San Marcos High School is a public high school located in a suburban area two miles from the city of Santa Barbara, California. Accredited through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the school was named a California Distinguished School in 1994 and 2005, and a Gold Ribbon School in 2015. History San Marcos High School was established in 1958. The campus was first located at the Rivera Theater campus on Alameda Padre Serra for the 1958-59 school year. Only sophomores comprised the first group of students. The campus moved to its current location for the 1959-60 school year at 4750 Hollister Ave. Santa Barbara, CA 93110. Only sophomores and juniors comprised the second group of students. For the 1960–61 school year, San Marcos had three full grade levels and also its first graduating class. Student body San Marcos High School enrolls 2,043 ninth through twelfth grade students from a diverse variety of economic and ethnic backgrounds from the Santa Barbara community. The student body is classified as follows: 50.7% of students are "Socioeconomically Disadvantaged", 9.4% of students are "English Learners" and 14.1% of student are "Students with Disabilities". Exit survey results from the Class of 2014 indicated that 93% of graduates will continue their education, with approximately 39% of those graduates attending a 4-year institution, and 54% attending a 2-year institution. Curriculum San Marcos operates on a 4 X 4 Block Schedule, with four terms per year. Each class period is approximately 90 minutes in length. A full schedule is considered three classes per term. Final grades and credits are given each term, which equates to a semester under other systems. In order to graduate, students are required to complete a minimum of 220 units/credits and to pass the California High School Exit Examination. In addition to these academic requirements, all students are required to complete 60 hours of community service for graduation. Weighted grades are given in Honors, AP and Dual Enrollment courses, the most rigorous classes offered at the school. Honors classes are offered in core courses in grades 9-11. AP courses are taken primarily by juniors and seniors. AP course offerings include American Government, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Computer Science, English Language, English Literature, Environmental Science, European History, French, Latin, Psychology, Physics, Studio Art, Art History, U.S. History and World History. English, Calculus, Statistics, Spanish Language, Environmental Horticulture, Latin, Professional Development, Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Terminology, Marketing