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Nevada Union High · Grass Valley

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

Nevada Union posts 46% meeting the standard against 36% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

11761 Ridge Road, 95945 (opens in new tab)·Nevada Joint Union High·Grass Valley·Grades 9-12·1,561 students·37% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(530) 273-4431·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5344
% Exceeded24%16%
% Met+46%36%
Grad rate92.0%87.6%
College readiness58.6%35.4%
Absence28.1%30.2%
Suspension3.9%3.6%
Scope Score
53
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #625 statewide · #3 of 6 in Nevada Joint Union High

Nevada Union High scores 53 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 71st 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 “46% proficient” and call it done. Nevada Union deserves a closer read. The school sits in Grass Valley, where one in three 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 71st percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 46% meet the standard today, versus 56% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1173%48%41%58%60%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1140%28%20%29%32%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
46%
State 36%
Graduate
92%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
59%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 46 are proficient by 11th grade → 92 graduate → 59 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
92.0%
State 87.6%
4.4pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
24.5%
State 15.8%
8.6pp above state avg
College readiness
58.6%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
46.1%
State 35.7%
10.4pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
28.1%
State 30.2%
2.1pp below state avg
Suspension rate
3.9%
State 3.6%
0.3pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
15.8%
State 18.0%
2.2pp below 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 Nevada Union High in Grass Valley, 45.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Nevada Union High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (17.3% Math proficient); White students (64.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 31.9 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 133 students tested.

All students at this school: 46% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 46%, district —, state 36%46%
WhiteWhite: this school 50%, district 52%, state 56%50% · +4 vs school
MaleMale: this school 45%, district 47%, state 42%45% · −1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 47%, district 51%, state 44%47% · +1 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 32%, district 33%, state 32%32% · −14 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 32%, district 37%, state 32%32% · −14 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 17%, district 14%, state 15%17% · −29 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 54%, district 52%, state 56%54% · +8 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 25%, district 28%, state 22%25% · −21 vs school

6 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 28.1%, district 32.6%, state 30.2%28.1% · −2.1pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 3.9%, district —, state 3.6%3.9% · +0.3pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1227.9%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 20:1, district 22:120:1
Teaching staff83 teachers
Avg. experience12.7 years
Fully credentialed83%
First-year teachers5%
Intern / emergency permit1.1%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$58,624 – $112,427
Principal salary$0 – $149,840
Superintendent salary$199,995

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered31
AP exam qualifiers89 students
CTE pathway completers70 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $19,318, CA average $14,815$19,318 · spent at this school
Federal share$1,435 per student

$1,435 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$20,072 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 support10%
Student services14%
Administration9%
Buildings & maintenance12%
Other4%

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$16,445 per pupil
2019$15,655 per pupil
2018$15,562 per pupil
2017$13,353 per pupil
2016$12,128 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White70.7%
District 71.8% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic18.9%
District 17.6% · CA 56.1%
Other8.7%
District 9.1% · CA 9.0%
Black1.0%
District 0.7% · CA 4.8%
Asian0.7%
District 0.9% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 37.0% (27pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$66K · CA $85K
Median home value$540K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+35% · CA 35%
ZIP population27,470
Median age50 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 51% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nevada Union High a good high school?

Nevada Union High has a Scope Score of 53 out of 100, placing it in the 71st percentile of California high schools and ranked #625 statewide. 24.5% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 8.6 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 Nevada Union High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 46.1% of students at Nevada Union High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 24.5% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 21.6% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 24.5% 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. 704 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Nevada Union High rank in California?

Nevada Union High ranks #625 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 71st 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 Nevada Union High?

28.1% of students at Nevada 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 3.9%. 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 Nevada Union High compare to other schools in Grass Valley?

Nevada Union High scores 53/100 (71st 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 1,561 students. Use the schools in Grass Valley page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

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

At Nevada Union High in Grass Valley, 45.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Nevada Union High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (17.3% Math proficient); White students (64.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 31.9 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 133 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 Grass Valley →

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%
92.0%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 55th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
24.5%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 59th pctile
College readiness · 20%
58.6%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 63th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
46.1%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 57th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
28.1%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 52th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
3.9%
↓ vs CA 3.6% · 49th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
15.8%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 49th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1135134%27%20%20%60%+13
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1135315%17%28%40%32%+9
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1135414%36%46%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 Disadvantaged13345.9%+0+8
White24564.5%−2+3
Hispanic/Latino7843.6%−4+5
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Nevada Union High ←—5324.5%46.1%—3.9%
William & Marian Ghidotti High0.5 mi7079.2%94.5%—1.1%
North Point Academy0.2 mi4717.7%38.7%—1.9%
Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning2.6 mi3613.6%27.2%—10.0%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
92.0%
AP Exam Prepared
58.6%
A-G Completion
27.1%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
67.7%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195877#47426.9%56.5%14.4%9.5%—
20224964#76015.0%37.9%45.0%4.2%—
20234655#96410.5%30.5%37.3%5.0%—
20245169#65819.3%43.1%30.8%5.3%—
20255371#62524.5%46.1%28.1%3.9%—
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
Female13.1%29.8%+16.7pp
Male14.6%26.1%+11.5pp
Asian11.5%25.0%+13.5pp
Black/African American5.9%35.3%+29.4pp
Hispanic/Latino14.8%31.4%+16.6pp
American Indian/Alaska Native12.5%53.8%+41.3pp
Two or More Races12.5%30.9%+18.4pp
Students with Disabilities27.3%41.5%+14.2pp
English Learners4.0%41.7%+37.7pp
Homeless19.6%55.1%+35.5pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged17.2%37.6%+20.4pp
All Students13.9%27.9%+14.0pp
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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