Santa Clara High School was established in 1872 and originally situated in the downtown area. It was moved to its present location in 1981 as a senior high school with grades 10-12. In the fall of 1987, the 9th grade was added and the school is presently a traditional 9-12. The school serves students from Santa Clara and San Jose. The campus is located on 31.7 acres.

The school is being renovated with bond funds. A new football field, new track, new tennis courts and other fields have been added, as well as a Science building. A new Performing Arts building is used frequently for local school productions. The new administration building and the renovated library are light, airy places in which to work. The main buildings are the next areas for renovation.