| District | City | Rating | Students | Schools | Grades | Zip Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Spring Elementary School District | Santa Barbara | 10/10 Excellent · 99th pct | 193 | 1 | K–6 | 0 |
| Montecito Union Elementary School District | Santa Barbara | 10/10 Excellent · 99th pct | 353 | 1 | K–6 | 0 |
| Ballard Elementary School District | Solvang | 10/10 Excellent · 96th pct | 118 | 1 | K–6 | 0 |
| Hope Elementary School District | Santa Barbara | 10/10 Excellent · 92nd pct | 839 | 3 | K–6 | 0 |
| Goleta Union Elementary School District | Goleta | 9/10 Excellent · 85th pct | 3,416 | 10 | K–6 | 0 |
| Solvang Elementary School District | Solvang | 8/10 Good · 79th pct | 593 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Los Olivos Elementary School District | Los Olivos | 8/10 Good · 77th pct | 163 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| College Elementary School District | Santa Ynez | 8/10 Good · 73rd pct | 202 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Buellton Union Elementary School District | Buellton | 7/10 Good · 69th pct | 519 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Santa Barbara Unified School District | Santa Barbara | 7/10 Good · 67th pct | 12,583 | 21 | K–12 | 9 |
| Vista del Mar Union Elementary School District | Gaviota | 7/10 Good · 65th pct | 39 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Orcutt Union Elementary School District | Casmalia | 7/10 Good · 63rd pct | 4,717 | 10 | K–12 | 2 |
| Carpinteria Unified School District | Carpinteria | 7/10 Good · 62nd pct | 2,010 | 6 | K–12 | 2 |
| Blochman Union Elementary School District | Santa Maria | 6/10 Average · 58th pct | 189 | 1 | K–12 | 0 |
| Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District | Buellton | 6/10 Average · 52nd pct | 853 | 2 | 9–12 | 4 |
| Santa Maria Joint Union High School District | Guadalupe | 5/10 Average · 43rd pct | 9,251 | 4 | 9–12 | 4 |
| Cuyama Joint Unified School District | New Cuyama | 4/10 Below Average · 34th pct | 182 | 3 | K–12 | 1 |
| Lompoc Unified School District | Lompoc | 3/10 Below Average · 24th pct | 9,061 | 16 | K–12 | 2 |
| Santa Maria-Bonita Elementary School District | Santa Maria | 2/10 Poor · 13th pct | 16,703 | 21 | K–8 | 0 |
| Guadalupe Union Elementary School District | Guadalupe | 2/10 Poor · 10th pct | 1,279 | 3 | K–8 | 0 |
How Santa Barbara County compares
Together they enroll 63,263 students across 110 schools. The largest is Santa Maria-Bonita Elementary School District with 16,703 students. Districts here average 6.8/10, above the California average of 5.7/10. Ratings range from 2/10 to 10/10.
School Districts in Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County has 20 public school districts covering 24 zip codes. The top-rated district in Santa Barbara County is Cold Spring Elementary School District (10/10). Ratings are based on the share of students proficient in reading and math on state assessments (CAASPP 2023–24), ranked against all districts in California. Directory details come from NCES CCD 2024–25.
Enter your zip code on any page to confirm your exact district assignment — district boundaries are address-specific and may not follow county or city lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many school districts are in Santa Barbara County, CA?
20 school districts serve zip codes in Santa Barbara County, CA. This page lists each one with its rating, enrollment, grade span and the zip codes it covers.
What is the best-rated school district in Santa Barbara County, CA?
Of the districts serving Santa Barbara County, Cold Spring Elementary School District has the highest rating on this site at 10/10. That places it in the 99th percentile among California school districts.
How are these school district ratings calculated?
Each rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above on California reading and math assessments, ranked against other districts in California and converted to a 1–10 scale. Percentiles compare districts within California only, never across state lines.