School Profile · Redwood City
Design Tech High: High scores, healthy climate, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.
Design Tech posts 48.9% exceeding the standard — versus 15.8% statewide — with climate numbers better than most. That doesn't make it perfect. It makes it worth a visit to find what numbers can't measure.
275 Oracle Parkway, 94065 (opens in new tab)·San Mateo Union High·Redwood City·Grades 9-12·567 students·7% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(650) 231-2701·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
80
💪 Strong All-Around · Strong
ranked #30 statewide · #1 of 8 in San Mateo Union High
Design Tech High scores 80 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 99th 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 →
Most rating sites would stop at “77% proficient” and call it done. Design Tech deserves a closer read. It sits at the 99th percentile of 2,160 California high schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.
The headline number: 48.9% of students scored in the top band on the state test. The California average is 15.8%.
As a charter, Design Tech enrolls by application, not address — the score reads the same, the enrollment path doesn't.
The 4 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
48.9%
State 15.8%
33.1pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
76.7%
State 35.7%
41.0pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
14.6%
State 30.2%
15.6pp below state avg
Suspension rate
3.4%
State 3.6%
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.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
Your other options
Nearby High Schools
2 within ~3 mi · avg 45
Carlmont High
Sequoia Union High · 2.2 mi
Strong
75/100
Redwood High
Sequoia Union High · 2.9 mi
Needs Support
15/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic14.5%
White41.3%
Asian22.2%
Black1.2%
Other20.8%
GenderFemale 41.8%Male 57.5%Non-binary 0.7%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 7.2% (57pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
567
883 below CA avg (~1,450)
Student-Teacher Ratio
25:1
4 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$19,450
CA avg: $14,815 · District avg · NCES F-33
Teacher Salary Range
$82,756 – $157,234
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Design Tech High in Redwood City, 92.9% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 83.2% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Design Tech High outperforms its district average for white students by 9.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (55.4% Math proficient); Asian students (96.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 16.4 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 56 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Math · Disabilities−35.5pp
27.8% vs 63.3% overall · n=18
3 more gaps by subject
ELA · Disabilities−16.4pp
73.7% vs 90.1% overall · n=19
ELA Exceeded · Disabilities−29.6pp
31.6% vs 61.2% overall · n=19
Math Exceeded · Disabilities−25.6pp
11.1% vs 36.7% overall · n=18
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
White56 tested
ELA 92.9%·Math 55.4%· +9.7pp vs district
Asian26 tested
ELA 96.2%·Math 88.0%· +6.1pp vs district
Disabilities19 tested
ELA 73.7%·Math 27.8%· +50.1pp vs district
Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$216K
$131K above CA median
Median Home Value
$1.81M
$1.15M above CA median
Bachelor's+
82%
47pp above CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
11.7 years avg experience
27 teachers · 4% first-year
Teacher Credentials
72% fully credentialed
AP Exam Qualifiers
2 students qualified via AP
Sources: CDE SARC · CDE College/Career Indicator, 2024-25
Community Profile provides context about who attends this school and the resources available. These factors are never part of the Scope Score. Learn why →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
For the data nerds
Every number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Exceeded standard · 22%
48.9%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 85th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
76.7%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 79th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
14.6%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 63th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
3.4%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 51th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 121 | 61% | 29% | 7% | 2% | 90% | +43 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 120 | 37% | 27% | 18% | 19% | 63% | +40 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 104 | 25% | 38% | 33% | 5% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 56 | 92.9% | +10 | +31 |
| Asian | 26 | 96.2% | +6 | +22 |
| Students with Disabilities | 19 | 73.7% | +50 | +57 |
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design Tech High ← | — | 80 | 48.9% | 76.7% | — | 3.4% |
| Carlmont High | 2.2 mi | 75 | 52.3% | 78.7% | — | 2.0% |
| Redwood High | 2.9 mi | 15 | 0.0% | 6.3% | — | 8.4% |
| California average | — | 44 | 15.8% | 35.7% | — | 3.6% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
AP Exam Prepared
Not offered
This school may not offer AP courses
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #207 → #110 → #99 → #30 → #30
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
Frequently asked questions
Is Design Tech High a good high school?
Design Tech High has a Scope Score of 80 out of 100, placing it in the 99th percentile of California high schools and ranked #30 statewide. 48.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 33.1 percentage points above the California average of 15.8%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for high schools: exceeded standard (43%), met or exceeded (22%), grade 3-to-5 growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%), and suspension rate (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What are Design Tech High's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 76.7% of students at Design Tech High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 48.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 27.8% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 48.9% 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. 241 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Design Tech High rank in California?
Design Tech High ranks #30 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 99th 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 Design Tech High?
14.6% of students at Design Tech 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 3.4%. 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 Design Tech High compare to other schools in Redwood City?
Design Tech High scores 80/100 (99th 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 567 students. Use the schools in Redwood City page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.
How does Design Tech High serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Design Tech High in Redwood City, 92.9% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 83.2% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Design Tech High outperforms its district average for white students by 9.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (55.4% Math proficient); Asian students (96.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 16.4 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 56 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.