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Join the 11 supporters who believe in this school.
About this school
Alta Vista Alternative High School is
an urban public school
in Santa Barbara, California that is part of Santa Barbara Unified School District.
It serves 134 students
in grades 9 - 12 with a student/teacher ratio of 16.8:1.
Its teachers have had 3 projects funded on DonorsChoose.
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of students receive free or reduced price lunch
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
Source: the National Center for Education Statistics
59%
of students are Black, Latino, Native
American, or Asian
Data about school demographics comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. The numbers in this chart may not add up to 100% because of limitations in the available data.
Alta Vista Alternative High School Support on DonorsChoose
Last updated Feb 28, 2026
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Alta Vista Alternative High School
$2,437
raised using DonorsChoose
3
projects
funded
3
teachers
funded
11
donors
1
project for
books
Alta Vista Alternative High School has received support from
11 individuals from California and
0 individuals out-of-state.