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Fortuna Union High · Fortuna

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

Fortuna Union posts 28% meeting the standard and 8.2% exceeding it, against 36% and 15.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

379 12th Street, 95540 (opens in new tab)·Fortuna Union High·Fortuna·Grades 9-12·826 students·66% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(707) 725-4461·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4344
% Exceeded8%16%
% Met+28%36%
Grad rate96.0%87.6%
College readiness47.0%35.4%
Absence27.0%30.2%
Suspension7.8%3.6%
Scope Score
43
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,203 statewide · #2 of 3 in Fortuna Union High

Fortuna Union High scores 43 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 44th 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 “28% proficient” and call it done. Fortuna Union deserves a closer read. The school sits in Fortuna, where two-thirds 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 44th percentile since 2019.

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

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 28% meet the standard today, versus 34% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1151%42%38%29%45%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1117%12%9%13%11%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
28%
State 36%
Graduate
96%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
47%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 28 are proficient by 11th grade → 96 graduate → 47 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
96.0%
State 87.6%
8.4pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
8.2%
State 15.8%
7.6pp below state avg
College readiness
47.0%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
28.3%
State 35.7%
7.4pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
27.0%
State 30.2%
3.2pp below state avg
Suspension rate
7.8%
State 3.6%
4.2pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
9.1%
State 18.0%
8.9pp 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 what typically leads to a suspension, and what happens before it gets there.
  • 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 Fortuna Union High in Fortuna, 43.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Fortuna Union High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 1.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (10.9% Math proficient); White students (53.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 34.9 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 119 students tested.

All students at this school: 28% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 28%, district —, state 36%28%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 27%, district 29%, state 32%27% · −1 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 34%, district 41%, state 56%34% · +6 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 30%, district 36%, state 44%30% · +2 vs school
MaleMale: this school 26%, district 30%, state 42%26% · −2 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 21%, district 21%, state 32%21% · −7 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 5%, district 5%, state 15%5% · −23 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 7%, district 6%, state 11%7% · −21 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: too few students to report‹11
American Indian/Alaska NativeAmerican Indian/Alaska Native: too few students to report‹11
HomelessHomeless: too few students to report‹11
FilipinoFilipino: 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 27.0%, district 35.9%, state 30.2%27.0% · −3.2pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 7.8%, district —, state 3.6%7.8% · +4.2pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1226.6%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 21:1, district 21:121:1
Teaching staff46 teachers
Avg. experience14.2 years
Fully credentialed79%
First-year teachers7%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$50,096 – $102,137
Principal salary$0 – $133,182
Superintendent salary$157,590

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered11
AP exam qualifiers39 students
CTE pathway completers20 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $16,300, CA average $14,815$16,300 · spent at this school
Federal share$510 per student

$510 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$17,120 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
Instruction53%
Instruction support12%
Student services13%
Administration9%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other3%

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$13,008 per pupil
2019$12,102 per pupil
2018$13,320 per pupil
2017$12,577 per pupil
2016$12,130 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White54.4%
District 56.3% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic34.9%
District 32.2% · CA 56.1%
Other10.5%
District 10.7% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.1%
District 0.7% · CA 10.2%
Black0.1%
District 0.1% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 66.1% (2pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$64K · CA $85K
Median home value$390K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+26% · CA 35%
ZIP population14,469
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), 21% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Fortuna Union High a good high school?

Fortuna Union High has a Scope Score of 43 out of 100, placing it in the 44th percentile of California high schools and ranked #1,203 statewide. 8.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 7.6 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 Fortuna Union High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 28.3% of students at Fortuna Union High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 8.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 20.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 8.2% 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. 353 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Fortuna Union High rank in California?

Fortuna Union High ranks #1,203 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 44th 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 Fortuna Union High?

27.0% of students at Fortuna Union 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 7.8%. 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 Fortuna Union High compare to other schools in Fortuna?

Fortuna Union High scores 43/100 (44th 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 826 students. Use the schools in Fortuna page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Fortuna Union High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Fortuna Union High in Fortuna, 43.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Fortuna Union High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 1.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (10.9% Math proficient); White students (53.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 34.9 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 119 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 Fortuna →

Private alternatives nearby

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

A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means

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%
96.0%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 60th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
8.2%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 42th pctile
College readiness · 20%
47.0%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 57th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
28.3%
↓ vs CA 35.7% · 45th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
27.0%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 53th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
7.8%
↓ vs CA 3.6% · 31th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
9.1%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 39th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1117715%31%33%22%45%−2
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 111762%10%24%65%11%−12
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/113262%19%64%14%

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 Disadvantaged11943.7%+1+5
White9353.8%−3−8
Hispanic/Latino6934.8%+2−4
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Fortuna Union High ←—438.2%28.3%—7.8%
East High (Continuation)0.2 mi180.0%5.4%—7.7%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
96.0%
AP Exam Prepared
47.0%
A-G Completion
41.7%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
68.7%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194751#100410.7%34.2%18.7%13.3%—
20224450#10599.2%27.4%36.0%9.2%—
20234246#11656.5%23.2%29.5%9.2%—
20244243#12186.5%21.1%26.0%9.6%—
20254344#12038.2%28.3%27.0%7.8%—
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
Female18.6%29.0%+10.4pp
Male17.5%24.2%+6.7pp
Hispanic/Latino17.4%28.8%+11.4pp
American Indian/Alaska Native51.9%43.2%-8.7pp
Two or More Races17.7%21.6%+3.9pp
Students with Disabilities34.5%41.9%+7.4pp
English Learners26.2%31.6%+5.4pp
Foster Youth60.0%——
Homeless30.0%44.6%+14.6pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged21.8%31.8%+10.0pp
All Students18.0%26.6%+8.6pp
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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