Downey Unified
Downey Unified has 17 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 47.2/100 — 3.4 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Warren (Earl) High at 61/100, where 25.4% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $14,339 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 3 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 21.5%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 47.0 | 10 | 24.1% | 19.0% |
| Middle | 43.8 | 4 | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| High | 52.4 | 3 | 15.6% | 33.1% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Downey Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: Downey Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 52.4.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages -2.8pp (state avg: -3.0pp), a negative trend that warrants attention.
Consistency: Score range of 25.6 points — showing notable variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 21.5%, 3.4pp below the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 2.5%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Warren (Earl) High leads the district at 61 with 25.4% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Downey Unified
Hidden gems: 4 schools in Downey Unified are classified as Growth Engine (3) or On the Rise — 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
Downey Unified spends $14,339 per student in current expenditures — $476 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 (10)
Downey Unified has 10 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 47.0 — 3.2 points above the state average of 43.8.
Growth averages -2.8pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Unsworth (Edith) Elementary with a Scope Score of 55 and 32.6% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unsworth (Edith) Elementary Downey Unified Building Momentum | 55 | 32.6% | 59.6% | -17.4pp | 19.7% | 0.1% |
| 2 | Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary Downey Unified Building Momentum | 51 | 31.6% | 58.5% | -20.0pp | 19.2% | 0.7% |
| 3 | Price (Maude) Elementary Downey Unified Growth Engine | 50 | 25.8% | 54.2% | +16.1pp | 13.6% | 0.6% |
| 4 | Carpenter (C. C.) Elementary Downey Unified Culture First | 49 | 21.6% | 48.1% | -4.0pp | 8.7% | 0.5% |
| 5 | Rio San Gabriel Elementary Downey Unified Building Momentum | 47 | 26.6% | 50.5% | -12.8pp | 16.4% | 0.5% |
| 6 | Gallatin Elementary Downey Unified Building Momentum | 45 | 22.4% | 48.3% | -8.0pp | 17.8% | 1.6% |
| 7 | Rio Hondo Elementary Downey Unified On the Rise | 45 | 24.0% | 48.9% | +4.2pp | 26.1% | 1.0% |
| 8 | Ward (E. W.) Elementary Downey Unified Growth Engine | 44 | 20.2% | 42.0% | +16.2pp | 23.5% | 2.8% |
| 9 | Alameda Elementary Downey Unified Building Momentum | 44 | 22.7% | 45.3% | -1.3pp | 23.9% | 0.8% |
| 10 | Gauldin (A.L.) Elementary Downey Unified Building Momentum | 40 | 13.2% | 35.7% | -0.9pp | 21.3% | 0.9% |
Middle Schools (4)
Downey Unified has 4 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 43.8 — 3.3 points above the state average of 40.5.
Growth averages -4.4pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring middle school is Griffiths (Gordon) Middle with a Scope Score of 53 and 27.0% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Griffiths (Gordon) Middle Downey Unified Building Momentum | 53 | 27.0% | 54.9% | -4.0pp | 15.7% | 6.0% |
| 2 | Doty (Wendy Lopour) Middle Downey Unified Growth Engine | 46 | 18.5% | 44.6% | +8.8pp | 16.5% | 5.0% |
| 3 | Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle Downey Unified Building Momentum | 41 | 18.8% | 44.5% | -6.9pp | 21.6% | 6.9% |
| 4 | Sussman (Edward A.) Middle Downey Unified Building Momentum | 36 | 14.0% | 39.3% | -15.4pp | 22.4% | 5.1% |
High Schools (3)
Downey Unified has 3 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 52.4 — 5.0 points above the state average of 47.5.
The highest-scoring high school is Warren (Earl) High with a Scope Score of 61 and 25.4% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warren (Earl) High Downey Unified Building Momentum | 61 | 25.4% | 54.5% | 24.1% | 4.1% |
| 2 | Downey High Downey Unified Strong All-Around | 58 | 21.0% | 51.6% | 18.1% | 3.7% |
| 3 | Columbus (Christopher) High Downey Unified Building Momentum | 38 | 0.4% | 8.1% | 57.1% | 3.0% |
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 Downey 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