San Diego Unified
Near Average2024–25 data160 schools · avg 47.1/100
San Diego Unified has 160 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 47.1/100 — 3.4 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is La Jolla Elementary at 85/100, where 65.2% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $15,976 per student (above the state average of $14,815). 11 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 21.0%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
Avg Scope Score
47.1
State avg: 43.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
73.8
10.8 – 84.7
Schools Ranked
160
With Scope Scores
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Developing 46.2/100 | 115 | 25.4% | 21.0% |
| Middle | Developing 45.0/100 | 22 | 21.8% | 19.3% |
| High | Solid 54.1/100 | 23 | 22.1% | 22.6% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in San Diego Unified, top-scoring shown first.
Elementary
46.2
avg score · 115 schools
La Jolla Elementary
Strong
85/100
Dingeman Elementary
Strong
84/100
Scripps Elementary
Strong
84/100
+112 more elementary schools
→
Middle
45.0
avg score · 22 schools
Marshall Middle
Strong
76/100
Muirlands Middle
Strong
71/100
Challenger Middle
Solid
66/100
+19 more middle schools
→
High
54.1
avg score · 23 schools
Scripps Ranch High
Strong
82/100
La Jolla High
Strong
76/100
University City High
Strong
75/100
+20 more high schools
District Analysis
Strongest level: San Diego Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 54.1.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages -2.9pp (state avg: -3.0pp), a negative trend that warrants attention.
Consistency: Score range of 73.8 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 21.0%, 2.8pp below the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 1.9%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: La Jolla Elementary leads the district at 85 with 65.2% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in San Diego Unified
22 On the Rise17 Strong All-Around11 Growth Engine10 High Ceiling86 Building Momentum
Hidden gems: 33 schools in San Diego Unified are classified as On the Rise (22) or Growth Engine (11) — 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
Hispanic
47.2%White
23.0%Asian
8.3%Black
7.5%Other
14.0%Free/Reduced Lunch
61%
Economic need indicator · district avg
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
San Diego Unified spends $15,976 per student in current expenditures — $1,161 above the state average of $14,815.
Per-Pupil Spending
$15,976
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
97,968
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 36.5%
$11,708 → $15,976
Spending Efficiency
2.95
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 60%Support 36%Other 4%
NCES F-33 Finance · District-level data — not school-specific
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
Salary Range
$55,375–$124,275
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
1,693
Full-time equivalent teachers
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Elementary Schools (115)
San Diego Unified has 115 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 46.2 — 2.4 points above the state average of 43.8. 13 of 115 elementary schools score above 70.
Growth averages -2.9pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is La Jolla Elementary with a Scope Score of 85 and 65.2% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Jolla Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling | 65.2% | Strong 85/100 |
| 2 | Dingeman Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling | 68.8% | Strong 84/100 |
| 3 | Scripps Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling | 62.0% | Strong 84/100 |
| 4 | Torrey Pines Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling | 61.2% | Strong 81/100 |
| 5 | Curie Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling | 60.1% | Strong 77/100 |
| 6 | Jerabek Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling | 56.8% | Strong 77/100 |
| 7 | Bird Rock Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling | 57.9% | Strong 77/100 |
| 8 | McKinley Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling | 52.0% | Strong 74/100 |
| 9 | Holmes Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling | 57.5% | Strong 74/100 |
| 10 | Green Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine | 49.0% | Strong 73/100 |
| 11 | Dailard Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 47.1% | Strong 72/100 |
| 12 | Hearst Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 48.1% | Strong 72/100 |
| 13 | Birney Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine | 45.7% | Strong 70/100 |
| 14 | Miramar Ranch Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 48.2% | Solid 69/100 |
| 15 | Barnard Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 46.2% | Solid 69/100 |
| 16 | Marvin Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 48.7% | Solid 69/100 |
| 17 | Ericson Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 49.7% | Solid 69/100 |
| 18 | Benchley/Weinberger Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 45.2% | Solid 67/100 |
| 19 | Kumeyaay Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 43.1% | Solid 67/100 |
| 20 | Hickman Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 51.5% | Solid 67/100 |
| 21 | Jonas Salk Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 48.1% | Solid 67/100 |
| 22 | Grant K-8 San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 45.6% | Solid 66/100 |
| 23 | Hardy Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 38.8% | Solid 65/100 |
| 24 | John Muir San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 32.3% | Solid 64/100 |
| 25 | Sandburg Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 39.4% | Solid 63/100 |
| 26 | Spreckels Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base | 40.9% | Solid 62/100 |
| 27 | Chesterton Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine | 37.9% | Solid 62/100 |
| 28 | Nye Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine | 35.2% | Solid 62/100 |
| 29 | Sessions Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base | 33.9% | Solid 61/100 |
| 30 | Vista Grande Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 34.2% | Solid 60/100 |
| 31 | Tierrasanta Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base | 38.3% | Solid 59/100 |
| 32 | Doyle Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base | 41.6% | Solid 59/100 |
| 33 | Longfellow K-8 San Diego Unified Solid Base | 40.0% | Solid 59/100 |
| 34 | Bay Park Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base | 34.6% | Solid 58/100 |
| 35 | Sequoia Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 34.2% | Solid 57/100 |
| 36 | Jefferson Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base | 37.4% | Solid 55/100 |
| 37 | Pacific Beach Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base | 33.6% | Solid 55/100 |
| 38 | Bethune K-8 San Diego Unified Growth Engine | 27.8% | Solid 54/100 |
| 39 | Angier Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 29.4% | Solid 53/100 |
| 40 | Rowan Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 23.3% | Solid 53/100 |
| 41 | Hawthorne Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine | 29.7% | Solid 52/100 |
| 42 | Gage Elementary San Diego Unified Culture First | 28.0% | Solid 52/100 |
| 43 | Language Academy San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 25.2% | Solid 51/100 |
| 44 | Field Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 27.2% | Solid 51/100 |
| 45 | iHigh Virtual Academy San Diego Unified Culture First | 27.8% | Solid 50/100 |
| 46 | Alcott Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 20.7% | Developing 48/100 |
| 47 | Toler Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine | 27.7% | Developing 48/100 |
| 48 | Garfield Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 31.9% | Developing 47/100 |
| 49 | Zamorano Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 23.3% | Developing 46/100 |
| 50 | Hamilton Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine | 13.8% | Developing 46/100 |
| 51 | Cadman Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 25.3% | Developing 46/100 |
| 52 | Wegeforth Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 21.8% | Developing 45/100 |
| 53 | Edison Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine | 27.8% | Developing 45/100 |
| 54 | Fletcher Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine | 13.6% | Developing 45/100 |
| 55 | Adams Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 20.0% | Developing 44/100 |
| 56 | Miller Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 24.8% | Developing 44/100 |
| 57 | Crown Point Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 29.0% | Developing 43/100 |
| 58 | Webster Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 22.4% | Developing 43/100 |
| 59 | Hage Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 24.1% | Developing 43/100 |
| 60 | Oak Park Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 22.5% | Developing 43/100 |
| 61 | Florence Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 17.1% | Developing 42/100 |
| 62 | Pacific View Leadership Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 17.4% | Developing 41/100 |
| 63 | Walker Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 20.2% | Developing 40/100 |
| 64 | Golden Hill K-8 San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 20.5% | Developing 40/100 |
| 65 | Cubberley Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 15.4% | Developing 40/100 |
| 66 | Euclid Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 12.6% | Developing 39/100 |
| 67 | Clay Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 14.3% | Developing 39/100 |
| 68 | Marshall Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 11.5% | Developing 39/100 |
| 69 | Rolando Park Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 26.9% | Developing 39/100 |
| 70 | Hancock Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 16.1% | Developing 39/100 |
| 71 | Normal Heights Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 17.8% | Developing 38/100 |
| 72 | Whitman Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 16.6% | Developing 38/100 |
| 73 | Ross Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 12.6% | Developing 38/100 |
| 74 | Penn Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 23.4% | Developing 38/100 |
| 75 | Clairemont Canyons Academy San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 19.9% | Developing 38/100 |
| 76 | Mason Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 17.9% | Developing 36/100 |
| 77 | Valencia Park Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 12.7% | Developing 35/100 |
| 78 | Foster Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 17.6% | Developing 35/100 |
| 79 | Lafayette Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 12.9% | Developing 35/100 |
| 80 | Sherman Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 12.3% | Developing 34/100 |
| 81 | Juarez Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 11.2% | Developing 33/100 |
| 82 | Jones Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 18.2% | Developing 33/100 |
| 83 | Balboa Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 11.1% | Developing 33/100 |
| 84 | Johnson Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 10.7% | Developing 33/100 |
| 85 | Franklin Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 15.1% | Developing 32/100 |
| 86 | Chollas/Mead Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 9.7% | Developing 32/100 |
| 87 | Perry Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 14.1% | Developing 32/100 |
| 88 | Joyner Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 8.6% | Developing 31/100 |
| 89 | Freese Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 12.1% | Developing 31/100 |
| 90 | Boone Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 9.3% | Developing 31/100 |
| 91 | Encanto Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 11.1% | Developing 30/100 |
| 92 | Mountain View San Diego Unified On the Rise | 13.2% | Needs Support 30/100 |
| 93 | Cherokee Point Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 8.9% | Needs Support 30/100 |
| 94 | Paradise Hills Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 8.7% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 95 | Chavez Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 7.8% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 96 | Ibarra Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 10.6% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 97 | Rosa Parks Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 8.6% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 98 | Kimbrough Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 5.7% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 99 | Carver Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 8.3% | Needs Support 27/100 |
| 100 | Central Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 7.4% | Needs Support 27/100 |
| 101 | Baker Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 5.0% | Needs Support 26/100 |
| 102 | Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 8.8% | Needs Support 26/100 |
| 103 | Carson Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 10.9% | Needs Support 26/100 |
| 104 | Fay Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 5.4% | Needs Support 26/100 |
| 105 | Horton Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 5.9% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 106 | Burbank Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 8.0% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 107 | Washington Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 8.0% | Needs Support 24/100 |
| 108 | Audubon K-8 San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 9.5% | Needs Support 24/100 |
| 109 | Linda Vista Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 3.1% | Needs Support 23/100 |
| 110 | Fulton K-8 San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 7.0% | Needs Support 23/100 |
| 111 | Perkins K-8 San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 7.9% | Needs Support 23/100 |
| 112 | Porter Elementary San Diego Unified On the Rise | 5.2% | Needs Support 22/100 |
| 113 | Rodriguez Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 2.2% | Needs Support 19/100 |
| 114 | Riley/New Dawn San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 3.6% | Needs Support 16/100 |
| 115 | Logan Memorial Educational Campus San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 2.1% | Needs Support 11/100 |
Middle Schools (22)
San Diego Unified has 22 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 45.0 — 4.5 points above the state average of 40.5. 2 of 22 middle schools score above 70.
Growth is essentially flat at -0.1pp.
The highest-scoring middle school is Marshall Middle with a Scope Score of 76 and 50.0% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marshall Middle San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 50.0% | Strong 76/100 |
| 2 | Muirlands Middle San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 46.2% | Strong 71/100 |
| 3 | Challenger Middle San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 39.0% | Solid 66/100 |
| 4 | De Portola Middle San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 36.5% | Solid 66/100 |
| 5 | Standley Middle San Diego Unified Solid Base | 40.6% | Solid 64/100 |
| 6 | Pacific Beach Middle San Diego Unified Solid Base | 43.7% | Solid 64/100 |
| 7 | Lewis Middle San Diego Unified Growth Engine | 31.6% | Solid 58/100 |
| 8 | Pershing Middle San Diego Unified Culture First | 28.8% | Solid 56/100 |
| 9 | Marston Middle San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 27.5% | Solid 54/100 |
| 10 | Wangenheim Middle San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 19.4% | Developing 44/100 |
| 11 | Farb Middle San Diego Unified On the Rise | 17.8% | Developing 44/100 |
| 12 | Roosevelt International Middle San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 20.0% | Developing 40/100 |
| 13 | Innovation Middle San Diego Unified On the Rise | 14.4% | Developing 36/100 |
| 14 | Montgomery Middle San Diego Unified On the Rise | 9.2% | Developing 34/100 |
| 15 | Taft Middle San Diego Unified On the Rise | 10.5% | Developing 33/100 |
| 16 | Knox Middle San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 6.0% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 17 | Mann Middle San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 7.8% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 18 | Creative Performing and Media Arts San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 7.6% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 19 | Bell Middle San Diego Unified On the Rise | 6.2% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 20 | Wilson Middle San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 6.7% | Needs Support 27/100 |
| 21 | Clark Middle San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 6.1% | Needs Support 27/100 |
| 22 | Millennial Tech Middle San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 4.6% | Needs Support 17/100 |
High Schools (23)
San Diego Unified has 23 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 54.1 — 6.6 points above the state average of 47.5. 5 of 23 high schools score above 70.
The highest-scoring high school is Scripps Ranch High with a Scope Score of 82 and 53.0% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scripps Ranch High San Diego Unified High Ceiling | 53.0% | Strong 82/100 |
| 2 | La Jolla High San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 35.2% | Strong 76/100 |
| 3 | University City High San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 36.1% | Strong 75/100 |
| 4 | Henry High San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 32.7% | Strong 71/100 |
| 5 | Point Loma High San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 29.2% | Strong 71/100 |
| 6 | Mira Mesa High San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 31.5% | Solid 67/100 |
| 7 | Mission Bay High San Diego Unified Strong All-Around | 39.0% | Solid 65/100 |
| 8 | Canyon Hills High San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 20.1% | Solid 62/100 |
| 9 | Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology San Diego Unified Culture First | 20.6% | Solid 57/100 |
| 10 | Kearny College Connections San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 31.8% | Solid 56/100 |
| 11 | East Village Middle College High San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 20.6% | Solid 55/100 |
| 12 | Kearny Eng Innov & Design San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 30.4% | Solid 55/100 |
| 13 | San Diego High San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 16.8% | Solid 52/100 |
| 14 | Madison High San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 12.2% | Solid 52/100 |
| 15 | Kearny Digital Media & Design San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 18.3% | Solid 51/100 |
| 16 | Morse High San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 15.4% | Developing 50/100 |
| 17 | Clairemont High San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 15.8% | Developing 49/100 |
| 18 | San Diego Metro Career and Tech San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 13.5% | Developing 47/100 |
| 19 | Hoover High San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 13.1% | Developing 46/100 |
| 20 | Crawford High San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 11.8% | Developing 38/100 |
| 21 | Lincoln High San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 8.2% | Developing 37/100 |
| 22 | Twain High San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 1.6% | Needs Support 19/100 |
| 23 | Garfield High San Diego Unified Building Momentum | 1.2% | Needs Support 12/100 |
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 San Diego 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
Frequently asked questions
Is San Diego Unified a good school district?
San Diego Unified has 160 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 47.1/100, which is 3.4 points above the California state average of 43.8. 24.4% of students exceed the state standard on average. The Scope Score measures academic performance and school climate across six dimensions. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best school in San Diego Unified?
The highest-scoring school in San Diego Unified is La Jolla Elementary with a Scope Score of 85/100 and 65.2% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does San Diego Unified spend per student?
San Diego Unified spends $15,976 per student in current expenditures. The state average is $14,815. Spending data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data Fiscal Survey (F-33). Higher spending does not automatically mean better outcomes — the Scope Score measures what happens in the classroom regardless of budget.
What is the teacher salary range in San Diego Unified?
Teacher salaries in San Diego Unified range from $55,375–$124,275 based on the district's salary schedule (CDE Form J-90). The California statewide median teacher salary is approximately $98,000.
What does the Scope Score measure?
The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on six dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade-level growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, and ELPAC English Learner proficiency. Full methodology and weights.