Torrance Unified
Torrance Unified has 30 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 62.7/100 — 19.0 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Walteria Elementary at 82/100, where 57.6% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $11,441 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 5 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 11.2%, below the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 62.8 | 17 | 39.1% | 9.1% |
| Middle | 63.2 | 8 | 35.5% | 9.0% |
| High | 61.9 | 5 | 31.0% | 21.5% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Torrance Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: Torrance Unified's middle schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 63.2.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages +1.3pp (state avg: -3.0pp), suggesting schools are making incremental gains.
Consistency: Score range of 69.3 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 11.2%, 7.0pp above the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 1.3%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Walteria Elementary leads the district at 82 with 57.6% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Torrance Unified
Hidden gems: 5 schools in Torrance Unified are classified as Growth Engine (5) — 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
Torrance Unified spends $11,441 per student in current expenditures — $3,374 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 (17)
Torrance Unified has 17 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 62.8 — 19.0 points above the state average of 43.8. 4 of 17 elementary schools score above 70.
District-wide growth averages +1.3pp, suggesting schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Walteria Elementary with a Scope Score of 82 and 57.6% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walteria Elementary Torrance Unified High Ceiling | 82 | 57.6% | 82.6% | +14.4pp | 5.7% | 0.7% |
| 2 | Anza Elementary Torrance Unified High Ceiling | 77 | 51.8% | 76.8% | +6.7pp | 7.4% | 0.4% |
| 3 | Towers Elementary Torrance Unified Growth Engine | 75 | 46.4% | 76.0% | +6.0pp | 5.4% | 0.4% |
| 4 | Riviera Elementary Torrance Unified Strong All-Around | 73 | 49.4% | 72.8% | +2.5pp | 9.8% | 0.4% |
| 5 | Arlington Elementary Torrance Unified Strong All-Around | 69 | 43.4% | 69.4% | +1.7pp | 5.3% | 0.3% |
| 6 | Hickory Elementary Torrance Unified Building Momentum | 67 | 46.2% | 68.8% | -4.9pp | 8.7% | 0.3% |
| 7 | Lincoln Elementary Torrance Unified Building Momentum | 67 | 47.0% | 76.8% | -11.1pp | 8.8% | 0.1% |
| 8 | Seaside Elementary Torrance Unified Solid Base | 65 | 48.0% | 71.4% | -6.0pp | 5.3% | 0.3% |
| 9 | Joseph Arnold Elementary Torrance Unified Growth Engine | 63 | 38.6% | 65.3% | +6.3pp | 7.4% | 0.1% |
| 10 | Victor Elementary Torrance Unified Solid Base | 60 | 38.2% | 65.6% | -9.1pp | 13.7% | 0.6% |
| 11 | Fern Elementary Torrance Unified Culture First | 57 | 32.1% | 56.9% | -2.7pp | 10.4% | 0.3% |
| 12 | Evelyn Carr Elementary Torrance Unified Culture First | 56 | 27.3% | 51.8% | -6.8pp | 11.4% | 0.3% |
| 13 | Howard Wood Elementary Torrance Unified Growth Engine | 54 | 29.6% | 52.3% | +16.3pp | 8.1% | 0.1% |
| 14 | Edison Elementary Torrance Unified Culture First | 54 | 27.5% | 52.0% | -1.6pp | 6.0% | 0.3% |
| 15 | John Adams Elementary Torrance Unified Building Momentum | 52 | 30.1% | 54.5% | -4.2pp | 15.2% | 0.1% |
| 16 | Yukon Elementary Torrance Unified Growth Engine | 49 | 28.1% | 52.5% | +11.9pp | 11.5% | 0.4% |
| 17 | Torrance Elementary Torrance Unified Building Momentum | 47 | 22.9% | 50.8% | +2.3pp | 15.2% | 1.0% |
Middle Schools (8)
Torrance Unified has 8 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 63.2 — 22.7 points above the state average of 40.5. 2 of 8 middle schools score above 70.
Growth averages -3.6pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring middle school is Edward J. Richardson Middle with a Scope Score of 77 and 46.8% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Growth | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edward J. Richardson Middle Torrance Unified Growth Engine | 77 | 46.8% | 74.1% | +5.0pp | 5.5% | 1.5% |
| 2 | Calle Mayor Middle Torrance Unified Building Momentum | 75 | 49.7% | 75.9% | -10.3pp | 9.8% | 3.1% |
| 3 | Bert M. Lynn Middle Torrance Unified Building Momentum | 70 | 41.6% | 71.2% | -8.4pp | 5.5% | 1.5% |
| 4 | Jefferson Middle Torrance Unified Strong All-Around | 69 | 39.6% | 68.2% | -1.1pp | 6.5% | 2.4% |
| 5 | Madrona Middle Torrance Unified Building Momentum | 61 | 29.4% | 60.3% | -2.2pp | 10.5% | 0.8% |
| 6 | Casimir Middle Torrance Unified Building Momentum | 60 | 32.5% | 62.5% | -10.6pp | 4.8% | 0.1% |
| 7 | Philip Magruder Middle Torrance Unified Building Momentum | 50 | 23.9% | 49.0% | -1.2pp | 13.6% | 2.2% |
| 8 | J. H. Hull Middle Torrance Unified Building Momentum | 44 | 20.4% | 46.5% | +0.1pp | 15.8% | 6.6% |
High Schools (5)
Torrance Unified has 5 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 61.9 — 14.4 points above the state average of 47.5. 4 of 5 high schools score above 70.
The highest-scoring high school is West High with a Scope Score of 76 and 41.0% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Score | Exceeded | Met+ | Absent | Susp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West High Torrance Unified Strong All-Around | 76 | 41.0% | 68.8% | 8.9% | 1.7% |
| 2 | South High Torrance Unified Strong All-Around | 75 | 39.1% | 68.3% | 12.1% | 2.3% |
| 3 | North High Torrance Unified Strong All-Around | 73 | 39.5% | 69.8% | 14.3% | 2.3% |
| 4 | Torrance High Torrance Unified Strong All-Around | 73 | 35.7% | 65.6% | 12.0% | 2.0% |
| 5 | Shery (Kurt T.) High (Continuation) Torrance Unified Building Momentum | 12 | 0.0% | 4.1% | 60.1% | 6.2% |
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 Torrance 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