MONTEBELLO – Montebello Unified School District high schools graduated 87.1 percent of students in 2014-15 who entered ninth grade in 2011. The graduation rate exceeds the Los Angeles County average of 78.7 percent and the state average of 82.3 percent.

Bell Gardens High School boasted a 92.3 grad rate, up from 90.8 percent in 2013-14. Also in 2014-15, 87.4 percent of students graduated from Montebello High and Schurr High maintained a 93.5 percent rate.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank our teachers, staff, administrators, parents, and our District community for their joint efforts in graduating nearly 2,000 students last year,” MUSD Board of Education President Benjamin Cárdenas said. “We are continuing our diligent work to increase that number, ensuring more students are earning high school diplomas while preparing for college and career.”

More students also completed all courses required for entrance into University of California and California State University schools. The MUSD rate leaped to 31.9 percent from 27.6 percent in 2014-15.

“Montebello Unified has excellent quality programs, services and resources – and it is our goal to increase access to opportunities that get more students to the finish line,” MUSD Superintendent Susanna Contreras Smith said. “I am proud of our efforts and look forward to strengthening these rates in the years to come.”

  • Montebello Unified grad rates also top state and county averages for the following student groups:
  • English learners at 74.5 percent
  • Migrant at 100 percent
  • Hispanic/Latino at 86.9 percent
  • Special education at 70.8 percent
  • Socioeconomically disadvantaged at 87.1 percent