William S. Hart Union High School District

34.4104°N 118.5109°W / 34.4104; -118.5109 The William S. Hart Union High School District (commonly referred to simply as the Hart District) is a school district in the Santa Clarita Valley of Los Angeles County, California. It serves all of the valley's high school students (grades 9–12) and most of its junior high school students (grades 7–8). As of 2023–24, the total number of enrolled students (in 16 schools) was 22,135.^[3] The district's superintendent is Michael Vierra.^[1] The district is named after William S. Hart, one of the first western film stars, who lived in Newhall and was a local benefactor. The region served by the Hart District is also served by the Sulphur Springs, Saugus, Castaic, and Newhall elementary school districts.

William S. Hart Union High School District
Address
21380 Centre Pointe Parkway Santa Clarita , California, 91350 United States
Coordinates	34.46917,-118.8904846
District information
Type	Public
Motto	One Hart: Every Student - Opportunity Ready
Grades	7–12
Established	1945; 80 years ago (1945)
Superintendent	Michael Vierra[1]
NCES District ID	0642510[2]
Students and staff
Students	22,135 (2023–24)[3]
Teachers	939.81 (2023–24)[4]
Staff	2093.08 (2023–24)[4]
Student–teacher ratio	23.6 (2023–24)[4]
Athletic conference	Foothill League
Other information
Website	www.hartdistrict.org

History

Prior to the establishment of William S. Hart High School in 1945, students in the Santa Clarita Valley continuing after elementary school would attend San Fernando High School in the Pacoima neighborhood of Los Angeles.^[5]

Enrollment decline

Between the 2015 and 2019, student enrollment within the Hart District declined 11.7% from an all-time high of 27,155 students during the 2015–16 academic year^[6] to 23,968 students during the 2019–2020 academic year.^[7] The COVID-19 pandemic continued this downward trend, with student enrollment declining a further 6.5% to 22,469 students during the 2022–23 academic year.^[8] During the 2023–24 academic year, the district's total student enrollment was 22,135, down 1.5% from the previous year.^[3] Despite a number of new housing developments being constructed throughout the Santa Clarita Valley, overall student enrollment is still expected to continue declining for the foreseeable future.^[9]

High schools

Eight of the district's ten high schools are located within the city of Santa Clarita, with Castaic High School and West Ranch High School being located in the unincorporated communities of Castaic and Stevenson Ranch, respectively.

Jereann Bowman High School serves as the district's continuation high school. The Academy of the Canyons and Learning Post Academy offer students alternative education pathways.

Hart District high schools

School	Address	Founded	Enrollment (2023–24)[3]
Academy of the Canyons	26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355	2000	390
Canyon High School	19300 Nadal Street, Santa Clarita, CA 91351	1968	1,966
Castaic High School	31575 Valley Creek Road, Castaic, CA 91384	2019	1,193
Golden Valley High School	27051 Robert C. Lee Parkway, Santa Clarita, CA 91350	2004	1,993
Jereann Bowman High School	21508 Centre Pointe Parkway, Santa Clarita, CA 91350	1969	307
Learning Post Academy	24825 Newhall Avenue, Santa Clarita, CA 91321	1980	363
Saugus High School	21900 Centurion Way, Santa Clarita, CA 91350	1975	2,295
Valencia High School	27801 Dickason Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91355	1994	2,258
West Ranch High School	26255 Valencia Boulevard, Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381	2004	1,843
William S. Hart High School	24825 Newhall Avenue, Santa Clarita, CA 91321	1945	1,930

Junior high schools

Five of the district's six junior high schools are located within the city of Santa Clarita, with Rancho Pico Junior High being located in the Unincorporated community of Stevenson Ranch.

Hart District junior high schools

School	Address	Founded	Enrollment (2023–24)[3]	Feeds to
Arroyo Seco Junior High	27171 Vista Delgado Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91354	1974	1,240	Saugus High
La Mesa Junior High	26623 May Way, Santa Clarita, CA 91351	1995	1,023	Golden Valley High
Placerita Junior High	25015 Newhall Avenue, Santa Clarita, CA 91321	1961	888	Hart High
Rancho Pico Junior High	26250 Valencia Boulevard, Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381	2004	920	West Ranch High
Rio Norte Junior High	28771 Rio Norte Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91354	2003	1,110	Valencia High
Sierra Vista Junior High	19425 Stillmore Street, Santa Clarita, CA 91351	1964	974	Canyon High

Student demographics

As of the 2023–24 school year, 22,135 students were enrolled in Hart District schools. 45.4% of students were Hispanic or Latino, 32.2% were non-Hispanic white, 8.0% were Asian American, 5.1% were Filipino, 4.6% were multiracial, 4.3% were African American, 0.2% were Pacific Islander, and 0.1% were Indigenous American.^[3]

2015–16

During the 2015–16 school year, an all-time high of 27,155 students were enrolled in Hart District schools. 39.8% were non-Hispanic white, 39.6% of students were Hispanic or Latino, 6.0% were Asian American, 5.0% were African American, 4.7% were multiracial, 4.3% were Filipino, 0.2% were Indigenous American, and 0.1% were Pacific Islander.^[6]

Feeder districts

• Castaic Union School District: serves Castaic, Val Verde, and a small portion of northwestern Valencia.
• Newhall School District: serves Stevenson Ranch, southern Valencia, and almost all of Newhall.
• Saugus Union School District: serves Saugus, northern Valencia, and western Canyon Country.
• Sulphur Springs School District: serves the majority of Canyon Country and part of northeastern Newhall.

The Castaic, Newhall, and Saugus Union school districts have offices in Valencia, while the Sulphur Springs School District's office is in Canyon Country. Castaic Union School District serves grades K–8; the other districts serve grades K–6.

Governing board

Hart District governing board members are composed of five members, elected to a four-year term,^[10] by geographical district. The elections are held on a Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even numbered years.

The Hart District governing board is made of up; Dr. Aakash Ahuja representing Trustee Area 1, and is serving from 2024 to 2028; CPA Bob Jensen representing Trustee Area 2, serving from 2022 to 2026; Dr. Cherise G Moore representing Trustee Area 3, serving from 2022 to 2026; Erin Wilson representing Trustee Area 4, serving from 2024 to 2028; and Joe Messina for Trustee Area 5, serving from 2022 to 2026.^[11]