How to Enroll at Western High School
Western High School enrolls students by Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) attendance area: students who live inside the boundary register by address, with no entrance exam. The district's Find My School tool is the authority on which school an address is assigned to.
AUHSD residents who want a school other than their assigned one can apply under the district's intradistrict transfer policy (8535.5). The policy places all students living in a school's attendance area first and fills any remaining seats by random lottery among applications filed in the district's application period; the district sets the period and eligibility each year, and families provide their own transportation.
Students who live outside the district, including Irvine residents, must first obtain a release from their home district and then file AUHSD's Inter-district Transfer Incoming Application. Under the district's interdistrict policy (8536), AUHSD considers incoming transfers only for these reasons: a continuing student at the requested school, a sibling of a continuing student, a child of an AUHSD employee, a parent or guardian employed within district boundaries, or a specific instructional program offered at the requested school. Approval also requires available space and satisfactory grades, credits, attendance and behavior; permits are valid for one school year, and no transportation is provided. The policy also states that AUHSD is not a District of Choice, the state program under which a district voluntarily accepts out-of-district students.
When AUHSD denies an interdistrict request, it provides a written explanation. Families may appeal to Student Support Services on the district's appeal form within 7 calendar days of the denial letter, and after the district's final decision they may appeal to the Orange County Board of Education within 30 calendar days.
Courses and Signature Programs at Western High School
In the 2026-27 University of California A-G course list, Western High School has 131 approved courses, including 10 AP courses and 15 UC-approved honors courses (courses that receive extra weight in the UC GPA). See the full A-G list.
- Career Pathways
- The school's 2025-26 SARC lists BITA (Building/Construction), JROTC, Culinary Arts, Health Careers, Business Systems & Technology, Digital Media/Video Production and Dance.
- Honors and Advanced Placement (AP)
- The school offers honors and AP courses alongside college-preparatory core academics; AP is the College Board's program of college-level courses.
- 5Cs Capstone Portfolio
- Students complete a portfolio showing their achievement and growth in the district's 5Cs (critical thinking, communication, creativity, collaboration and character).
- Visual and Performing Arts
- The school offers instrumental music, vocal music and visual arts courses.
Academic Results at Western High School: CAASPP and Graduation
In the 2024-25 California state tests (CAASPP), 44.1% of Western High School 11th graders met or exceeded the English language arts standard and 16% met or exceeded the math standard; the statewide figures for 11th graders were 57% and 30.5%. For the class of 2025, 97.6% of the 332 students in the four-year cohort graduated, and 55.6% of graduates completed the A-G courses required for UC and CSU admission.
| Western High School | California | |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 ELA met or exceeded | 44.1% | 57% |
| Grade 11 math met or exceeded | 16% | 30.5% |
Twelve Years of UC Application Data at Western High School: Applicants, Admit Rates and GPA
The University of California publishes applicants, admits and enrollees for every California high school. Combined 2023–2025, 132 of 210 applications from Western High School to the UC system were admitted (63%). Categories with fewer than five students are not published by UC and appear as "—", not zero.
The ten lines are hard to tell apart where they overlap. Hover over any campus name below to highlight that campus’s trend; click to keep it highlighted, and click again to clear it.Tap any campus name below to highlight that campus’s trend; tap again to clear it.
| UC campus (fall 2025) | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Enrollees | Admit GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 18 | 3 | 17% | — | — |
| UC Los Angeles | 35 | 3 | 9% | 3 | — |
| UC San Diego | 31 | 13 | 42% | 5 | 4.15 |
| UC Davis | 9 | 5 | 56% | — | 4.06 |
| UC Irvine | 46 | 8 | 17% | — | 4.21 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 17 | 10 | 59% | 3 | 4.09 |
| UC Merced | 15 | 14 | 93% | — | 3.90 |
| UC Riverside | 28 | 24 | 86% | 5 | 3.84 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 6 | — | — | — | — |
Student Body at Western High School
In 2025-26, 85.9% of Western High School students were socioeconomically disadvantaged and 21.6% were English learners.
Western High School: Frequently Asked Questions
Can Irvine families transfer to Western High School?
Western High School belongs to Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD), so a family living in Irvine is out of district and must obtain a release from its home district, such as Irvine Unified, before filing an AUHSD inter-district transfer application. AUHSD policy accepts only certain students: continuing students at the requested school, siblings of continuing students, children of AUHSD employees, students whose parent works within district boundaries, or students seeking a specific instructional program offered at the requested school. Approval also requires available space and satisfactory grades, attendance and behavior; permits must be renewed each year, and the district provides no bus service.
Why are there junior high students on the Western High School campus, for Irvine families asking?
Western High School's campus has also housed junior high students since 2025-26. Based on enrollment and facility needs, the AUHSD board decided in August 2024 that Orangeview Junior High School would relocate onto the Western High School campus at about the start of 2025-26, and the two schools worked together on a redesign during 2024-25; the district's school list now shows the campus as Western Orangeview 7-12.
What career pathways does Western High School offer, for Irvine families comparing options?
Western High School's career pathways include BITA (Building/Construction), JROTC, Culinary Arts, Health Careers, Business Systems & Technology, Digital Media/Video Production and Dance. The school also offers honors and AP courses and instrumental music, vocal music and visual arts.
What recognition has Western High School received, for Irvine families researching it?
Western High School was named a California Gold Ribbon School in 2016-17, is a two-time California Distinguished School, was recognized as a California Democracy School in 2020, and holds a six-year accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Students complete a portfolio showing their growth in the 5Cs.
Other Public High Schools in Anaheim
- Anaheim High SchoolAnaheim Union High School District
- Canyon High SchoolOrange Unified School District · in-depth guide
- Esperanza High SchoolPlacentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District
- Katella High SchoolAnaheim Union High School District
- Loara High SchoolAnaheim Union High School District
- Magnolia High SchoolAnaheim Union High School District
- Savanna High SchoolAnaheim Union High School District
Compare all public high schools in Anaheim → · Orange County public high schools by city →
Sources16 sources · checked 2026-11-14
Enrollment, student body, CAASPP and graduation data come from the California Department of Education. UC admissions data come from the University of California Information Center public data tables, downloaded Nov 2026.
- services3.arcgis.com/fdvHcZVgB2QSRNkL/arcgis/rest/services/SchoolSites2425/FeatureServer/0
- auhsd.us/District/139049-SCHOOLS.html
- auhsd.us/District/Department/14190-Student-Support-Services/138823-Transfers.html
- do.auhsd.us/8536%20Transfers%20Interdistrict%20Revised.pdf
- brookhurst.auhsd.us/files/user/1/file/8535_5-School-of-Choice-Intradistrict-Transfer-2020-21.pdf
- auhsd.us/District/Department/14207-ANAHEIM-UHSD/138981-2024-25-School-Accountability-Report-Crads.html
- western.auhsd.us
- auhsd.us/files/user/1/file/2025_School_Accountability_Report_Card_Western_High_School_20260128.pdf
- auhsd.us/files/user/1/file/Minutes-7_17_2025.pdf
- auhsd.us/files/user/1/file/2025_School_Accountability_Report_Card_Anaheim_High_School_20260128.pdf
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- caaspp-elpac.ets.org/caaspp/DashViewReportSB?ps=true&lstTestYear=2025&lstTestType=B&lstGroup=1&lstSubGroup=1&lstGrade=11&lstSchoolType=A&lstCounty=30&lstDistrict=66431-000&lstSchool=3038239
- dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/dqcensus/CohRate.aspx?cds=30664313038239&agglevel=school&year=2024-25
- hs-articulation.ucop.edu/agcourselist/institution/1442
- universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/admissions-source-school
