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Milpitas High · Milpitas

Milpitas High: High scores, healthy climate, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.

Milpitas posts 40.0% 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.

1285 Escuela Parkway, 95035 (opens in new tab)·Milpitas Unified·Milpitas·Grades 9-12·2,926 students·44% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(408) 635-2800
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6644
% Exceeded40%16%
% Met+67%36%
Grad rate94.8%87.6%
College readiness68.7%35.4%
Absence9.1%30.2%
Suspension2.4%3.6%
Scope Score
66
💪 Strong All-Around · Solid
ranked #184 statewide · #1 of 3 in Milpitas Unified

Milpitas High scores 66 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 91st 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.

Most rating sites would stop at “67% proficient” and call it done. Milpitas deserves a closer read. The school sits in Milpitas, where two in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Milpitas's low-income kids hit 67.3% 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 91st-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathYellow(Declined Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 67% meet the standard today, versus 71% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1179%78%78%73%78%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1163%61%58%55%57%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
67%
State 36%
Graduate
95%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
69%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 67 are proficient by 11th grade → 95 graduate → 69 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

67.3%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Milpitas's most underrated number

67.3% 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.

Milpitas low-income: 67.3%State low-income: 38.2%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
94.8%
State 87.6%
7.2pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
40.0%
State 15.8%
24.1pp above state avg
College readiness
68.7%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
67.3%
State 35.7%
31.6pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
9.1%
State 30.2%
21.1pp below state avg
Suspension rate
2.4%
State 3.6%
1.2pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
19.1%
State 18.0%
1.1pp 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 whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • 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 Milpitas High in Milpitas, 67.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 54.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Milpitas High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 13.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (43.3% Math proficient); Asian students (86.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 59.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 294 students tested.

All students at this school: 67% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 67%, district —, state 36%67%
AsianAsian: this school 79%, district 83%, state 72%79% · +12 vs school
MaleMale: this school 66%, district 66%, state 42%66% · −2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 69%, district 69%, state 44%69% · +2 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 55%, district 48%, state 32%55% · −12 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 58%, district 61%, state 65%58% · −9 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 41%, district 31%, state 32%41% · −26 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 16%, district 24%, state 11%16% · −51 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 54%, district 62%, state 56%54% · −14 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 13%, district 20%, state 15%13% · −55 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 42%, district 33%, state 22%42% · −25 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 83%, district 71%, state 56%83% · +16 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: too few students to report‹11
Pacific IslanderPacific Islander: too few students to report‹11
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: 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 9.1%, district 15.3%, state 30.2%9.1% · −21.1pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.4%, district —, state 3.6%2.4% · −1.2pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–128.6%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path

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 staff145 teachers
Avg. experience13.0 years
Fully credentialed87%
First-year teachers4%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$76,899 – $153,171
Principal salary$193,997 – $218,147
Superintendent salary$289,625

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered57
AP exam qualifiers298 students
CTE pathway completers57 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $18,193, CA average $14,815$18,193 · spent at this school
Federal share$216 per student

$216 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$18,174 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
Instruction64%
Instruction support16%
Student services6%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance8%

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$12,354 per pupil
2019$12,118 per pupil
2018$12,280 per pupil
2017$11,069 per pupil
2016$10,472 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Asian53.8%
District 55.3% · CA 10.2%
Other22.2%
District 19.6% · CA 9.0%
Hispanic19.0%
District 19.5% · CA 56.1%
White3.6%
District 3.9% · CA 19.9%
Black1.4%
District 1.7% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 44.0% (20pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$179K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.25M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+58% · CA 35%
ZIP population78,810
Median age37 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 2,926 students, this school is well above the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 59% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Milpitas High a good high school?

Milpitas High has a Scope Score of 66 out of 100, placing it in the 91st percentile of California high schools and ranked #184 statewide. 40.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 24.1 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 Milpitas High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 67.3% of students at Milpitas High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 40.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 27.4% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 40.0% 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. 1,349 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Milpitas High rank in California?

Milpitas High ranks #184 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 91st 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 Milpitas High?

9.1% of students at Milpitas 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 2.4%. 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 Milpitas High compare to other schools in Milpitas?

Milpitas High scores 66/100 (91st 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 2,926 students. Use the schools in Milpitas page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Milpitas High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Milpitas High in Milpitas, 67.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 54.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Milpitas High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 13.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (43.3% Math proficient); Asian students (86.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 59.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 294 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%
94.8%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 59th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
40.0%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 76th pctile
College readiness · 20%
68.7%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 69th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
67.3%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 73th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
9.1%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 67th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.4%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 55th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
19.1%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 55th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1167347%31%13%9%78%+30
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1167633%24%19%24%57%+34
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1169623%36%37%4%

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 Disadvantaged29467.3%+13+29
Asian37186.5%+2+12
Hispanic/Latino11154.0%+16+15
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Milpitas High ←6640.0%67.3%2.4%
Milpitas Middle College High0.2 mi5630.4%60.9%1.5%
Calaveras Hills1.4 mi242.6%12.8%6.4%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
94.8%
AP Exam Prepared
68.7%
A-G Completion
59.2%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
83.0%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20197294#13245.0%70.9%8.3%2.6%
20226994#12443.4%69.4%11.0%2.6%
20236894#12642.6%68.0%12.1%2.4%
20246591#18836.4%64.1%10.8%3.3%
20256691#18440.0%67.3%9.1%2.4%
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
Female8.4%8.4%+0.0pp
Male7.5%8.7%+1.2pp
Asian3.5%4.0%+0.5pp
Black/African American17.4%25.6%+8.2pp
White6.3%6.4%+0.1pp
Hispanic/Latino15.8%17.5%+1.7pp
Pacific Islander30.4%33.3%+2.9pp
Two or More Races14.5%14.4%-0.1pp
Students with Disabilities17.6%19.0%+1.4pp
English Learners8.5%13.5%+5.0pp
Homeless23.7%17.4%-6.3pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged11.8%11.8%+0.0pp
All Students7.9%8.6%+0.7pp
Filipino17.6%
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