Poway Unified
Poway Unified has 38 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 68.8/100 — 25.1 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Del Norte High at 84/100, where 51.8% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $12,246 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 4 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 9.8%, below the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Solid 69.1/100 | 26 | 46.9% | 8.6% |
| Middle | Solid 62.7/100 | 6 | 36.2% | 10.2% |
| High | Strong 73.9/100 | 6 | 37.7% | 14.2% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Poway Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: Poway Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 73.9.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages -1.6pp (state avg: -3.0pp), a negative trend that warrants attention.
Consistency: Score range of 38.6 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 9.8%, 8.4pp above the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 1.1%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Del Norte High leads the district at 84 with 51.8% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Poway Unified
Hidden gems: 4 schools in Poway Unified are classified as Growth Engine (4) — 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
Poway Unified spends $12,246 per student in current expenditures — $2,568 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 (26)
Poway Unified has 26 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 69.1 — 25.3 points above the state average of 43.8. 12 of 26 elementary schools score above 70.
Growth averages -1.6pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Willow Grove Elementary with a Scope Score of 82 and 56.8% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Willow Grove Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling | 56.8% | Strong 82/100 |
| 2 | Design 39 Campus Poway Unified High Ceiling | 55.2% | Strong 81/100 |
| 3 | Rolling Hills Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling | 58.4% | Strong 81/100 |
| 4 | Stone Ranch Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling | 56.5% | Strong 80/100 |
| 5 | Monterey Ridge Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling | 61.9% | Strong 80/100 |
| 6 | Deer Canyon Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling | 61.1% | Strong 79/100 |
| 7 | Adobe Bluffs Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling | 59.6% | Strong 79/100 |
| 8 | Park Village Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling | 57.8% | Strong 76/100 |
| 9 | Del Sur Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling | 53.1% | Strong 72/100 |
| 10 | Tierra Bonita Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling | 52.3% | Strong 72/100 |
| 11 | Creekside Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling | 52.3% | Strong 72/100 |
| 12 | Sundance Elementary Poway Unified Strong All-Around | 41.4% | Strong 71/100 |
| 13 | Canyon View Elementary Poway Unified Building Momentum | 49.0% | Solid 70/100 |
| 14 | Westwood Elementary Poway Unified Building Momentum | 49.0% | Solid 70/100 |
| 15 | Sunset Hills Elementary Poway Unified Growth Engine | 41.7% | Solid 69/100 |
| 16 | Los Penasquitos Elementary Poway Unified Growth Engine | 47.0% | Solid 68/100 |
| 17 | Highland Ranch Elementary Poway Unified Growth Engine | 39.5% | Solid 66/100 |
| 18 | Chaparral Elementary Poway Unified Building Momentum | 44.4% | Solid 65/100 |
| 19 | Shoal Creek Elementary Poway Unified Growth Engine | 40.9% | Solid 65/100 |
| 20 | Morning Creek Elementary Poway Unified Strong All-Around | 40.6% | Solid 64/100 |
| 21 | Painted Rock Elementary Poway Unified Strong All-Around | 41.0% | Solid 64/100 |
| 22 | Midland Elementary Poway Unified Strong All-Around | 37.5% | Solid 60/100 |
| 23 | Pomerado Elementary Poway Unified Building Momentum | 35.3% | Solid 59/100 |
| 24 | Turtleback Elementary Poway Unified Building Momentum | 30.7% | Solid 52/100 |
| 25 | Garden Road Elementary Poway Unified Culture First | 34.4% | Solid 52/100 |
| 26 | Valley Elementary Poway Unified Building Momentum | 21.9% | Developing 46/100 |
Middle Schools (6)
Poway Unified has 6 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 62.7 — 22.2 points above the state average of 40.5. 2 of 6 middle schools score above 70.
Growth is essentially flat at -0.1pp.
The highest-scoring middle school is Mesa Verde Middle with a Scope Score of 79 and 50.5% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mesa Verde Middle Poway Unified High Ceiling | 50.5% | Strong 79/100 |
| 2 | Oak Valley Middle Poway Unified Strong All-Around | 49.0% | Strong 76/100 |
| 3 | Black Mountain Middle Poway Unified Building Momentum | 33.7% | Solid 62/100 |
| 4 | Bernardo Heights Middle Poway Unified Strong All-Around | 35.1% | Solid 61/100 |
| 5 | Meadowbrook Middle Poway Unified Building Momentum | 25.7% | Solid 50/100 |
| 6 | Twin Peaks Middle Poway Unified Building Momentum | 23.3% | Developing 48/100 |
High Schools (6)
Poway Unified has 6 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 73.9 — 26.5 points above the state average of 47.5. 5 of 6 high schools score above 70.
The highest-scoring high school is Del Norte High with a Scope Score of 84 and 51.8% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Del Norte High Poway Unified High Ceiling | 51.8% | Strong 84/100 |
| 2 | Westview High Poway Unified High Ceiling | 50.1% | Strong 82/100 |
| 3 | Mt. Carmel High Poway Unified Strong All-Around | 35.3% | Strong 74/100 |
| 4 | Poway High Poway Unified Strong All-Around | 32.0% | Strong 73/100 |
| 5 | Rancho Bernardo High Poway Unified Strong All-Around | 34.7% | Strong 72/100 |
| 6 | Poway to Palomar Middle College High Poway Unified Strong All-Around | 22.2% | Solid 59/100 |
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 Poway 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