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Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL · Burbank

Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL posts 24% meeting the standard and 12.8% exceeding it, against 36% and 15.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

Alternative school — serves students who benefit from a non-traditional educational setting. Scores are not directly comparable to comprehensive schools.
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4444
% Exceeded13%16%
% Met+24%36%
Grad rate94.7%87.6%
College readiness30.0%35.4%
Absence38.1%30.2%
Suspension1.1%3.6%
Scope Score
44
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,167 statewide · #3 of 4 in Burbank Unified

Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL scores 44 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 46th 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.

Most rating sites would stop at “24% proficient” and call it done. Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL deserves a closer read. It sits at the 46th percentile of 2,160 California high schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The headline number: 31.0% of English learners reached the top ELPAC level, versus 18.0% statewide.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Slipped from the 74th to the 46th percentile since 2019.

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

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 24% meet the standard today, versus 55% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 853%33%
Grade 1180%40%67%32%36%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 847%18%
Grade 1130%21%20%13%12%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
24%
State 36%
Graduate
95%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
30%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 24 are proficient by 11th grade → 95 graduate → 30 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
94.7%
State 87.6%
7.1pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
12.8%
State 15.8%
3.1pp below state avg
College readiness
30.0%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate below state avg
Met or exceeded
24.1%
State 35.7%
11.6pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
38.1%
State 30.2%
7.9pp above state avg
Suspension rate
1.1%
State 3.6%
2.5pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
31.0%
State 18.0%
13.1pp above 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 how the school follows up when a student starts missing days — chronic absence often starts outside the classroom, not inside it.
  • 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 Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL in Burbank, 44.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 43.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (6.3% Math proficient); White students (33.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 5.9 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 19 students tested.

All students at this school: 25% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 25%, district —, state 36%25%
WhiteWhite: this school 24%, district 55%, state 56%24% · −1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 24%, district 54%, state 44%24% · −1 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 27%, district 39%, state 32%27% · +2 vs school
MaleMale: this school 24%, district 51%, state 42%24% · −1 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 18%, district 19%, state 11%18% · −6 vs school

5 of 11 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 38.1%, district 16.6%, state 30.2%38.1% · +7.9pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.1%, district —, state 3.6%1.1% · −2.5pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1240.9%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path

Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Teaching staff12 teachers
Avg. experience18.6 years
Fully credentialed32%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$55,004 – $114,912
Principal salary$146,052 – $180,526
Superintendent salary$309,540

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered13
AP exam qualifiers3 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $10,571, CA average $14,815$10,571 · spent at this school

These measure different things: this figure is spending attributed to this campus, while district-wide figures also include central administration, districtwide programs, and the state's pension contributions made on the district's behalf — costs that never get assigned to a single school. The district number runs higher at nearly every school, not just this one.

Federal share$1,653 per student

$1,653 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$16,445 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
Instruction63%
Instruction support10%
Student services9%
Administration8%
Buildings & maintenance9%
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$12,045 per pupil
2019$11,768 per pupil
2018$12,056 per pupil
2017$11,331 per pupil
2016$10,459 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White68.5%
District 48.8% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic23.2%
District 31.2% · CA 56.1%
Other4.8%
District 13.3% · CA 9.0%
Asian1.8%
District 4.9% · CA 10.2%
Black1.8%
District 1.8% · CA 4.8%
GenderFemale 48.2%Male 51.2%Non-binary 0.6%
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$110K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.06M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+48% · CA 35%
ZIP population31,744
Median age39 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 15% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL a good high school?

Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL has a Scope Score of 44 out of 100, placing it in the 46th percentile of California high schools and ranked #1,167 statewide. 12.8% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 3.1 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 Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 24.1% of students at Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 12.8% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 11.4% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 12.8% 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. 69 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL rank in California?

Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL ranks #1,167 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 46th 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 Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL?

38.1% of students at Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 1.1%, indicating a low-discipline-incident environment. 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 Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL compare to other schools in Burbank?

Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL scores 44/100 (46th 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. Use the schools in Burbank page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL in Burbank, 44.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 43.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (6.3% Math proficient); White students (33.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 5.9 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 19 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

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%
94.7%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 59th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
12.8%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 47th pctile
College readiness · 20%
30.0%
↓ vs CA 35.4% · 47th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
24.1%
↓ vs CA 35.7% · 42th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
38.1%
↓ vs CA 30.2% · 44th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.1%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 61th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
31.0%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 67th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 113619%17%22%42%36%−11
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 11336%6%15%73%12%−11
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11526%10%67%17%

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 Disadvantaged1944.4%+1+6
White3333.3%−26−28
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Burbank Unified Independent Learning Academy (BUIL ←4412.8%24.1%1.1%
Burroughs High1.2 mi6127.8%60.7%2.6%
Burbank High0.9 mi5623.0%46.7%3.8%
East Valley Senior High2.4 mi408.0%26.8%0.8%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
94.7%
AP Exam Prepared
30.0%
A-G Completion
20.4%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
58.3%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195674#54030.0%55.0%19.4%2.1%
20224657#90412.6%30.5%7.6%0.9%
20234761#83718.2%43.3%48.1%1.0%
20243937#13462.7%22.7%41.0%1.3%
20254446#116712.8%24.1%38.1%1.1%
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
Female16.7%41.2%+24.5pp
Male11.4%39.4%+28.0pp
Hispanic/Latino8.0%47.1%+39.1pp
Students with Disabilities11.1%50.0%+38.9pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged17.6%46.9%+29.3pp
All Students15.0%40.9%+25.9pp
English Learners42.5%
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