Public school · Mt. Diablo Unified

Northgate High — Rating & test scores

425 Castle Rock Road, Walnut Creek · 1,546 students · Grades 9–12

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Shared campus · © OpenStreetMap

The California School Campus Database records Eagle Peak Montessori on this campus too; it gives each school the whole campus, so this drawing doesn’t show which buildings each uses.

Drawn from OpenStreetMap. Volunteers map it, so a new building may be missing. Buildings with no mapped height are drawn one storey high.

A picture of the campus, not an attendance boundary or a rating.

Schools maintain a closed campus policy. For students’ safety, visitors may enter a campus only with the school’s official permission; this drawing implies no permission to enter.

Scope Score 86

StrongScope Score · 88th percentile. Higher than 88 in 100 of the 1,498 California public high schools we score.

75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state. How the score is built

In 2024–25, 99% of the class graduated in four years (377 of 382); across California, 89%.

Source for this line
Source
CDE four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR), 2024–25
Students
students who started 9th grade together: 382
Comparison
California: graduates divided by students who started 9th grade together, across 2,281 public schools’ rows (our combination, not CDE’s published state rate; 432,702 of 487,177).

Overview

Is Northgate a good high school?

Strong. Northgate is higher than most California high schools on test results and attendance.

From spring 2026, the state calls its top two levels “Proficient or Advanced” (formerly “Met or Exceeded”).

Test results, spring 2025

English, Proficient or Advanced8074%
Math, Proficient or Advanced8651%
English, Advanced8746%
Math, Advanced8829%

Showing up, 2024–25

Attendance7814 in 100
Northgate’s place among California high schools, out of 100Mt. Diablo Unified’s other high schoolsBar colour, from the lowest quarter of schools to the highest

One more thing to know

In grade 11, spring 2026, 83% scored Proficient or Advanced in English (reading and writing) and 61% in math, against 57% and 32% across California.

Each bar is Northgate’s place among 1,498 California public high schools we score. Our calculation from California Department of Education records, updated October 15, 2026.

How to read these bars, and their sources

A place counts the schools out of 100 with a lower figure. The dashed line is the middle. Test results are from spring 2025, grade 11, the latest year with a high school Scope Score. That year the state called these levels Met or exceeded and Exceeded. Attendance counts students who missed 10% or more of school days; fewer is better, so a higher place means fewer such students.

Source for the sentence
California’s state tests (CAASPP), California Department of Education, spring 2026. All students tested in grade 11: 381 in English, 380 in math. California: CDE’s grade 11 rows for the whole state combined, weighted by students tested (our calculation; 414,559 in English and 413,523 in math tested).

In its own words

What does Northgate say about itself?

We haven’t read Northgate’s website yet. Until we do, the school’s own site is the best place to hear it in its own words.

Open mdusd.org (opens in a new tab)

Nearby

How does it compare with schools nearby?

1 of the 7 high schools nearby have a higher Scope Score than Northgate. Each school is compared with every California high school.

Scope Score

8 high schools within 4.8 miles, highest score first. Under each name is how the school takes students.

  1. Monte VistaSan Ramon Valley Unified · by addressScope Score 9195th
  2. NorthgateScope Score 8688th
  3. Las LomasAcalanes Union High · by addressScope Score 8687th
  4. Clayton Valley CharterCharter · its own lotteryScope Score 8380th
  5. ConcordNeighborhood school · by addressScope Score 7025th
  6. Horizons School: Independent StudySchool of choice · by applicationScope Score 6712th
  7. Acalanes Center for Independent StudySchool of choice · by applicationScope Score 6611th
  8. Ygnacio ValleyNeighborhood school · by addressScope Score 647th
Mt. Diablo UnifiedA neighborhood school in another districtCharterMagnet or school of choice

A neighborhood school in another district takes students who live in its area. Ask that district about a transfer. A charter school takes applications from any family and holds a lottery when it has more applicants than seats. A magnet or other school of choice takes applications through its district.

Scope Score from California Department of Education state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025, grade 11. Distance is a straight line from this campus and is not an attendance boundary. See these schools on the map

Scores and family income

Further right, more students are from low-income families. Higher up, more students met or exceeded the standard in English.

25%50%75%0%25%50%75%100%

6 of 8 schools are named on the chart. Point at a dot or tap it to read any school.

English results: California Department of Education state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025, grade 11. Low-income is the share of students who qualified for free or reduced-price meals, 2024–25. The chart compares results, not causes.

Schools like it

How does Northgate compare with schools like it?

Northgate’s Scope Score is 86. 113 California high schools, counting Northgate, have a similar share of students from low-income families. Their typical score is 84. Northgate’s result is higher than 70 of them.

The five schools with the highest results of the 113

  1. Students from low-income families: 27%

    Scope Score 98Strong · 99th percentile

  2. Students from low-income families: 21%

    Scope Score 97Strong · 98th percentile

  3. Students from low-income families: 21%

    Scope Score 97Strong · 98th percentile

  4. Students from low-income families: 18%

    Scope Score 96Strong · 98th percentile

  5. Students from low-income families: 20%

    Scope Score 95Strong · 97th percentile

113 California public high schools where 16% to 28% of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. The chart compares results, not causes. Our calculation from California Department of Education records, spring 2025.

How the group is chosen

The group is every California public high school we score where 16% to 28% of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. That is within 6 points of Northgate’s share. The count includes Northgate. Typical means the median: half are higher and half are lower. Schools differ in more than family income, and no score is changed for it. Our calculation from California Department of Education records: state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025, and school meal eligibility, 2024–25.

Over time

Have results changed?

Results in both subjects were higher than in 2025. English went from 74% to 83% and math from 51% to 61%.

Share at the state’s top two test levels, 2017 to 2026

Grade 11. Point at a year, tap it or use the arrow keys to read its figures.

English

No comparable testsNo tests25%50%75%2017201820192022202320242025202661%81%83%NorthgateNorthgate57%CaliforniaCalifornia55%Mt. Diablo UnifiedDistrict

Math

No comparable testsNo tests25%50%75%2017201820192022202320242025202636%62%61%NorthgateNorthgate34%Mt. Diablo UnifiedDistrict32%CaliforniaCalifornia

The lines break where a year has no comparable state test results. Each spring tests a different group of students. Mt. Diablo Unified’s line combines its 6 high schools we score (our calculation). Faint lines are its other schools. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

Each year’s results

The top two levels were called Met or Exceeded before 2026 and are called Proficient or Advanced now. Mt. Diablo Unified’s figure weights each school by the students it tested.

English, grade 11: share at the top two levels
SpringNorthgateMt. Diablo UnifiedCaliforniaTested here
201781%61%60%392
201876%58%56%335
201979%59%57%338
202286%58%55%332
202381%57%55%362
202477%55%56%364
202574%52%57%353
202683%55%57%381
Math, grade 11: share at the top two levels
SpringNorthgateMt. Diablo UnifiedCaliforniaTested here
201762%36%32%399
201860%38%31%326
201963%36%32%328
202259%31%27%338
202354%29%27%362
202457%30%28%362
202551%31%30%355
202661%34%32%380

Tests

How did students here do on state tests?

Well above California in both subjects.

English

83%

scored Proficient or Advanced.

112756
Mt. Diablo Unified52%California57%

Math

61%

scored Proficient or Advanced.

18213130
Mt. Diablo Unified31%California32%
MinimalDeveloping levelProficientAdvanced

In grade 11, spring 2026, 83% scored Proficient or Advanced in English and 61% in math, against 57% and 32% across California.

The state published these results on October 15, 2026. What changed across California. Spring 2026, grade 11 combined. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

How does math compare with English?

In grade 11, spring 2026, math trails English by 22 percentage points in the share who scored Proficient or Advanced, against 25 points across California. The grade 11 cards above give each subject’s share.

All four test levels, with the number of students tested
Share of students tested at each level, spring 2026. The state’s test levels Advanced, Proficient, the Developing level (formerly Nearly met) and Minimal.
StudentsAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalTested
English, grade 11 · This school56%27%11%6%381
English, grade 11 · California27%30%21%22%414,559
English, grade 11 · Mt. Diablo Unified25%27%21%27%1,755
Math, grade 11 · This school30%31%21%18%380
Math, grade 11 · California16%16%20%48%413,523
Math, grade 11 · Mt. Diablo Unified14%17%19%50%1,747

Spring 2026, grade 11 combined: 381 tested in English, 380 tested in math. California combines the state’s results for the same grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

Who goes here

Who goes here?

White students are the largest group here, at 44% of students. 238 of 1,596 students missed 10% or more of school days.

Missing school, 2025–26

15in 100

students were chronically absent. That means they missed 10% or more of school days (238 of 1,596 students).

At the average Mt. Diablo Unified high school: 29 in 100. At the average California high school: 22 in 100.

Suspensions: 1.8% of students were suspended at least once (29 of 1,634). Average California high school 2.9%.

Students, 2024–25

1,546

students in grades 9–12.

White 44%Hispanic or Latino 17%Asian 13%Two or more races 12%Not reported 7%Filipino 5%Black or African American 1%

Family income

22%

of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25, 346 of 1,546. California: 63%.

Teachers, 2024–25

73

teachers, with 15 years of experience on average.

5% were in their first year.

91% of teaching positions had the right credential, 2021–22.

English learners

71%

of English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top, spring 2025 to spring 2026 (15 of 21 students).

Mt. Diablo Unified: 52%. California: 47%.

It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent. Sources: California Department of Education and the California School Dashboard. Each tile names its year.

Full student mix, 2025–26
StudentsHere
White44%
Hispanic or Latino17%
Asian13%
Two or more races12%
Not reported7%
Filipino5%
Black or African American1%
American Indian or Alaska Native—
Pacific Islander—
Where these figures come from

Attendance and suspensions: California Department of Education, 2025–26. Student mix: the students the state’s attendance file counts, 2025–26; a dash means our records hold no count. English learner progress: California School Dashboard, 2026 . Student count: California Department of Education enrollment, 2024–25. Teachers: California Department of Education staffing files, 2024–25.

Teaching credentials: California’s School Accountability Report Card, 2024–25, measured in 2021–22: 57.9 of 63.6 full-time teaching positions. It counts positions, not individual teachers.

Student groups

How do kids like mine do here?

Low-income and Hispanic or Latino students here scored well above the same groups across California in math.

This schoolThe same group, California
  • Asian44 tested75%California 67%
  • Two or more races86 tested63%California 43%
  • White169 tested63%California 44%
  • Low-income86 tested49%California 23%
  • Hispanic or Latino62 tested47%California 21%
  • Students with disabilities31 tested16%California 8%

Both groups score below California’s rate for all students statewide. 49% of low-income students scored Proficient or Advanced in math (grade 11, spring 2026), against 23% for the same group across California. Hispanic or Latino students: 47% in math, against 21% for the same group across California. Every group’s English results are in the table below.

Share who scored Proficient or Advanced, grade 11 math, spring 2026. Each group is compared with the same group in the same grades. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

Every group’s results, with the district

Low-income is the state’s “socioeconomically disadvantaged” group.

Proficient or Advancedgrade 11 · spring 2026
Group and subjectHerevs Mt. Diablo Unifiedvs California
Low-income · 86 tested
English65%+2837%+1649%
Math49%+3019%+2623%
White · 170 tested in English, 169 in math
English84%+1371%+1668%
Math63%+1350%+1944%
Two or more races · 86 tested
English85%+1768%+1867%
Math63%+1944%+2043%
Hispanic or Latino · 62 tested
English73%+3736%+2449%
Math47%+3116%+2621%
Asian · 44 tested
English89%+2861%+1079%
Math75%+2649%+867%
Students with disabilities · 31 tested
English35%+2015%+1619%
Math16%+610%+88%

Each gap is to the same group, grades and subject: in Mt. Diablo Unified, and across California. ■ Green: a group that is behind across California does much better here, by 10 points or more and more than twice the margin of error.

Filipino students: fewer than 30 tested here. No published rate here for Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, homeless and military-family students, English learners and foster youth. That can reflect privacy rules or small numbers; it isn’t evidence of a gap. This table covers groups by income, race or ethnicity, language and disability; girls and boys aren’t split out.

After high school

How many students here graduate, and where do they go next?

99% of students graduated in four years in 2024–25. That compares with 89% across California. 78% were ready for college or career (state measure) in 2024–25. 88% of the class of 2023 enrolled in college within 12 months.

ready for college or career (state measure), 2024–25

78%

Across California: 52%.

of graduates finished the UC/CSU course list, 2024–25

67%

At the average California high school: 56%.

Graduation, college and university records

Preparation · each measure describes a different student group

Graduated in four years

99%

Across California: 89%

2024–25 · 377 of 382 students who started 9th grade together

Ready for college or career (state measure)

78%

Across California: 52%

2024–25 · 297 of 382 students in the state’s measure

Finished the UC/CSU course list

67%

Average California high school: 56%

2024–25 · 251 of 377 graduates finished the UC/CSU course list

Destinations · class of 2023

Where students who finished high school went

88% enrolled in college within 12 months · 364 students who finished high school

  • University of California UC detail ↓64 · 18%
  • California State University CSU detail ↓62 · 17%
  • California community college115 · 32%
  • In-state private18 · 5%
  • Out-of-state, 4-year60 · 16%
  • Out-of-state, 2-year3 · 1%
  • Not enrolled42 · 11%

Source: CDE college-going records, class of 2023. Shares are our arithmetic: each count divided by all high-school completers (graduates and other students who finished), rounded together so they total 100. “Not enrolled” does not describe employment, military service or other routes.

Where the class of 2023 went
89%enrolled in college within a year

364 completers, class of 2023

  • University of California64 (18%)
  • California State University62 (17%)
  • California community college115 (32%)
  • In-state private18 (5%)
  • Out-of-state, 4-year60 (16%)
  • Out-of-state, 2-year3 (1%)
  • Not enrolled42 (11%)

Source: CDE’s college-going rate for the class of 2023 (enrolled in college within 12 months). Shares are our arithmetic: count ÷ completers, rounded together so they total 100. A dash means we have no figure for that row; it isn’t zero.

Where these figures come fromEach measure’s source, student group and definition
Graduated in four years
2024–25 · 377 of 382 students who started 9th grade together. California Department of Education, adjusted cohort graduation records. Comparison is SchoolScope’s combination of graduates and cohort counts across the reference schools, not CDE’s published state rate.
Ready for college or career (state measure)
2024–25 · 297 of 382 students in the state’s measure. California Department of Education, College/Career Indicator (CCI), overall “Prepared” rate, among the students in the indicator’s group. Prepared is CDE’s overall classification, not AP participation or a college admission rate.
Finished the UC/CSU course list
2024–25 · 251 of 377 graduates finished the UC/CSU course list. California Department of Education, A–G completion records (graduates who met the UC/CSU course requirements). Course completion is separate from college enrollment.
Where students who finished high school went
CDE college-going records, class of 2023. College enrollment is counted for 12 months after finishing high school and matched to college records, so this runs about two years behind. A dash is unavailable, not zero.
A closer look: UC and CSU admission recordsApplied, admitted and enrolled, from each university system’s own records

UC’s own records

University of California

Fall 2025 first-year entry · counts, not a school rating

Applied
178
Admitted
143
Enrolled
75

By campus · fall 2025

  • UC San DiegoApplied 139 · Admitted 31 · Enrolled 9
  • UC DavisApplied 136 · Admitted 44 · Enrolled 12
  • UC Santa BarbaraApplied 132 · Admitted 40 · Enrolled 7
  • UCLAApplied 127 · Admitted 11 · Enrolled 8
  • UC BerkeleyApplied 119 · Admitted 13 · Enrolled 8
  • UC IrvineApplied 117 · Admitted 17 · Enrolled 3
  • UC Santa CruzApplied 96 · Admitted 76 · Enrolled 21
  • UC RiversideApplied 72 · Admitted 68 · Enrolled 5
  • UC MercedApplied 48 · Admitted 47 · Enrolled under 3

These records don’t show the school’s effect on admission. A student can apply to several campuses, so campus counts don’t add up to the total. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees; “+” marks a partial count; a dash is unavailable. Source: UC admissions by source school.

Each fall since 2016

  • Fall 2025Applied 178 · Admitted 143 · Enrolled 75
  • Fall 2024Applied 187 · Admitted 125 · Enrolled 59
  • Fall 2023Applied 202 · Admitted 129 · Enrolled 70
  • Fall 2022Applied 179 · Admitted 105 · Enrolled 63
  • Fall 2021Applied 175 · Admitted 114 · Enrolled 63
  • Fall 2020Applied 147 · Admitted 102 · Enrolled 59
  • Fall 2019Applied 166 · Admitted 113 · Enrolled 61
  • Fall 2018Applied 179 · Admitted 104 · Enrolled 57
  • Fall 2017Applied 142 · Admitted 95 · Enrolled 53
  • Fall 2016Applied 163 · Admitted 114 · Enrolled 60

CSU’s own records

California State University

Fall 2025 first-year entry · counts, not a school rating

Applied
225
Admitted
215
Enrolled
71

By campus · falls 2021–2025 added together

Five years in each number, not one. CSU publishes campus counts only as five-year totals, so these aren’t comparable to the fall 2025 figures above or to UC’s one-fall campus bars.

  • Cal Poly San Luis ObispoApplied 717 · Admitted 233 · Enrolled 80
  • San Diego StateApplied 715 · Admitted 311 · Enrolled 57
  • Cal State Long BeachApplied 413 · Admitted 171 · Enrolled under 6
  • Chico StateApplied 346 · Admitted 328 · Enrolled 60
  • San José StateApplied 277 · Admitted 234 · Enrolled 28
  • Cal Poly PomonaApplied 229 · Admitted 176 · Enrolled 10
  • San Francisco StateApplied 200 · Admitted 190 · Enrolled 11
  • Sacramento StateApplied 156 · Admitted 151 · Enrolled 8
  • Cal State FullertonApplied 151 · Admitted 133 · Enrolled 10
  • Sonoma StateApplied 142 · Admitted 138 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State Monterey BayApplied 122 · Admitted 119 · Enrolled 13
  • Cal Poly HumboldtApplied 103 · Admitted 101 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State East BayApplied 81 · Admitted 74 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State NorthridgeApplied 76 · Admitted 71 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State LAApplied 69 · Admitted 64 · Enrolled —
  • Fresno StateApplied 39 · Admitted 39 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State San MarcosApplied 35 · Admitted 34 · Enrolled —
  • CSU Channel IslandsApplied 33 · Admitted 32 · Enrolled under 6
  • CSU BakersfieldApplied 13 · Admitted 10 · Enrolled —
  • Cal State Dominguez HillsApplied 13 · Admitted 13 · Enrolled —
  • Cal State San BernardinoApplied 8 · Admitted 7 · Enrolled under 6
  • Stanislaus StateApplied 8 · Admitted 7 · Enrolled —
  • Cal Poly Maritime AcademyApplied under 6 · Admitted under 6 · Enrolled —

These records don’t show the school’s effect on admission. A student can apply to several campuses, so campus counts don’t add up to the total. CSU withholds counts under 6; a dash is unavailable. Students who reach CSU from a community college aren’t counted here. Source: CSU High School Success dashboard.

Each fall since 2021

  • Fall 2025Applied 225 · Admitted 215 · Enrolled 71
  • Fall 2024Applied 227 · Admitted 221 · Enrolled 62
  • Fall 2023Applied 222 · Admitted 217 · Enrolled 64
  • Fall 2022Applied 195 · Admitted 187 · Enrolled 57
  • Fall 2021Applied 189 · Admitted 176 · Enrolled 46
Advanced courses on record

AP courses the school is approved to teach

The College Board approved this school to teach 22 AP courses in 7 subjects for 2025–26.

College Board AP Course Audit Ledger · 2025–26. Authorization doesn’t show which courses run or who can take them; ask the school.

  • Math & Computer Science5
  • Sciences3
  • English2
  • History & Social Science6
  • World Languages & Cultures2
  • Arts3
  • AP Capstone1
Every approved AP course22 courses in 7 subjects
Math & Computer Science 5
  • Calculus AB
  • Calculus BC
  • Computer Science Principles
  • Precalculus
  • Statistics
Sciences 3
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental Science
English 2
  • English Language and Composition
  • English Literature and Composition
History & Social Science 6
  • European History
  • Microeconomics
  • Psychology
  • U.S. Government and Politics
  • United States History
  • World History: Modern
World Languages & Cultures 2
  • German Language and Culture
  • Spanish Language and Culture
Arts 3
  • 2-D Art and Design
  • 3-D Art and Design
  • Drawing
AP Capstone 1
  • Seminar

What other courses and pathways are on record?

College courses in high school (dual enrollment)
14 students took one

2023–24

Students taking a college course for credit while in high school, often through a community college. Federal Civil Rights Data Collection, school-reported.

Family and staff answers

What would families and staff tell you?

Families and staff can answer a short set of questions about Northgate. These are not star ratings or reviews.

  1. Staff answers show once 5 people have answered.Until then this page shows no staff answers.
  2. Family answers show once 20 families have answered.Until then this page shows how many have answered.
  3. The questions are about the school, never a person.No question asks about a named teacher or staff member.
  4. Answers are never part of the Scope Score.They sit beside the state’s records and do not change a school’s score.
  5. Staff confirm a work email.Staff answers come only from people who confirmed an email address at Mt. Diablo Unified.

Families

No family answers yet

0 of 20 needed before answers show

  • Does the school tell you how your child is doing, in a way you understand, before report cards arrive?Usually · Sometimes · Rarely
  • When you contact the school with a question, do you hear back within two school days?Usually · Sometimes · Rarely · Haven’t contacted them
  • Can you get school information in the language you read best?Yes · Mostly · No
  • And 4 more questions.

Answer the family questionsResponder en españolHow family answers work

Staff

No staff answers yet

5 answers needed before they show

  • Would you send your own child to this school?Yes · Maybe · No
  • Do you plan to work at this school next year?Yes · Not sure · No
  • Do you have the materials and supplies you need to teach?Usually · Sometimes · Rarely
  • And 5 more questions.

Answer the staff questionsHow staff answers work

Money

Where does the money go?

$409 for each student in 2024–25. California’s high schools spent $20,309 for each student. Mt. Diablo Unified’s plan for 2026–27 covers $65 million.

$409

for each student at this school, 2024–25
Spent at the school
$409
The school’s share of district office costs
$0
Of the total, from federal funds
$237
  • Northgate$409
  • Mt. Diablo Unified high schools$657
  • California high schools$20,309

The district and California figures combine their high schools, weighted by enrollment (our calculation, 1,655 California schools). Spending does not show how well money is used. Source: California Department of Education, per-school spending report, 2024–25. Funding records ↓

Mt. Diablo Unified’s yearly plan

$65million

in the district’s plan for 2026–27

$43million

planned for services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth

This is the district’s plan. It is not this school’s own budget. The plan has 5 goals. The district’s page lists each one. The plan covers $65 million of $545 million in total budgeted spending. Source: Mt. Diablo Unified Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), 2026–27. Read the district’s plan →

The neighborhood

What is the area around Northgate like?

These figures are for everyone who lives in ZIP code 94598. They are not figures for the families at Northgate.

Typical household income in a year

$186,225

Typical means half are higher and half are lower. The ZIP code is the school’s address, not its attendance area. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024, ZIP code area 94598.

Typical home value
$1,339,900
People who live in this ZIP code
27,206
Typical age
45.9 years
Adults 25 and older with a four-year college degree
74%

Questions to ask

What should I ask, and when?

Bring these 7 questions to Northgate. Confirm anything about applying with the school itself.

On a tour

  1. What extra help do low-income students get, and how do you know it’s working?49% of low-income students scored Proficient or Advanced in math, grade 11, spring 2026 (86 students tested); the same group across California: 23%
  2. How do you stretch students who are already ahead?56% scored Advanced in English, grade 11, spring 2026 (381 students tested); California: 27%
  3. Which courses and career pathways does the school run, and who can enroll?
  4. How do counselors help students plan for college, training or work?
  5. What support is available when a student falls behind on graduation requirements?

At the office

  1. What time does the day start and end, and is any day shorter?
  2. Is there care before or after school, and what does it cost?

Getting in

Which schools feed into Northgate, and how do I get in?

Ask Mt. Diablo Unified which school serves your address. From Foothill Middle.

Boundaries split some neighborhoods. Each school’s standing compares it with California schools at its own level.

Middle · assigned
Foothill Middle Scope Score 85Strong · 88th percentile · 2026

Fed by 4 elementary schools

High · this school
Northgate High

Its middle school is assigned here.

From the district’s 2024 attendance boundaries, plus nearby estimates. Shares are our estimate of where the zone’s children live. We use 2020 Census child counts, or land area where few children were counted. A share counts children living in the zone, not a school’s enrolled students. A boundary doesn’t guarantee a place. Transfers, permits, magnets and other programs can change the path. Check your child’s address and current assignment with the district. Explore schools on the map

All feeding elementary schools (4)Grouped by the middle school each one feeds, with each school’s standing

Into Foothill Middle

All recorded links and nearby alternatives

Elementary links

  • Valle Verde Elementary

    Assigned

    Scope Score 86 · Strong · 87th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Walnut Acres Elementary

    Assigned

    Scope Score 90 · Strong · 94th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Bancroft Elementary

    Assigned for part of the zone

    Scope Score 78 · Solid · 65th percentile · elementary · 2026

    65% of the zone’s children

  • Highlands Elementary

    Assigned for part of the zone

    Scope Score 78 · Solid · 64th percentile · elementary · 2026

    43% of the zone’s children

  • Eagle Peak Montessori

    Nearby same-district option · distance estimate, not a confirmed feeder · Charter school. Check how it admits students.

    Scope Score 76 · Solid · 56th percentile · elementary · 2026

Middle-school links

  • Foothill Middle

    Assigned

    Scope Score 85 · Strong · 88th percentile · middle · 2026

Links do not guarantee placement. Charter, magnet, transfer and other admission routes can differ. Each school’s percentile compares it with California schools at its own level (continuation and alternative schools only with their own kind); the stages are not one ranking.

Where it is

Where is Northgate?

Address
425 Castle Rock Road, Walnut Creek 94598Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)
Administrator
Kelly CooperAs the state’s school directory lists it, last updated February 9, 2023.

A school’s place on the map is its address in the state directory. It does not show which homes the school serves. See nearby schools on the map

Short answers to 8 common questions

How do I get in?

Ask Mt. Diablo Unified which school serves your address. See the details ↓

Is Northgate a good high school?

Northgate High has a Scope Score of 86. It scored higher than 88 in 100 of California’s 1,498 scored public high schools (Strong, 88th percentile, spring 2025). See the details ↓

How often do students miss school or get suspended?

In 2025–26, 15 in 100 students missed 10% or more of school days, against 29 in 100 at the average Mt. Diablo Unified high school. 1.8% of students (29 of 1,634) were suspended at least once in 2025–26, against 2.9% at the average California high school. See the details ↓

How does math compare with English?

In grade 11, spring 2026, math trails English by 22 percentage points in the share who scored Proficient or Advanced, against 25 points across California. See the details ↓

How do kids like mine do here?

In spring 2026, 65% of low-income students in grade 11 at Northgate High in Walnut Creek scored Proficient or Advanced in English, against 49% for the same group across California. See the details ↓

What could my child study here?

The College Board approved this school to teach 22 AP courses in 7 subjects for 2025–26.

  • 14 students took a college course for credit in 2023–24, by the federal Civil Rights Data Collection

See the details ↓

Where do students go after finishing high school here?

88% of the class of 2023 enrolled in college within 12 months, by CDE’s college-going records. See the details ↓

What should I ask on a visit?

The questions drawn from this page are under Questions to ask, ready to copy. See the details ↓

The full record

Source records

This page is built from 17 sets of records from public data sources. Every figure keeps its source, grades, year and count.

Data updated

October 15, 2026

Record sets on this page
17
Sources
California Department of EducationU.S. Census BureauUniversity of CaliforniaCollege BoardU.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil RightsNational Student Clearinghouse
State test years
2017–2026

Results

Students

After high school

Money and staff

Place, downloads and method

Score factorssource values, index and weights · 2024–25 · ranked #171 of 1,498 California high schools we score · #1 of 6 in Mt. Diablo Unified
Score factors, 2024–25
FactorSchoolIndexWeight
Graduation rate99%6325%
Exceeded standardaverage of English and math38%7422%
Ready for college or career (state measure)78%7120%
Met or exceededaverage of English and math62%6918%
Chronically absent13 in 100635%
Suspension rate2.1% (33 of 1,596)575%
English learners: top level20%565%

Index is where the school's value sits among the California high schools we score, from 0 to 100, where 50 is their average; it is not a percentile. School values are from 2024–25. Chronic absence and suspension are CDE's all-students school rates; the score uses an adjusted version of each that pulls small schools toward the average, so their index can sit nearer 50 than the rate suggests.

Scope Score by year2018–19 to 2024–25 · each year’s inputs, and the score for each year we could verify

The 2024–25 Scope Score, in the current-formula row below, uses the state’s college-or-career readiness measure, 2024–25. No verified earlier Scope Scores are available here.

Scope Score

School yearScope ScorePercentileRankComparison group
2024–258688#171California high schools · 1,498 schools · current formula

2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23 and 2023–24 have records on file but no Scope Score we could verify against that year’s source files, so no score is shown for them.

School yearChronic absenceSuspension
2018–197 in 1002.9% (45 of 1,542)
2021–22not on filenot on file
2022–23not on filenot on file
2023–2417 in 1004.1% (64 of 1,573)
2024–2513 in 1002.1% (33 of 1,596)

Chronic absence and suspension are CDE’s all-students school rates for each year.

No 2019–20 or 2020–21 records in this SchoolScope series
Results by gradeEnglish and math · grade 11 · spring 2026 · % of tested students

What each level means: California's level descriptions.

English · 2025–26 results by grade

Share of students tested, spring 2026
EnglishTestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalProficient or AdvancedCaliforniaDifference
Grade 1138156%27%11%6%83%57%+26

California is CDE’s statewide English row for each grade, counting every student tested there; the comparisons in the chapters combine these rows for their grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

Math · 2025–26 results by grade

Share of students tested, spring 2026
MathTestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalProficient or AdvancedCaliforniaDifference
Grade 1138030%31%21%18%61%32%+29

California is CDE’s statewide math row for each grade, counting every student tested there; the comparisons in the chapters combine these rows for their grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

A grade the school doesn't teach has no row. “Suppressed” marks a result CDE blanks because fewer than 11 students tested (CDE’s reporting rule); “none tested” marks a grade CDE lists with no students tested; “not on file” marks a result missing from the records we hold. None of them means zero.

Every tested year2017–2026 · rates, tested counts, and each grade

English and math by test year · all tested grades

Year · subjectStudents with scoresTop levelTop two levels
2026 · English38156%83%
2026 · Math38030%61%
2025 · English35346%74%
2025 · Math35529%51%
2024 · English36442%77%
2024 · Math36231%57%
2023 · English36254%81%
2023 · Math36232%54%
2022 · English33253%86%
2022 · Math33834%59%
2019 · English33850%79%
2019 · Math32833%63%
2018 · English33546%76%
2018 · Math32630%60%
2017 · English39249%81%
2017 · Math39925%62%

Each year names its school year end (2026 = 2025–26). “Students with scores” counts each subject on its own, so don’t add the English and math counts together. A dash is unavailable, not zero.

Earlier years · grade and subject

Year · grade · subjectStudents with scoresMet or exceeded
2025 · Grade 11 · English35374%
2025 · Grade 11 · Math35551%
2024 · Grade 11 · English36477%
2024 · Grade 11 · Math36257%
2023 · Grade 11 · English36281%
2023 · Grade 11 · Math36254%
2022 · Grade 11 · English33286%
2022 · Grade 11 · Math33859%
2019 · Grade 11 · English33879%
2019 · Grade 11 · Math32863%
2018 · Grade 11 · English33576%
2018 · Grade 11 · Math32660%
2017 · Grade 11 · English39281%
2017 · Grade 11 · Math39962%

Current 2025–26 grade results appear above. “Students with scores” counts the students tested in that grade, subject and year. A missing result is not zero, and each year’s row is a different group of children.

Science (CAST)schoolwide · spring 2026
Science (CAST)TestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimal
Schoolwide37816%38%43%3%

CAST is tested in grades 5 and 8, then once in grade 10, 11, or 12. This row is the school's all-student aggregate. Not part of the Scope Score.

Student groups: test resultsEnglish · spring 2026 · against the same group in the district and California
Group · EnglishTestedProficient or Advancedvs districtvs California
Low-income8665%+28+16
White17084%+13+16
Two or more races8685%+17+18
Attendance and suspensionsState records · this school and each student group · 2018–19 and 2025–26

CDE’s all-students school rates for 2024–25 and 2025–26; the change is the difference between the two rates as printed.

Year-over-year school rates
Chronic absenteeism2024–25 · 13 in 100 → 2025–26 · 15 in 100 · +2 in 100
Suspension rate2024–25 · 2.1% (33 of 1,596) → 2025–26 · 1.8% (29 of 1,634) · −0.3 percentage points
Group2018–192025–26Change
Female7 in 10015 in 100+8 in 100
Male6 in 10015 in 100+9 in 100
Asian5 in 1009 in 100+4 in 100
Black or African American0 of 182 of 19—
Filipino1 of 7414 of 75—
Hispanic or Latino12 in 10021 in 100+9 in 100
Two or more races7 in 10011 in 100+4 in 100
White6 in 10016 in 100+10 in 100
Students with disabilities12 in 10026 in 100+14 in 100
English learners2 of 2610 of 29—
Low-income12 in 10024 in 100+12 in 100
All students7 in 10015 in 100+8 in 100

Two reported school years only; no intervening-year result is implied. Where fewer than 100 students were counted, the cell shows the count and no change is printed. Source: CDE school-level chronic absenteeism by student group.

Graduation and readinessstate records · each rate for its own year and class of students
MeasureSource record
This school · CCI overall PreparedCDE College/Career Indicator · CCI source year 2025 · all students · all students in the current four-year graduation cohort, plus only Prepared fifth-year graduates from the prior cohort. Overall CCI Prepared rate 78% · numerator 297 students classified Prepared · denominator 382 CCI students.
California · CCI overall PreparedCDE statewide CCI cohort · CCI source year 2025 · all students · overall Prepared rate 52% · numerator 257,567 students classified Prepared · denominator 497,814 CCI students.
AP pathway among CCI Prepared studentsCDE College/Career Indicator · CCI source year 2025 · all students · AP pathway rate 74% · AP-pathway numerator 219 · denominator 297 (CCI Prepared students). This measure uses Prepared students as its denominator, not the whole CCI cohort; it is not an AP exam-taking rate or a count of AP courses offered. That cohort includes all students in the current four-year graduation cohort plus only Prepared fifth-year graduates from the prior cohort. In 2025 the pathway accepts two qualifying AP exams, two qualifying AP courses, or a combination of one of each in different subjects.

CDE's overall Prepared rate is the college-readiness factor in the Scope Score (20% of the high school score). The school rate is 297 of 382 CCI students, not the AP-only pathway or A–G completion rate. The California figure is CDE's statewide CCI student cohort, not an average of SchoolScope's comparable high schools or the SchoolScope school-rank pool.

Graduation rate
99%
AP route, among those ready for college or career
74%
2025 CDE CCI cohort · AP courses, exams, or both; share of students ready for college or career (CDE’s “Prepared”), not course offerings
Finished the UC/CSU course list (A–G)
67%
A–G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-going rate
88%

These source periods and populations differ: graduation uses an adjusted cohort, while A–G completion and college-going use separately reported groups. The rates are shown individually, without a shared performance tier.

UC admissions, universitywidefall 2016–2025 · applied, admitted, enrolled, mean GPA · summed across CEEB codes
YearAppliedAdmittedEnrolledMean GPA (applied)Mean GPA (admitted)Mean GPA (enrolled)
2025178143753.984.034.09
2024187125593.964.084.17
2023202129703.984.124.16
2022179105634.094.224.29
2021175114633.964.144.20
2020147102593.954.034.07
2019166113613.974.114.19
2018179104573.884.074.14
201714295533.863.994.02
2016163114603.853.994.04

Source: UC admissions by source school. Dated fall first-year UC applicants, admitted students, and enrollees. GPA is each group's mean weighted, capped high-school GPA for 10th/11th-grade college-preparatory courses. SchoolScope leaves GPA unavailable when several CEEB codes contribute rather than combining their means. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees, shown here as “under 5” or “under 3”; — means unavailable, and a reported zero remains zero. A + marks a partial SchoolScope sum of observed counts, not a complete total; missing contributions may be zero. No admit rate is computed here. Complete, matching counts can support a historical descriptive rate, but do not establish a school's effect or predict individual chances. Series shown from 2016.

UC admissions by campuslatest falls on file · each campus counted separately
CampusYearAppliedAdmittedEnrolled
Berkeley2025119138
Berkeley2024124157
Berkeley20231322112
Berkeley20221091612
Berkeley2021100205
Davis20251364412
Davis20241424211
Davis20231464810
Davis20221225110
Davis20211305315
Irvine2025117173
Irvine2024128205
Irvine2023137248
Irvine2022110206
Irvine202110920under 3
Los Angeles2025127118
Los Angeles2024140169
Los Angeles2023129106
Los Angeles20221201410
Los Angeles202112196
Merced20254847under 3
Merced20242929under 3
Merced202325255
Merced202232303
Merced20211919under 3
Riverside202572685
Riverside202453466
Riverside202359466
Riverside20223428under 3
Riverside202132226
San Diego2025139319
San Diego2024150286
San Diego2023147283
San Diego2022140194
San Diego2021124275
Santa Barbara2025132407
Santa Barbara2024149356
Santa Barbara2023148287
Santa Barbara20221423913
Santa Barbara20211353913
Santa Cruz2025967621
Santa Cruz2024117769
Santa Cruz20231216813
Santa Cruz2022107435
Santa Cruz20211025210
Universitywide202517814375
Universitywide202418712559
Universitywide202320212970
Universitywide202217910563
Universitywide202117511463

Source: UC admissions by source school. Dated fall first-year UC applicants, admitted students, and enrollees. Campus totals are not interchangeable with Universitywide; students can apply to several campuses. Universitywide is separately reported; never derive it by adding campus rows. Universitywide applicant and admit counts are unduplicated. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees, shown here as “under 5” or “under 3”; — means unavailable, and a reported zero remains zero. A + marks a partial SchoolScope sum of observed counts, not a complete total; missing contributions may be zero. No admit rate is computed here; these records do not establish a school's effect or predict individual chances.

AP course catalog2025–26 · College Board course authorizations
SubjectAuthorization recorded for
2-D Art and Designthis school
3-D Art and Designthis school
Biologythis school
Calculus ABthis school
Calculus BCthis school
Chemistrythis school
Computer Science Principlesthis school
Drawingthis school
English Language and Compositionthis school
English Literature and Compositionthis school
Environmental Sciencethis school
European Historythis school
German Language and Culturethis school
Microeconomicsthis school
Precalculusthis school
Psychologythis school
Seminarthis school
Spanish Language and Culturethis school
Statisticsthis school
U.S. Government and Politicsthis school
United States Historythis school
World History: Modernthis school

Authorization ≠ a section running this year — the Ledger records what the school may teach, not seat counts.

Advanced coursework, federal snapshot2023–24 · Civil Rights Data Collection · dated historical snapshot
MeasureThis school
AP offeredoffered
AP course count19
AP enrollment (male/female)636
IB participationnot reported
Dual enrollmentoffered · 14 enrolled
Algebra I in grade 8not reported
Calculus sections11
Physics sections7
Chemistry sections16
Reported male/female enrollment (CRDC)1,513

These counts aren’t part of the Scope Score. “Not reported” means the federal record has no value for that item; it isn’t a zero. Enrollment counts add the male and female students the survey reports.

College destinationsclass of 2023 · state college-going records, 12 months after graduation
DestinationCompleters% (derived)
University of California6418%
California State University6217%
California community college11532%
In-state private185%
Out-of-state, 4-year6016%
Out-of-state, 2-year31%
Not enrolled4211%

364 students who finished high school, class of 2023 · state-reported college-going rate 89% · % column is computed by SchoolScope (count ÷ all who finished high school; CDE calls them completers), not a CDE-native rate · an unavailable or suppressed cell is marked as missing; a reported zero remains distinct · source: CDE 12-mo CGR, 2023 cohort (the newest published), National Student Clearinghouse match — a different, older vintage than the fall 2025 UC admissions rows above.

Fundingschool and district spending, from state and federal finance records · each row names its fiscal year and measure

Per-pupil spending

District · current expense$11,965 per pupil

NCES F-33 · FY 2020–21 (2021) · fall district membership: 29,908 pupils

California · selected district mean$14,491 per pupil

NCES F-33 · FY 2020–21 (2021) · SchoolScope’s unweighted mean across 818 selected California district finance records

School-level federal expenditures$237 per pupil

CDE ESSA · school-attributed per-pupil record · FY 2024–25 (2025) · source denominator: 1,546

District current expense · FY 2024–25$19,016 per ADA

CDE SACS Current Expense of Education · district fiscal year ending 2025 · average daily attendance denominator

These figures are not directly comparable: school ESSA attributed spending and NCES district current expense use different measures and populations. Their fiscal years are labeled above.

How the California mean was selected

SchoolScope starts with its selected California finance records, not every NCES California district. For FY 2020–21, it calculates an unweighted mean of NCES F-33 current expense per pupil. District records contribute once, regardless of enrollment. The calculation keeps records with positive per-pupil current expense, enrollment over 100, CCD agency type 1, and a recorded district name; it excludes names ending in County Office of Education, Department of Education, or Superintendent of Schools. This is a SchoolScope calculation, not a state-published spending average.

Selected General Fund operating costs · FY 2024–⁠25 · SchoolScope calculation
Instruction 62%Instruction support 11%Student services 10%Administration 6%Buildings & maintenance 10%Other 1%
The arithmetic behind these shares · FY 2024–25
GroupDollarsShare, to two decimalsPrinted
Instruction$321,621,97362.35%62%
Instruction support$57,582,93311.16%11%
Student services$53,264,01510.33%10%
Administration$29,638,1765.75%6%
Buildings & maintenance$51,039,1599.89%10%
Other$2,702,6980.52%1%
Total$515,848,955100.00%100%

These shares are our arithmetic: each group’s dollars divided by the $515,848,955 total of the groups shown, rounded to whole percents by largest remainder so they add up to 100. Dollar amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar, so they can differ from the total by a dollar. SchoolScope groups district-level CDE SACS UserGL actuals from Fund 01, using operating objects 1000–5999 and excluding retiree benefits, food and community services, facilities acquisition, other outgo, and nonagency goals. These shares use that filtered total; they do not exactly break down CDE's official current expense per ADA above. The school-level ESSA figure uses a separate source.

NCES F-33 district fiscal-year history, 2017–⁠2021; latest district record shown: 2021
2021$11,965 per pupil
2020$12,119 per pupil
2019$13,284 per pupil
2018$12,803 per pupil
2017$12,073 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

Staffing recordsstate teacher credential-and-placement and district salary records · each for its own year

Additional workforce records

Properly assigned intern credential holders0.0%

CDE 2024–25 SARC, Teacher Preparation and Placement table; measured school year 2021–22. Share of reported school teaching-position full-time equivalents assigned to properly assigned intern credential holders. A reported 0.0% is shown; unavailable rates are omitted. This is a position share, not a count of current teachers or of emergency permits.

The surrounding ZIP codeCensus Bureau survey, 2020–2024 · ZIP 94598 · not the school’s students
American Community Survey 5-year estimates · 2020–2024 · ZIP 94598 area
MeasureEstimate
Median household income$186,225
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)74%
ZIP-area population27,206
Median age45.9 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Median household income covers the past 12 months and is reported in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars. Bachelor's degree or higher uses adults age 25 and over as its population. A dash is unavailable, not zero; a reported zero remains zero. ZIP-area figures do not establish the school's attendance area or describe its enrolled students. These figures are not part of the Scope Score. See all schools in ZIP code 94598 →

Downloads, embed and methodologyCSV · embed code · sources · corrections

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Data sources: public data sources, including the California Department of Education · state tests (CAASPP) 2025–26 · Scope Score from 2024–25 results, compared across 1,498 high schools · attendance and suspensions by student group from 2018–19 and 2025–26 · district finance for the year each row names · Census survey (ACS) 2020–2024 · UC fall first-year source records — UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or 3 admits or enrollees; “+” marks a partial count; the all-campus total is reported separately · AP courses the College Board approved, 2025–26 (approved to teach, not enrollment) · federal civil rights data (CRDC) 2023–24, a past snapshot · state college-going records, class of 2023, matched to National Student Clearinghouse enrollment · Data updated October 15, 2026