West Contra Costa Unified
West Contra Costa Unified has 47 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 34.3/100 — 9.5 points below the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Madera Elementary at 82/100, where 56.7% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $15,242 per student (above the state average of $14,815). 2 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 28.2%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Developing 31.5/100 | 38 | 12.8% | 27.7% |
| Middle | Developing 43.7/100 | 1 | 17.6% | 13.2% |
| High | Developing 46.3/100 | 8 | 14.5% | 32.3% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in West Contra Costa Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: West Contra Costa Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 46.3.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages -4.1pp (state avg: -3.0pp), a negative trend that warrants attention.
Consistency: Score range of 72.3 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 28.2%, 10.1pp below the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 3.0%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Madera Elementary leads the district at 82 with 56.7% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in West Contra Costa Unified
Hidden gems: 6 schools in West Contra Costa Unified are classified as On the Rise (4) or Growth Engine (2) — 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
West Contra Costa Unified spends $15,242 per student in current expenditures — $427 above 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 (38)
West Contra Costa Unified has 38 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 31.5 — 12.3 points below the state average of 43.8. 2 of 38 elementary schools score above 70.
Growth averages -4.1pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Madera Elementary with a Scope Score of 82 and 56.7% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madera Elementary West Contra Costa Unified High Ceiling | 56.7% | Strong 82/100 |
| 2 | Kensington Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Strong All-Around | 48.3% | Strong 75/100 |
| 3 | West County Mandarin West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 43.8% | Solid 67/100 |
| 4 | Ohlone Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Solid Base | 34.2% | Solid 61/100 |
| 5 | Harding Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Growth Engine | 31.3% | Solid 53/100 |
| 6 | Olinda Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 21.4% | Developing 48/100 |
| 7 | Fairmont Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 26.2% | Developing 46/100 |
| 8 | Stewart Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Growth Engine | 16.2% | Developing 44/100 |
| 9 | Hanna Ranch Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Culture First | 22.5% | Developing 44/100 |
| 10 | Ellerhorst Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 18.7% | Developing 43/100 |
| 11 | Montalvin Manor Elementary West Contra Costa Unified On the Rise | 15.6% | Developing 40/100 |
| 12 | Lupine Hills Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 14.1% | Developing 35/100 |
| 13 | Mira Vista Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 15.3% | Developing 35/100 |
| 14 | Shannon Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 10.7% | Developing 32/100 |
| 15 | Collins Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 10.2% | Developing 30/100 |
| 16 | Tara Hills Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 7.0% | Developing 30/100 |
| 17 | Sheldon Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 4.0% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 18 | Michelle Obama Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 11.6% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 19 | Valley View Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 11.2% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 20 | Washington Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 6.9% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 21 | Vista Independent Study / Virtual Academy West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 7.0% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 22 | Riverside Elementary West Contra Costa Unified On the Rise | 7.0% | Needs Support 24/100 |
| 23 | Nystrom Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 4.6% | Needs Support 23/100 |
| 24 | Lake Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 2.7% | Needs Support 21/100 |
| 25 | Murphy Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 8.6% | Needs Support 21/100 |
| 26 | Lincoln Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 1.8% | Needs Support 20/100 |
| 27 | Bayview Elementary West Contra Costa Unified On the Rise | 7.0% | Needs Support 19/100 |
| 28 | Dover Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 2.0% | Needs Support 19/100 |
| 29 | Edward M. Downer Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 2.6% | Needs Support 19/100 |
| 30 | Highland Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 4.0% | Needs Support 18/100 |
| 31 | Coronado Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 1.6% | Needs Support 17/100 |
| 32 | Peres Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 2.1% | Needs Support 16/100 |
| 33 | Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 0.9% | Needs Support 15/100 |
| 34 | Stege Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 2.3% | Needs Support 14/100 |
| 35 | Grant Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 1.5% | Needs Support 13/100 |
| 36 | Ford Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 2.1% | Needs Support 12/100 |
| 37 | Verde Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 1.1% | Needs Support 12/100 |
| 38 | Cesar E. Chavez Elementary West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 2.2% | Needs Support 10/100 |
Middle Schools (1)
West Contra Costa Unified has 1 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 43.7 — 3.3 points above the state average of 40.5.
District-wide growth averages +4.6pp, suggesting schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring middle school is Hercules Middle with a Scope Score of 44 and 17.6% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hercules Middle West Contra Costa Unified On the Rise | 17.6% | Developing 44/100 |
High Schools (8)
West Contra Costa Unified has 8 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 46.3 — 1.2 points near the state average of 47.5.
The highest-scoring high school is Hercules High with a Scope Score of 66 and 24.9% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hercules High West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 24.9% | Solid 66/100 |
| 2 | Middle College High West Contra Costa Unified Strong All-Around | 34.8% | Solid 64/100 |
| 3 | El Cerrito High West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 18.9% | Solid 59/100 |
| 4 | De Anza High West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 9.9% | Developing 46/100 |
| 5 | Pinole Valley High West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 18.4% | Developing 44/100 |
| 6 | Richmond High West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 7.0% | Developing 33/100 |
| 7 | John F. Kennedy High West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 2.5% | Developing 32/100 |
| 8 | Greenwood Academy West Contra Costa Unified Building Momentum | 0.0% | Needs Support 27/100 |
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 West Contra Costa 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