 to 12 . It's located in Oakland, CA in Alameda County.
Based on its location, Skyline High is classified as a school in a large city. Here's the location on a map:
Contact Information
Mailing address:
Skyline High School12250 Skyline Blvd. Oakland, CA 94619-2425
Phone number: 5104827109
Skyline High School homepage: http://www.ousd.org/Page/5787
Principal: Kevin TaylorEmail the principal: [email protected]
Student Demographics
Student Enrollment
The total enrollment at Skyline High School is 1781 students, making it a large high school, in the top 25% of all California high schools by size.
Attending Skyline 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 Skyline High School growing or shrinking? This will help you see trends in where the school is headed.
From our calculations, the enrollment at Skyline 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9th grade | 263 | 224 | 487 |
| 10th grade | 244 | 221 | 465 |
| 11th grade | 220 | 236 | 456 |
| 12th grade | 182 | 191 | 373 |
As you can see in the table above, the freshman class is 114 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 Oakland could be growing in population, thus sending more students into Skyline High. Alternatively, Skyline High could be relaxing its student policies and taking in more students.
Gender Split
Are there more boys or girls at Skyline High School?
From our statistics, Skyline High has a 52:48 split between male and female students in the high school grades.
Skyline 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 Skyline 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 Skyline High School? Does one ethnicity make up most of the student body, or is it fairly balanced?
From our statistics, Skyline 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 Skyline High is Hispanic. In California, 51.5% of all students are Hispanic, making it the most common ethnicity. Even though Skyline High is relatively diverse, students of Hispanic descent are the most common ethnicity here.
| Percentage | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.3% | 7 |
| Asian | 17.7% | 317 |
| Hispanic | 37.1% | 662 |
| Black | 34.6% | 618 |
| White | 6.5% | 116 |
| Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander | 1.7% | 31 |
| Two or more races | 1.6% | 30 |
High schools usually reflect the population in the surrounding area, so the ethnicities of students likely resembles those of Oakland. 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 Skyline High Families
What are the family incomes of students at Skyline 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 Skyline High, 9.4% of students qualify for reduced-price lunches, and 64.4% qualify for free lunches.
This means Skyline 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 Oakland is likely to be relatively low.
| Number | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced-price lunches | 168 | 9.4% |
| Free lunches | 1148 | 64.4% |
| Do not qualify for reduced-price or free lunches | 465 | 26.1% |
As with ethnicity, this likely reflects the surrounding community in Oakland and doesn't speak much about the school itself.
Skyline 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. Skyline 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 Skyline High doesn't cover, look to your local community for activities, or to the Internet for self-study AP classes.
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 Skyline 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 Skyline 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 Skyline High students at risk.
In the school year of 2011-2012, there were 0 referrals to law enforcement, and 4 school-related arrests (2 males, 2 females). This is out of a total enrollment of 1798 students.
To put this into perspective, most California schools (59% of them) reported 0 law enforcement referrals and arrests.
This means that 0.2 Skyline High is a safe school. For every 100 students, there is much fewer than 1 law-enforcement related action. It's not a perfect record, but it happens so infrequently that it might have just been a few bad apples.
With this record, is Skyline High School significantly different from other schools in the area? It could be that Skyline 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:
Oakland Unified School District Safety
| School Name | Total Referred | Total Arrests | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillside Academy | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Dewey Academy | 2 | 0 | 242 |
| Madison Park Academy 6-12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oakland High | 0 | 10 | 1730 |
| Oakland Technical High | 0 | 0 | 1858 |
| Independent Study, Sojourner Truth | 0 | 0 | 234 |
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 Skyline High School? Will you be competitive for college? Will you have access to advanced classes?
We've compiled everything we could find about Skyline 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 Skyline 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 Skyline High, 81% (of 438) Skyline 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%.
Skyline High is in the 45th percentile of all public high schools in California for graduation rate. This is below 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 Skyline 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 Skyline 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 257 at Skyline High take the SAT.
This is a below-average SAT score, putting Skyline High School in the bottom 50% of all California schools. Only 33% of students here score the national average or higher. Because the SAT measures academic achievement, this suggests that Skyline 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 Skyline 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skyline High | 462 | 466 | 457 | 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!
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 Skyline High School ACT scores with the rest of the country.
At Skyline High, the average ACT composite score was 19, compared to the nationwide average of 20. Each year, roughly 86 out of 1781 total students take the ACT.
This is below average performance, putting Skyline 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 Skyline High.
Here are the average English, Math, Reading, and Science scores for Skyline High compared to California and the US:
Average ACT Scores
| Source | English | Math | Reading | Science |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skyline High | 19 | 21 | 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!
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 Skyline 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 333 students in grades 9-12 at Skyline High take 610 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 Skyline High is 2.2 out of 5.
Unfortunately, this score puts Skyline High at below average performance. For AP tests, the passing score is considered a 3, and the majority of students who take AP tests at Skyline High don't pass. This performance places Skyline High School in the bottom 50% of schools for AP tests in California.
This isn't all bad news. It's already good that Skyline High offers an AP program, so you can start dipping your toes into college-level courses. Some schools are new to offering AP courses, and teachers often get better at preparing students for AP tests. Furthermore, a good number of students still earn a passing grade of 3 or above. With hard work throughout the year, you'll still be able to beat your school's 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 Skyline 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 Skyline High, there is a total enrollment of 513 in AP courses (a student taking more than one AP course counts more than once).
Of AP-taking students, 0 took AP tests for ALL AP courses. 369 students took AP tests for SOME AP Courses, and 140 took AP courses but took NO tests.
It seems that most students at Skyline High School who take AP courses do not take any AP exams at the end of the year. This is quite unusual, and it's possible that there is a reporting error from the high school to the government (where we got this information). Another possibility is that Skyline High offers an AP course to students, but don't expect them to take the actual AP exam.
You may want to ask your school counselor about whether AP course students usually sign up for the test. If not, ask why that is.
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 Skyline 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, 0 students passed every AP test they took, which is a fantastic job. 143 students passed some but not all AP exams, and 226 students didn't pass ANY AP exam they took.
To find out the passing rates for specific AP courses at Skyline 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 Skyline 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 Skyline 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 Skyline High.
English/Language Arts
At Skyline High School, 41% of students meet or exceed state standards in English/Language Arts.
This is considered below average and puts Skyline High in the bottom 50% of all high schools in California for English/Language Arts. The majority of Skyline 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 Skyline High will likely rise over time. But it still reflects Skyline 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 Skyline High School, 15% of students meet or exceed state standards in Math. This is considered well below average and puts Skyline High in the bottom 25% of all high schools in California. The vast majority of Skyline 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 Skyline 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 Skyline 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 Skyline High. Taking AP/IB classes also raises your weighted GPA and makes you a stronger college applicant.
Furthermore, many colleges will accept your Skyline 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 Skyline High School offer?
AP Courses
Skyline High School offers AP courses in 14 subjects.
This is a reasonable number of AP subjects, putting Skyline 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 Skyline 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 Skyline 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 Skyline 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 Skyline High during 2015-2016:
| Course Title |
|---|
| Biology |
| Calculus AB |
| Calculus BC |
| Chemistry |
| English Language and Composition |
| English Literature and Composition |
| Environmental Science |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism |
| Physics C: Mechanics |
| 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 Skyline 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 Skyline High.
By the way, the Skyline High mascot is the Titans. Go Titans!
Skyline High School fields 12 teams for girls' sports. This is a relatively number that puts Skyline 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 Skyline High doesn't offer, consider joining a local non-school team to get practice and compete.
And now for the boys: Skyline High School fields 16 teams for boys' sports. This puts Skyline 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 Skyline High doesn't offer, consider looking for a local non-school team that you can join.
| Boys Teams | Girls Teams |
|---|---|
| Lacrosse
Var
|
Lacrosse
Var
|
| Basketball
Var
JV
Fr
|
Basketball
Var
JV
|
| Golf
Var
|
|
| Tennis
Var
|
|
| Football
Var
JV
|
|
| Wrestling
Var
JV
|
|
| Volleyball
Var
|
Volleyball
Var
JV
|
| Baseball
Var
JV
|
|
| Softball
Var
|
|
| Trackfield
Var
|
Trackfield
Var
|
| Crosscountry
Var
Fr
|
Crosscountry
Var
|
| Soccer
Var
|
Soccer
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