Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified has 30 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 60.4/100 — 16.6 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Golden Elementary at 95/100, where 70.1% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $12,415 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 15.0%, below the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 61.4 | 22 | 38.4% | 11.9% |
| Middle | 49.2 | 3 | 24.4% | 16.0% |
| High | 62.5 | 5 | 27.5% | 27.9% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 62.5.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages -3.2pp (state avg: -3.0pp), a negative trend that warrants attention.
Consistency: Score range of 63.8 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 15.0%, 3.1pp above the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 0.5%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Golden Elementary leads the district at 95 with 70.1% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified
Hidden gems: 3 schools in Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified are classified as On the Rise (2) or Growth Engine — 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
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified spends $12,415 per student in current expenditures — $2,400 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 (22)
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified has 22 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 61.4 — 17.6 points above the state average of 43.8. 1 of 22 elementary schools have Scope Scores above 90.
Growth averages -3.2pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Golden Elementary with a Scope Score of 95 and 70.1% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified High Ceiling | 95 | 70.1% | 89.4% | +3.0pp | 3.8% | 0.1% |
| 2 | Bryant Ranch Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified High Ceiling | 80 | 54.7% | 79.9% | -2.6pp | 4.6% | 0.1% |
| 3 | Lakeview Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified High Ceiling | 77 | 56.9% | 81.1% | -8.7pp | 9.3% | 0.1% |
| 4 | Sierra Vista Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified High Ceiling | 74 | 51.4% | 79.7% | +2.4pp | 6.9% | 0.1% |
| 5 | Woodsboro Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 72 | 49.9% | 68.1% | -4.4pp | 10.0% | 0.1% |
| 6 | Fairmont Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 72 | 49.0% | 78.3% | -3.7pp | 6.9% | 0.1% |
| 7 | Rose Drive Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 69 | 49.9% | 77.1% | -12.6pp | 11.0% | 0.1% |
| 8 | Linda Vista Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 68 | 45.3% | 72.2% | -14.1pp | 11.2% | 0.4% |
| 9 | Mabel M. Paine Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 68 | 45.8% | 73.0% | -10.2pp | 12.9% | 0.1% |
| 10 | Brookhaven Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Strong All-Around | 66 | 44.8% | 71.9% | -0.5pp | 7.2% | 0.1% |
| 11 | Travis Ranch Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 66 | 46.4% | 68.9% | -10.0pp | 9.2% | 0.4% |
| 12 | Glenknoll Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Strong All-Around | 65 | 42.4% | 72.0% | +2.3pp | 4.2% | 0.1% |
| 13 | Charles Wagner Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Solid Base | 64 | 41.6% | 72.6% | -19.4pp | 11.7% | 0.3% |
| 14 | Van Buren Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 60 | 39.4% | 64.0% | -4.5pp | 13.9% | 0.8% |
| 15 | Parkview Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 56 | 30.5% | 59.2% | — | 15.4% | 0.6% |
| 16 | John O. Tynes Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Growth Engine | 56 | 32.8% | 50.2% | +7.5pp | 17.7% | 0.3% |
| 17 | Morse Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Culture First | 51 | 29.3% | 52.5% | -0.9pp | 14.1% | 0.2% |
| 18 | Ruby Drive Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 42 | 16.1% | 37.7% | -3.9pp | 18.7% | 0.9% |
| 19 | Topaz Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified On the Rise | 40 | 13.7% | 31.1% | +19.8pp | 13.1% | 0.1% |
| 20 | Melrose Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified On the Rise | 40 | 8.9% | 27.0% | +21.0pp | 16.5% | 0.1% |
| 21 | Glenview Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 38 | 14.7% | 35.5% | -9.2pp | 17.0% | 0.1% |
| 22 | Rio Vista Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 31 | 11.9% | 27.9% | -18.0pp | 27.2% | 0.4% |
Middle Schools (3)
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified has 3 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 49.2 — 8.8 points above the state average of 40.5.
Growth is essentially flat at -0.4pp.
The highest-scoring middle school is Yorba Linda Middle with a Scope Score of 66 and 39.7% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yorba Linda Middle Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Strong All-Around | 66 | 39.7% | 71.5% | -0.7pp | 10.6% | 0.7% |
| 2 | Bernardo Yorba Middle Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 49 | 25.3% | 52.0% | -1.6pp | 15.2% | 1.6% |
| 3 | Valadez Middle School Academy Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 33 | 8.2% | 28.7% | +1.0pp | 22.1% | 1.7% |
High Schools (5)
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified has 5 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 62.5 — 15.1 points above the state average of 47.5. 2 of 5 high schools score above 70.
The highest-scoring high school is Yorba Linda High with a Scope Score of 74 and 36.4% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yorba Linda High Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Strong All-Around | 74 | 36.4% | 65.5% | 14.2% | 0.5% |
| 2 | El Dorado High Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Strong All-Around | 71 | 35.1% | 65.1% | 13.7% | 1.0% |
| 3 | Valencia High Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Strong All-Around | 69 | 32.8% | 57.1% | 18.6% | 2.2% |
| 4 | Esperanza High Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Strong All-Around | 67 | 30.5% | 57.8% | 18.7% | 0.6% |
| 5 | El Camino Real Continuation High Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum | 32 | 2.5% | 8.5% | 74.1% | 2.2% |
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 Placentia-Yorba Linda 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