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Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science · Escondido

Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science: Four in five leave college-ready. But English learner progress trails the state.

Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science has real strengths and one number that complicates them. Most rating sites show you one or the other. Both belong on the same page.

1740 Scenic Trail Way, 92029 (opens in new tab)·Escondido Union High·Escondido·Grades 9-12·765 students·73% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 291-2500·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6144
% Exceeded25%16%
% Met+54%36%
Grad rate97.8%87.6%
College readiness92.3%35.4%
Absence15.9%30.2%
Suspension3.1%3.6%
Scope Score
61
💪 Strong All-Around · Solid
ranked #293 statewide · #3 of 8 in Escondido Union High

Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science scores 61 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 86th 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 →

💪 Strong All-Around — Ask about what we don't score — class size, electives, the feel of a classroom — strong numbers everywhere on paper don't mean every classroom feels the same.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “54% proficient” and call it done. Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science deserves a closer read. The school sits in Escondido, where two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science's low-income kids hit 65.9% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has held the 86th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 54% meet the standard today, versus 62% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1181%70%67%70%73%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1144%28%29%28%34%

The story this school is actually telling

The launchpad · college readiness
92.3%

of students leave measurably college-ready, versus 35.4% statewide.

↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The catch · English learner progress
1.7%

of English learners reached the top ELPAC level, versus 18.0% statewide — worth asking about on a tour.

↓ the part no ranking site shows you
Proficient by 11th grade
54%
State 36%
Graduate
98%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
92%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 54 are proficient by 11th grade → 98 graduate → 92 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

65.9%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science's most underrated number

65.9% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide. That's the strongest kind of signal a school can post: it holds across income lines.

Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science low-income: 65.9%State low-income: 38.2%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
97.8%
State 87.6%
10.2pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
24.6%
State 15.8%
8.7pp above state avg
College readiness
92.3%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
53.6%
State 35.7%
17.9pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
15.9%
State 30.2%
14.3pp below state avg
Suspension rate
3.1%
State 3.6%
0.6pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
1.7%
State 18.0%
16.3pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how English learners are supported — and what happens after reclassification.

  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • Ask how English learners are supported, and what changes for them after they reclassify.
  • 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 Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science in Escondido, 65.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 51.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science outperforms its district average for low-income students by 14.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (20.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (64.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 8.3 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 126 students tested.

All students at this school: 54% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 54%, district —, state 36%54%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 43%, district 34%, state 32%43% · −10 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 43%, district 32%, state 32%43% · −11 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 54%, district 41%, state 44%54% · −0 vs school
MaleMale: this school 54%, district 35%, state 42%54% · +0 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 69%, district 61%, state 56%69% · +15 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 23%, district 11%, state 15%23% · −31 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 5%, district 5%, state 11%5% · −49 vs school

7 of 15 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 15.9%, district 22.4%, state 30.2%15.9% · −14.3pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 3.1%, district —, state 3.6%3.1% · −0.6pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1214.6%

Where the path goes

The path below is estimated from nearby schools in the same district — scores shown for each next step.

Estimated K-12 Path
Middle
Altus Schools North Count…
24
→
High
Del Lago Academy - Campus…
61
This school

Estimated K-12 path based on district and proximity. Actual attendance zones may differ. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 27:1, district 21:127:1
Teaching staff29 teachers
Avg. experience10.8 years
Fully credentialed89%
First-year teachers3%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$64,175 – $137,909
Principal salary$0 – $194,134
Superintendent salary$288,519

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered12
AP exam qualifiers156 students
CTE pathway completers104 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $19,909, CA average $14,815$19,909 · 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$661 per student

$661 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$23,884 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
Instruction51%
Instruction support19%
Student services10%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance11%
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$15,874 per pupil
2019$14,487 per pupil
2018$14,895 per pupil
2017$10,600 per pupil
2016$10,146 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic67.1%
District 65.9% · CA 56.1%
White18.9%
District 23.6% · CA 19.9%
Other5.9%
District 5.6% · CA 9.0%
Asian5.6%
District 3.2% · CA 10.2%
Black2.5%
District 1.7% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 72.8% (9pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$125K · CA $85K
Median home value$986K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+47% · CA 35%
ZIP population20,726
Median age43 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 765 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 54% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science a good high school?

Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science has a Scope Score of 61 out of 100, placing it in the 86th percentile of California high schools and ranked #293 statewide. 24.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 8.7 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 Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 53.6% of students at Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 24.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 29.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 24.6% 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. 358 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science rank in California?

Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science ranks #293 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 86th 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 Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science?

15.9% of students at Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 3.1%. 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 Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science compare to other schools in Escondido?

Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science scores 61/100 (86th 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 765 students. Use the schools in Escondido page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science in Escondido, 65.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 51.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science outperforms its district average for low-income students by 14.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (20.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (64.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 8.3 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 126 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 Escondido →

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%
97.8%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 62th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
24.6%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 59th pctile
College readiness · 20%
92.3%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 83th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
53.6%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 63th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
15.9%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 62th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
3.1%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 53th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
1.7%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 27th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1117936%37%21%6%73%+26
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1117913%21%28%38%34%+11
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1117710%44%45%1%

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 Disadvantaged12665.9%+15+28
Hispanic/Latino11164.9%+15+26
White4386.0%+6+24
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Del Lago Academy - Campus of Applied Science ←—6124.6%53.6%—3.1%
Classical Academy High2.3 mi6732.1%61.4%—0.6%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
97.8%
AP Exam Prepared
92.3%
A-G Completion
90.4%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
75.8%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20196992#17226.0%62.1%5.9%2.2%—
20226390#21821.8%49.2%21.1%0.6%—
20236187#28716.6%48.0%17.2%2.2%—
20246287#28118.4%49.4%15.4%2.2%—
20256186#29324.6%53.6%15.9%3.1%—
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
Female4.6%16.7%+12.1pp
Male3.9%12.4%+8.5pp
Asian0.0%9.3%+9.3pp
Black/African American0.0%5.3%+5.3pp
White0.0%3.1%+3.1pp
Hispanic/Latino4.6%16.7%+12.1pp
Students with Disabilities8.5%22.0%+13.5pp
English Learners7.9%18.8%+10.9pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged4.7%17.7%+13.0pp
All Students4.3%14.6%+10.3pp
Homeless—18.2%—
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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