Central Unified
Central Unified has 18 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 40.6/100 — 3.2 points below the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is River Bluff Elementary at 56/100, where 28.8% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $12,844 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 2 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 24.0%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 40.6 | 14 | 16.5% | 20.3% |
| High | 40.6 | 4 | 9.0% | 37.1% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Central Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: Central Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 40.6.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages -3.5pp (state avg: -3.0pp), a negative trend that warrants attention.
Consistency: Score range of 35.5 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 24.0%, 5.9pp below the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 3.0%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: River Bluff Elementary leads the district at 56 with 28.8% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Central Unified
Hidden gems: 4 schools in Central Unified are classified as Growth Engine (2) or On the Rise (2) — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Student demographics
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
Central Unified spends $12,844 per student in current expenditures — $1,971 below the state average of $14,815.
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Elementary Schools (14)
Central Unified has 14 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 40.6 — 3.2 points below the state average of 43.8.
Growth averages -3.5pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is River Bluff Elementary with a Scope Score of 56 and 28.8% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | River Bluff Elementary Central Unified Growth Engine | 56 | 28.8% | 56.7% | +9.2pp | 16.8% | 1.1% |
| 2 | Norman Liddell Elementary Central Unified Building Momentum | 53 | 27.4% | 55.9% | -4.9pp | 15.1% | 1.4% |
| 3 | Herndon-Barstow Elementary Central Unified Growth Engine | 51 | 26.6% | 49.9% | +11.6pp | 12.5% | 1.6% |
| 4 | Biola-Pershing Elementary Central Unified Building Momentum | 45 | 14.4% | 41.7% | +2.3pp | 10.6% | 2.5% |
| 5 | Central Elementary Central Unified Building Momentum | 43 | 21.1% | 46.1% | -17.2pp | 18.4% | 1.2% |
| 6 | Harvest Elementary Central Unified Building Momentum | 43 | 15.7% | 36.5% | -4.8pp | 12.2% | 2.1% |
| 7 | Madison Elementary Central Unified Building Momentum | 39 | 19.7% | 42.4% | -13.2pp | 30.3% | 0.1% |
| 8 | Teague Elementary Central Unified On the Rise | 39 | 10.3% | 28.8% | +15.9pp | 30.4% | 2.1% |
| 9 | Hanh Phan Tilley Elementary Central Unified Building Momentum | 37 | 10.4% | 32.7% | -3.5pp | 27.3% | 1.0% |
| 10 | William Saroyan Elementary Central Unified Building Momentum | 37 | 17.6% | 43.2% | -30.8pp | 20.2% | 3.5% |
| 11 | John Steinbeck Elementary Central Unified Building Momentum | 36 | 9.8% | 29.5% | -0.2pp | 21.7% | 1.1% |
| 12 | Houghton-Kearney Elementary Central Unified On the Rise | 31 | 14.1% | 41.0% | +6.9pp | 23.2% | 3.6% |
| 13 | McKinley Elementary Central Unified Building Momentum | 31 | 7.5% | 24.4% | -6.2pp | 19.9% | 1.2% |
| 14 | Roosevelt Elementary Central Unified Building Momentum | 27 | 6.9% | 23.6% | -14.4pp | 25.5% | 3.7% |
High Schools (4)
Central Unified has 4 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 40.6 — 6.9 points below the state average of 47.5.
The highest-scoring high school is Justin Garza High with a Scope Score of 51 and 14.3% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justin Garza High Central Unified Building Momentum | 51 | 14.3% | 39.1% | 21.9% | 5.5% |
| 2 | Central East High Central Unified Building Momentum | 47 | 9.0% | 31.3% | 25.4% | 2.4% |
| 3 | Central High Central Unified Building Momentum | 44 | 12.8% | 38.4% | 32.3% | 2.7% |
| 4 | Pershing Continuation High Central Unified Building Momentum | 20 | 0.0% | 4.3% | 68.6% | 17.5% |
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
What Scope Scores can't tell you about Central Unified
- Class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality
- Quality of arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs
- Teacher experience, turnover, and professional development
- Campus safety, bullying climate, and social-emotional support
- Parent and community engagement levels
- Quality of special education and gifted programs
- How resources are distributed across schools within the district
Scope Scores measure academic performance and school climate using public data. They are one lens among many. Full methodology