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Avenal High · Avenal

Avenal High: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Avenal posts 26% meeting the standard and 8.0% exceeding it, against 36% and 15.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

601 Mariposa Street, 93204 (opens in new tab)·Reef-Sunset Unified·Avenal·Grades 9-12·762 students·96% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(559) 386-5253
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4044
% Exceeded8%16%
% Met+26%36%
Grad rate95.5%87.6%
College readiness23.9%35.4%
Absence16.4%30.2%
Suspension9.8%3.6%
Scope Score
40
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,365 statewide

Avenal High scores 40 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 37th percentile of 2,160 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “26% proficient” and call it done. Avenal deserves a closer read. The school sits in Avenal, where nearly all students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: 16.4% chronic absenteeism — versus 30.2% statewide. Attendance is the quietest strong signal a school can post.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has stayed near the 37th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathBlue(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 26% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1143%44%33%30%39%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1114%8%6%6%13%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
26%
State 36%
Graduate
96%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
24%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 26 are proficient by 11th grade → 96 graduate → 24 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
95.5%
State 87.6%
7.9pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
8.0%
State 15.8%
7.9pp below state avg
College readiness
23.9%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate below state avg
Met or exceeded
26.0%
State 35.7%
9.7pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
16.4%
State 30.2%
13.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
9.8%
State 3.6%
6.1pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
16.9%
State 18.0%
1.1pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

  • Ask what typically leads to a suspension, and what happens before it gets there.
  • Ask what share of students complete the full college-prep course sequence, and who gets steered into it.
  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Avenal High in Avenal, 38.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 19.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Avenal High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 18.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (13.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (39.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 35.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 163 students tested.

All students at this school: 26% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 26%, district —, state 36%26%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 26%, district 15%, state 32%26% · +0 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 26%, district 15%, state 32%26% · −0 vs school
MaleMale: this school 24%, district 14%, state 42%24% · −2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 28%, district 16%, state 44%28% · +2 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 5%, district 7%, state 11%5% · −21 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 0%, district 3%, state 15%0% · −26 vs school
HomelessHomeless: too few students to report‹11
WhiteWhite: too few students to report‹11
American Indian/Alaska NativeAmerican Indian/Alaska Native: too few students to report‹11
this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 16.4%, district 20.6%, state 30.2%16.4% · −13.8pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 9.8%, district —, state 3.6%9.8% · +6.1pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1215.0%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path
▼
High School
Avenal High
40/100
This school

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 26:1, district 23:126:1
Teaching staff31 teachers
Avg. experience10.5 years
Fully credentialed73%
First-year teachers29%
Intern / emergency permit2.9%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$61,616 – $138,513
Principal salary$170,251 – $181,570
Superintendent salary$227,550

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered12
AP exam qualifiers22 students
CTE pathway completers69 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $20,302, CA average $14,815$20,302 · spent at this school
Federal share$341 per student

$341 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$21,924 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction54%
Instruction support13%
Student services9%
Administration8%
Buildings & maintenance15%
Other1%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$13,418 per pupil
2019$13,463 per pupil
2018$13,896 per pupil
2017$13,050 per pupil
2016$12,318 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic97.8%
District 97.3% · CA 56.1%
White1.6%
District 1.5% · CA 19.9%
Asian0.3%
District 1.0% · CA 10.2%
Black0.3%
District 0.1% · CA 4.8%
Other0.1%
District 0.2% · CA 9.0%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 95.7% (32pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$55K · CA $85K
Median home value$229K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+3% · CA 35%
ZIP population13,657
Median age33 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

At 762 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 10% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Avenal High a good high school?

Avenal High has a Scope Score of 40 out of 100, placing it in the 37th percentile of California high schools and ranked #1,365 statewide. 8.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 7.9 percentage points below the California average of 15.8%. The Scope Score weights 7 dimensions for high schools: graduation rate (25%), exceeded standard (22%), college/career readiness (20%), met or exceeded (proficient) (18%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Avenal High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 26.0% of students at Avenal High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 8.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 18.0% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 8.0% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 338 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Avenal High rank in California?

Avenal High ranks #1,365 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 37th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Avenal High?

16.4% of students at Avenal High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 9.8%. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.

How does Avenal High compare to other schools in Avenal?

Avenal High scores 40/100 (37th percentile) among California high schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 762 students. Use the schools in Avenal page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Avenal High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Avenal High in Avenal, 38.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 19.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Avenal High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 18.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (13.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (39.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 35.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 163 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

All schools in Avenal →

A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means

For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Graduation rate · 25%
95.5%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 59th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
8.0%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 42th pctile
College readiness · 20%
23.9%
↓ vs CA 35.4% · 43th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
26.0%
↓ vs CA 35.7% · 43th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
16.4%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 61th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
9.8%
↓ vs CA 3.6% · 22th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
16.9%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 51th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1116914%25%24%37%39%−8
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 111692%11%24%63%13%−10
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/111930%10%69%20%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged16338.0%+19−0
Hispanic/Latino16539.4%+19+1
English Learners533.8%−4−7
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Avenal High ←—408.0%26.0%—9.8%
Sunrise Continuation High0.2 mi190.0%0.0%—4.3%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
95.5%
AP Exam Prepared
23.9%
A-G Completion
43.5%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
80.0%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194341#12058.4%28.5%14.3%8.1%—
20223938#13106.1%26.0%34.0%8.8%—
20233633#14434.2%19.8%26.4%14.0%—
20243733#14305.5%17.9%21.0%11.6%—
20254037#13658.0%26.0%16.4%9.8%—
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female11.9%15.4%+3.5pp
Male13.2%14.7%+1.5pp
Hispanic/Latino12.2%14.6%+2.4pp
Students with Disabilities20.4%27.8%+7.4pp
English Learners19.9%18.3%-1.6pp
Homeless14.8%26.9%+12.1pp
Military-Connected20.0%5.6%-14.4pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged13.1%15.2%+2.1pp
All Students12.6%15.0%+2.4pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction

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