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Buena Park High · Buena Park

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

Buena Park posts 30% meeting the standard and 7.8% exceeding it, against 36% and 15.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

8833 Academy Drive, 90621 (opens in new tab)·Fullerton Joint Union High·Buena Park·Grades 9-12·1,682 students·91% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(714) 992-8601·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4744
% Exceeded8%16%
% Met+30%36%
Grad rate96.9%87.6%
College readiness57.9%35.4%
Absence17.7%30.2%
Suspension6.3%3.6%
Scope Score
47
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #961 statewide · #6 of 8 in Fullerton Joint Union High

Buena Park High scores 47 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 56th 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 “30% proficient” and call it done. Buena Park deserves a closer read. The school sits in Buena Park, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Slipped from the 64th to the 56th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAOrange(Declined Significantly)MathOrange(Declined Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 30% meet the standard today, versus 39% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1150%46%49%46%41%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1128%24%17%25%20%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
30%
State 36%
Graduate
97%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
58%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 30 are proficient by 11th grade → 97 graduate → 58 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
96.9%
State 87.6%
9.3pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
7.8%
State 15.8%
8.0pp below state avg
College readiness
57.9%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
30.3%
State 35.7%
5.4pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
17.7%
State 30.2%
12.5pp below state avg
Suspension rate
6.3%
State 3.6%
2.7pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
17.8%
State 18.0%
0.2pp 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 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 Buena Park High in Buena Park, 38.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 52.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Buena Park High trails its district average for low-income students by 14.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (17.7% Math proficient); Hispanic students (38.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 33.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 344 students tested.

All students at this school: 30% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 30%, district —, state 36%30%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 28%, district 41%, state 32%28% · −2 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 28%, district 39%, state 32%28% · −2 vs school
MaleMale: this school 28%, district 52%, state 42%28% · −2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 32%, district 56%, state 44%32% · +2 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 6%, district 8%, state 11%6% · −24 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 7%, district 10%, state 15%7% · −23 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 35%, district 64%, state 56%35% · +4 vs school
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: this school 27%, district 43%, state 46%27% · −3 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 45%, district 42%, state 26%45% · +15 vs school

6 of 16 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 17.7%, district 24.4%, state 30.2%17.7% · −12.5pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 6.3%, district —, state 3.6%6.3% · +2.7pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1217.2%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 23:1, district 24:123:1
Teaching staff77 teachers
Avg. experience14.7 years
Fully credentialed89%
First-year teachers3%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$64,405 – $138,566
Principal salary$0 – $192,785
Superintendent salary$357,179

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered31
AP exam qualifiers114 students
CTE pathway completers46 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $20,978, CA average $14,815$20,978 · spent at this school
Federal share$234 per student

$234 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$18,258 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
Instruction57%
Instruction support12%
Student services12%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other2%

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$13,487 per pupil
2019$12,294 per pupil
2018$12,063 per pupil
2017$11,514 per pupil
2016$11,827 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic84.7%
District 59.7% · CA 56.1%
Other5.0%
District 7.6% · CA 9.0%
Asian4.4%
District 20.3% · CA 10.2%
White3.6%
District 11.0% · CA 19.9%
Black2.2%
District 1.4% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 90.6% (27pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$98K · CA $85K
Median home value$832K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+33% · CA 35%
ZIP population35,984
Median age36 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 20% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Buena Park High a good high school?

Buena Park High has a Scope Score of 47 out of 100, placing it in the 56th percentile of California high schools and ranked #961 statewide. 7.8% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 8.0 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 Buena Park High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 30.3% of students at Buena Park High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 7.8% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 22.5% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 7.8% 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. 773 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Buena Park High rank in California?

Buena Park High ranks #961 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 56th 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 Buena Park High?

17.7% of students at Buena Park 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 6.3%. 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 Buena Park High compare to other schools in Buena Park?

Buena Park High scores 47/100 (56th 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 1,682 students. Use the schools in Buena Park page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Buena Park High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Buena Park High in Buena Park, 38.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 52.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Buena Park High trails its district average for low-income students by 14.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (17.7% Math proficient); Hispanic students (38.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 33.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 344 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 Buena Park →

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.

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%
96.9%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 61th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
7.8%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 41th pctile
College readiness · 20%
57.9%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 63th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
30.3%
↓ vs CA 35.7% · 46th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
17.7%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 60th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
6.3%
↓ vs CA 3.6% · 38th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
17.8%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 53th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1138211%29%26%33%41%−7
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 113914%16%24%56%20%−3
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/114063%17%69%11%

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 Disadvantaged34438.3%−15+0
Hispanic/Latino33438.9%−13+0
English Learners677.5%−1−3
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Buena Park High ←—477.8%30.3%—6.3%
Sunny Hills High2.2 mi7348.1%71.9%—1.8%
Savanna High1.9 mi4611.4%28.3%—2.2%
Western High2.8 mi459.5%30.0%—3.4%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
96.9%
AP Exam Prepared
57.9%
A-G Completion
42.1%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
74.9%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195264#72910.5%39.0%10.6%5.7%—
20224965#7378.8%34.8%19.5%5.9%—
20234863#7959.3%33.1%19.1%7.6%—
20244863#8019.6%35.3%16.4%8.0%—
20254756#9617.8%30.3%17.7%6.3%—
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
Female11.2%18.1%+6.9pp
Male9.0%16.1%+7.1pp
Asian1.8%18.4%+16.6pp
Black/African American14.7%29.3%+14.6pp
White8.4%22.5%+14.1pp
Hispanic/Latino9.8%16.2%+6.4pp
Pacific Islander10.0%18.2%+8.2pp
Two or More Races12.5%26.7%+14.2pp
Students with Disabilities19.6%29.0%+9.4pp
English Learners9.7%16.6%+6.9pp
Foster Youth18.2%37.5%+19.3pp
Homeless18.0%28.3%+10.3pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged10.4%17.4%+7.0pp
All Students10.0%17.2%+7.2pp
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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