| Santa Ana Unified School District | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
1601 E. Chestnut Ave. Santa Ana ,California,92701United States | |
| District information | |
| Type | Public |
| Grades | K–12[1] |
| NCES District ID | 0635310[1] |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 44,102[2] |
| Teachers | 1,836.5[1] |
| Staff | 2,502.24[1] |
| Student–teacher ratio | 24.11[1] |
| Other information | |
| Website | www |
TheSanta Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) is a school district inOrange County, California,United States, that serves most of the city ofSanta Ana and small portions of the cities ofIrvine,Tustin,Costa Mesa andNewport Beach. Although its geographic size is only 24 square miles (62 km2), it is the 12th largest school district in the state ofCalifornia with approximately 44,102 students. The school district employs approximately 4,500 staff, and its operating budget is $483.1 million.
Founded in 1888, the district has grown and changed in response to demographic, economic and educational trends.[3]
The Santa Ana Unified School District Police Department is the 2nd largest school police agency in California with 30 sworn officers, 41 civilian safety officers, 6 dispatchers, and 3 full-time administrative personnel. The department is the primary law enforcement agency for the school district. The Santa Ana School Police Department is an approved law enforcement agency in accordance with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.). Santa Ana School Police officers get their peace officer status from California Penal Code, Section 830.32(b).[4]
In early 2019, charter-holder Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) threatened not to renew theOrange County School of the Arts' (OCSA) charter over a claim of an alleged misallocation of $19,000,000 in Special Education funding as well as an additional claim that OCSA's existing admissions practices were discriminatory and resulted in a student body did not represent demographics of Santa Ana's largelyHispanic neighborhoods.
Principal Ralph Opacic defended OCSA by saying,
"We are the Orange County School of the Arts, not the Santa Ana School of the Arts. The blame for not serving more Santa Ana students is misplaced. Santa Ana Unified should be working harder to provide more arts-rich experiences for kids, so they discover and follow that pathway"
In early 2020, OCSA brought their case to the Orange County Board of Education (OCBE), and asked for the OCBE to renew their charter instead, and on March 4, 2020, The Orange County Board of Education voted to renew the school's five year charter, resulting in the forfeiture of SAUSD's governing rights over OCSA as a school in their district.
SAUSD was to remain governing over OCSA until June 30, 2020, and on July 1, the Orange County Board of Education gained control over the school.
As of the 2020-2021 school year, OCSA has instituted new admissions requirements involving "auditions" being replaced with "placement activities" to determine if potential students are a fit for the conservatories they have applied to. If there are too many applications accepted, an admissions lottery will be instituted.[5][6][7]
On September 11, 2023, The Louis D. Brandeis Center For Human Rights Under the Law, Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish League, Potomac Law Group, and Stand With Us filed a lawsuit, on behalf of students, against SAUSD that “alleged violations of California’s open meetings law, including failing to provide proper public notice before approving multiple ethnic studies courses containing anti-Jewish bias and for refusing to protect the public, including members of the Jewish community, from intimidation and harassment at Board meetings.” Plaintiffs allege SAUSD violated theBrown Act, which prohibits secret legislation by public bodies and requires open meetings. The lawsuit asked the court to block the controversial curriculum.[8] In 2025, the district settled the lawsuit, agreeing to refrain from teaching Ethnic Studies World Geography, Ethnic Studies World Histories, and Ethnic Studies: Perspectives, Identities, and Social Justice pending review and revisions involving public input.[9][10]
Santa Ana Unified School District Intermediate Schools is a school district that contains the following schools:
| Godinez Fundamental High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
 | |
3002 W Centennial Rd , United States | |
| Coordinates | 33°43′22.7″N117°54′36.4″W / 33.722972°N 117.910111°W /33.722972; -117.910111 |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 2007 |
| Enrollment | 1,792 (2023–2024)[15] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 20.21\ |
| Colors | Gold, black, and white |
| Nickname | Grizzlies |
| Website | www.godinez.sausd.us |
In July 2024, Aaron Raya, a track and football coach and substitute teacher at SAUSD's Godinez Fundamental High School, was arrested after it was revealed he sent "inappropriate texts" which encouraged an underage female student to meet him for sex.[16] Raya was charged with contacting minors with the intent to commit a sex crime, with police identifying two additional underage victims and other former Godinez students who accused Raya of making "sexual advances" towards them.[16] The Santa Ana Unified School District released a statement to USA TODAY on July 16, 2024, claiming that "Santa Ana Unified School District is cooperating with the Santa Ana Police Department following the arrest of a suspect who served as a coach and substitute teacher at Godinez Fundamental High School. We understand that this news may be concerning to our community. We take all allegations of misconduct very seriously, and the safety and well-being of our students is always our top priority."[16][17]
| Lorin Griset Academy | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| |
1915 W. McFadden Avenue , United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 2006 |
| Principal | Michael A. Parra |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 300 (2023–2024)[19] |
| Mascot | Puma |
| Website | https://www.sausd.us/Domain/3533 |
In September 2021, theOrange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) launched the Youth Ride Free Pass, a pilot program allowing riders ages 6 to 18 to use county buses at no cost.[20] The passes were available through local school districts and online, funded byCaltrans and theCalifornia Air Resources Board. Santa Ana Unified School District Superintendent Jerry Almendarez stated that the free rides would serve as “a vital resource for our families,” assisting students who rely on buses to travel to and from school.[21]
| International | |
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| National | |
