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Canyon Hills High · San Diego

Canyon Hills High: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Canyon Hills posts 45% meeting the standard against 36% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

5156 Santo Road, 92124 (opens in new tab)·San Diego Unified·San Diego·Grades 9-12·1,183 students·59% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(619) 605-8100·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5644
% Exceeded20%16%
% Met+45%36%
Grad rate95.1%87.6%
College readiness69.5%35.4%
Absence17.5%30.2%
Suspension2.6%3.6%
Scope Score
56
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #481 statewide · #13 of 43 in San Diego Unified

Canyon Hills High scores 56 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 78th 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 “45% proficient” and call it done. Canyon Hills deserves a closer read. The school sits in San Diego, where more than half of 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

Has stayed near the 78th percentile since 2019.

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

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 45% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1150%46%52%45%55%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1141%24%31%24%35%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
45%
State 36%
Graduate
95%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
70%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 45 are proficient by 11th grade → 95 graduate → 70 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
95.1%
State 87.6%
7.5pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
20.1%
State 15.8%
4.2pp above state avg
College readiness
69.5%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
45.2%
State 35.7%
9.5pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
17.5%
State 30.2%
12.7pp below state avg
Suspension rate
2.6%
State 3.6%
1.1pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
23.3%
State 18.0%
5.4pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • 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 Canyon Hills High in San Diego, 47.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Canyon Hills High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 5.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (29.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 35.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 165 students tested.

All students at this school: 45% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 45%, district —, state 36%45%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 39%, district 36%, state 32%39% · −6 vs school
MaleMale: this school 43%, district 50%, state 42%43% · −2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 47%, district 51%, state 44%47% · +2 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 37%, district 35%, state 32%37% · −8 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 57%, district 71%, state 56%57% · +12 vs school
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: this school 42%, district 55%, state 46%42% · −3 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 17%, district 21%, state 15%17% · −28 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 43%, district 63%, state 56%43% · −2 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 25%, district 27%, state 26%25% · −21 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 60%, district 72%, state 72%60% · +14 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 61%, district 65%, state 65%61% · +16 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: too few students to report‹11
HomelessHomeless: too few students to report‹11
American Indian/Alaska NativeAmerican Indian/Alaska Native: too few students to report‹11
Pacific IslanderPacific Islander: 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 17.5%, district 20.8%, state 30.2%17.5% · −12.7pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.6%, district —, state 3.6%2.6% · −1.1pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1216.8%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path
▼
High School
Canyon Hills High
56/100
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 22:1, district 23:122:1
Teaching staff62 teachers
Avg. experience14.0 years
Fully credentialed85%
First-year teachers3%
Intern / emergency permit1.5%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$55,375 – $124,275
Principal salary$0 – $187,294
Superintendent salary$300,404

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered23
AP exam qualifiers132 students
CTE pathway completers101 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $19,375, CA average $14,815$19,375 · spent at this school
Federal share$1,645 per student

$1,645 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$21,967 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 support12%
Student services12%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance7%
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$15,976 per pupil
2019$14,540 per pupil
2018$14,457 per pupil
2017$11,416 per pupil
2016$11,708 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic37.5%
District 47.0% · CA 56.1%
White29.2%
District 22.9% · CA 19.9%
Other18.4%
District 13.8% · CA 9.0%
Black7.8%
District 7.5% · CA 4.8%
Asian7.2%
District 8.7% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 58.5% (5pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$120K · CA $85K
Median home value$919K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+56% · CA 35%
ZIP population30,474
Median age33 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 36% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Canyon Hills High a good high school?

Canyon Hills High has a Scope Score of 56 out of 100, placing it in the 78th percentile of California high schools and ranked #481 statewide. 20.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 4.2 percentage points above 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 Canyon Hills High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 45.2% of students at Canyon Hills High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 20.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 25.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 20.1% 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. 574 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Canyon Hills High rank in California?

Canyon Hills High ranks #481 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 78th 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 Canyon Hills High?

17.5% of students at Canyon Hills 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 2.6%. 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 Canyon Hills High compare to other schools in San Diego?

Canyon Hills High scores 56/100 (78th 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 1,183 students. Use the schools in San Diego page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Canyon Hills High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Canyon Hills High in San Diego, 47.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Canyon Hills High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 5.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (29.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 35.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 165 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 San Diego →

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%
95.1%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 59th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
20.1%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 54th pctile
College readiness · 20%
69.5%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 70th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
45.2%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 57th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
17.5%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 60th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.6%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 55th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
23.3%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 61th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1128624%31%17%27%55%+8
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1128816%19%23%42%35%+12
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/112898%28%55%9%

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 Disadvantaged16547.9%+5+10
Hispanic/Latino10150.5%+9+12
White8066.3%−9+4
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Canyon Hills High ←—5620.1%45.2%—2.6%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
95.1%
AP Exam Prepared
69.5%
A-G Completion
81.8%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
77.3%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195878#45919.4%45.5%8.5%3.5%—
20225273#56313.1%35.0%21.6%3.0%—
20235577#48617.9%41.7%20.1%2.6%—
20245169#66211.7%34.6%21.6%3.5%—
20255678#48120.1%45.2%17.5%2.6%—
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
Female6.2%16.9%+10.7pp
Male9.0%16.6%+7.6pp
Asian3.3%5.9%+2.6pp
Black/African American5.8%13.8%+8.0pp
White2.7%12.5%+9.8pp
Hispanic/Latino8.9%22.0%+13.1pp
Two or More Races7.1%15.1%+8.0pp
Students with Disabilities17.8%29.4%+11.6pp
English Learners10.5%35.3%+24.8pp
Homeless12.2%38.2%+26.0pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged8.1%19.7%+11.6pp
All Students7.6%16.8%+9.2pp
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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