Carlsbad High School

Posted: April 30, 2026

The pros are that they have a lot of electives and learning pathways and great opportunities for the students. The biggest con is the principal, Julie Redfield. She allows her teachers to get away with discriminatory behaviors towards students even when their are documented witnesses and the teachers own written account. Parents are not considered partners, rather she is dismissive of any concerns raised. Students with differing beliefs, medical issues, and anxiety are not accommodated.l as she does not prioritize the needs of the individual student. When educators stop caring about kids, its time to retire. Carlsbad High could be great under the right leader and with getting rid of teachers that set the example with discrimination in the classroom.

Posted: April 30, 2026

Posted: April 30, 2026

Posted: April 30, 2026

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Posted: April 30, 2026

Posted: April 27, 2023

I have two students at CHS and it’s a great high school with seniors continuing on to an impressive list of colleges. They have a solid AP and honors offering, as well as career training for both college and non-college bound kids. Athletics are robust and the AD is fantastic- very involved and encourages character development as much as performance. Tons of clubs with something for everyone.

Posted: April 27, 2023

Posted: April 27, 2023

Posted: April 27, 2023

Posted: April 27, 2023

Posted: April 27, 2023

Posted: April 27, 2023

Posted: April 27, 2023

Posted: April 24, 2023

Posted: April 24, 2023

Posted: April 24, 2023

Posted: April 24, 2023

Posted: April 24, 2023

I sent my son here for 1 year. It was the worst experience ever. He is a straight A student and very sports oriented. He played Freshmen baseball for them but was never given a chance. The coach had a dad coaching freshmen baseball and the guy was a complete embarrassment to the school and a bad example for the kids. The head coach should had kept an eye on him. The head coach has his favorites who play to pay on his summer team the more you pay the more you play kind of team which is a conflict of interest. When my son transferred to TCC he excelled and is now in college making straight A's as a freshmen and taking engineering courses and making A's in Calc 3. They knew nothing about my son at Carlsbad and didn't really care that they were loosing a straight A student and are more concerned about their football team. This school is a joke all public schools should be shutdown and ran like a business. Their job is to educate our students not doctorate them into a failed society but teach them how to thrive and be creative and successful in the world. To be thinkers not drinkers.

Posted: April 24, 2023

Posted: April 24, 2023

Posted: February 18, 2023

Three of my children have gone to Carlsbad High School. They have all had a great experience. It's a big school, but there is something for everyone. Tons of clubs, great assortment of athletics, high ranking football team. They also have tennis, diving, swimming, waterpolo, lacrosse, dance and cheerleading, as well as surfing and skateboarding classes. There are tons of AP options for accelerated students, as well as an excellent IEP program. The teachers are connected with the student body and overall, very communicative with the parents. The Debate program has continued to rank in the top schools in the state and nationwide. Highly recommend.

Posted: February 18, 2023

Posted: September 25, 2019

Posted: September 25, 2019

Posted: September 25, 2019

Posted: September 25, 2019

Posted: September 25, 2019

Posted: September 25, 2019

Posted: September 25, 2019

Couldn’t be better! We actually changed schools to have our Son attend there... love it!

Posted: October 26, 2018

Let me just say there's a reason why I, as well as many others, have switched to a charter school.
The programs are nice but I can find better elsewhere and I have.

Posted: October 26, 2018

Posted: October 26, 2018

Posted: October 26, 2018

Posted: October 26, 2018

Posted: October 26, 2018

Posted: October 26, 2018

You don't give saturday school to someone who got assaulted. You investigate and don't assume the person is falsely accusing someone.
In classrooms, people cuss each other out and say slurs and a lot of teachers won't do anything.

Posted: March 14, 2018

Posted: March 14, 2018

The leadership is nowhere to be seen at CHS. From academics, administration, to athletics the leadership team - if you can call them that - is purley coasting on (and costing!) taxpayer dollars as they are not held accountable for anything. SUch a shame from where this school used to be. CUSD needs to clean house of all leadership at CHS and get a fresh start.

Posted: March 14, 2018

Posted: March 14, 2018

Posted: March 14, 2018

Unfortunately, our experience at CHS has been nothing but downhill since 2010.

Posted: March 14, 2018

Posted: March 14, 2018

Posted: February 1, 2018

Amazing! I love this school so much and the pride and people are outstanding

Posted: February 1, 2018

Posted: February 1, 2018

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Posted: February 1, 2018

Posted: December 4, 2016

Posted: December 4, 2016

Posted: December 4, 2016

Posted: December 4, 2016

Posted: December 4, 2016

Posted: December 4, 2016

Posted: December 4, 2016

I rate this school very low in athletics. They have a very low performing overall athletic program with a low effort from the current AD. For a division 1 school in the state of CA, it is one of the lowest ranking in athletics. The quality of coaches they bring in are low performers and come from very small schools. The school is not making any effort to hire quality coaches and have been hiring low-quality coaches from small programs who are in over their heads with poor communication skills. If you have a child who excels in both academics and athletics, it is strongly suggested you look elsewhere.

Posted: November 21, 2016

Posted: November 21, 2016

Posted: November 21, 2016

Posted: November 21, 2016

Posted: November 21, 2016

Posted: November 21, 2016

Posted: November 21, 2016

My daughter is a senior, having attended all 4 years at CHS. She is doing great; the honors/AP kids are generally supportive of each other so it's OK to be smart and work hard. There have been bad teachers and fantastic teachers. I wish there was a system where parents/students could fill out anonymous surveys about each class/teacher every year, as some teachers seem oblivious that what they are doing is annoying, ineffective or unfair, and it's not worth the risk of retaliation for an individual student or parent to make an issue of it. My daughter has had a decent experience in the music program and terrific opportunities in the robotics program (that didn't require parental involvement or funding!) She is a confident kid who would make friends and do well in most settings though. This is a huge school, still lots of people in her year she doesn't know, so I could see that a less assertive kid might have a different experience.

Posted: August 30, 2016

Posted: August 30, 2016

Posted: August 30, 2016

Posted: August 30, 2016

I attended here all 4 years of High School, and honestly would not have wanted to be anywhere else. This school has amazing programs all around. And its incredible school spirited, plus, we have an amazing arts/music programs, and our athletic teams were great!

Posted: March 17, 2016

Posted: March 17, 2016

Posted: March 17, 2016

Posted: March 17, 2016

We are very happy with CHS for our son. He is challenged daily and the teachers and kids there are great. My son has never had any issues dealing with 'druggie kids' or bullying of any kind and there are no gang problems at this school either. (Perk of living in Carlsbad is a higher quality of kids and families IMHO.) The coaching staff for the football team is beyond amazing and very fair in how they play their players. (Some coaches are former NFL players- WOW!) My only complaint is that I have had a bit of an issue communicating with the guidance counsellors. I feel that they should have more knowledge of the kids that are assigned to them, I'm not sure my sons counsellor could pick him out in a crowd. My son is an average student, does not take AP classes, and is not as great academically as some kids. However the school does a great job with providing free tutoring and doesn't degrade or look down on the 'regular' kids. All in all I think this is a fantastic school!

Posted: April 29, 2015

CHS--Disappointed and disappointing. Turnover of athletic directors, principals and yet no turn over of awful teachers and there are many. I know, the union doesn't allow firing of teachers but it's something that will need to be addressed in the future if the public education system is to thrive and survive. There is no reason with the kind of funding this district has that our students at CHS should lack good teachers in most subject areas. CUSD needs to remember that teens are old enough and smart enough to assess what's going on with their education and CHS is failing many students hence the exodus we are seeing to home schools, charter schools and private schools.

Posted: March 18, 2015

We've had two students at CHS with good and frustrating experiences. There are some great teachers, but not as many as the mediocre ones. There are some great, unique classes and extracurriculars, as well--Honors and AP classes, Show Choir, Lacrosse, Rugby, Dance Team. But when Principals and teachers only last a couple years, there are issues. This year, my daughter's Statistics teacher left under questionable circumstances a few weeks into the 2nd semester. To that point, the teacher had not been effective, and then provided little instruction for 2 weeks. Following a 2-week Substitute, a contract teacher came in to finish out the year--all this in an AP Statistics class! The school was very flexible and helpful during the awkward transition and has tried to make amends. My next child is a 9th grader at Sage Creek High School nearby. The trimester schedule with more room for a variety of classes and the STEM focus are a good fit for her.

Posted: October 8, 2014

Class sizes of over 40. only 6 subjects taught. no emphasis on arts. No, repeat, no, parent conferences. Culture of parental disrespect. A great principal who just arrived, is leaving already. why?

Posted: August 15, 2014

I'm a sophomore at carlsbad and I hate everything about it. The teachers don't teach, the students are mean to everyone, and it's just an absolute joke. If you want your student to have a good education, send them to Oceanside high school or la costa canyon high school.

Posted: April 27, 2014

CHS is located at great location with new football field and buildings. School is safe and students could participate different activities with their own interests. Teachers are also great!

Posted: March 27, 2014

It's a great community. Unfortunately, the teachers at Carlsbad High School are not the greatest. They teach from a text book instead of engaging the students. The school does absolutely nothing about the mediocre quality of their teachers yet they expect so much from their students. They boast high test scores and being an AP school but that's because most parents get outside tutoring for their kids. Many families cannot afford the additional cost of an outside tutor...besides, teachers should be doing their job. I don't understand why the district/school is so afraid to get rid of horrible teachers. Example: My son has asked for help and they either work out the problem for him and won't show him the process OR they accuse him of not listening. He goes to school "tutoring" and it's the very same teacher that teaches the subject. If you can avoid sending your kids here, do so.

Posted: June 14, 2013

I am interested in knowing more about this school, especially the AP and honors programs.

Posted: May 9, 2013

I went here last year, and it was mediocre. The English 1 (9th Grade English) education recieved here was so easy, i got an A-, and you aren't challenged to your full potential (unless you take AP or honors classes). The academics (even though with a block schedule) feel extremely slow and unstructured to me. Last year, CHS students had to suffer the symphony of saws and hammers of the construction of the new buildings. Many kids here like to skate and tend to drop out and do drugs on campus. Bullying here is a big issue, and are judged by everything. I got so upset here that i had to visit a psychologist 3 times a week. Sports are mostly funded on football, where most other sports are neglected. However, thanks to Sage Creek, CHS will get smaller, and it will have more of a community feeling, and it might get better. Its a shame that in such a good community that the majority of carlsbad teenagers have to attend this somewhat misguided high school.

Posted: February 18, 2013

My daughter had attended a high school ranked 4th in the state. Her GPA was 3.5. Now at CHS, her GPA is 4.4. This is because the standards are lower at CHS, and it is easier to earn an A. If you want to prepare your children for college, make sure they are in AP or Honors classes at this school. It is unfortunate that the beautiful community of Carlsbad doesn't have a better school district.

Posted: February 18, 2013

Excellent teachers and facilities. The number and quality of AP and Honors courses exceeds or is comparable to other highly rated high schools. The number and variety of extra curricular programs is impressive.

Posted: September 3, 2012

One lady in particular that answers the phone at the school's office is setting a horrible example for the school. Her name is Trish Rivier. She is extremely rude and treats your call as if it is not important and your wasting her time. She will cut you off and say "I have other calls waiting hurry up". There are plenty of people that would love to do her job and get paid alot so she should lighten up. Every single time I have called she has not once been friendly. She should find another profession.