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Paradise Senior High · Paradise

Paradise Senior High: Four in five leave college-ready. But suspensions run the state rate.

Paradise has real strengths and one number that complicates them. Most rating sites show you one or the other. Both belong on the same page.

5911 Maxwell Drive, 95969 (opens in new tab)·Paradise Unified·Paradise·Grades 9-12·495 students·50% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(530) 872-6425·Website
2022–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5244
% Exceeded14%16%
% Met+38%36%
Grad rate95.6%87.6%
College readiness89.3%35.4%
Absence30.0%30.2%
Suspension11.7%3.6%
Scope Score
52
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #654 statewide · #1 of 3 in Paradise Unified

Paradise Senior High scores 52 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 70th 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.

Most rating sites would stop at “38% proficient” and call it done. Paradise deserves a closer read. The school sits in Paradise, where two in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Paradise's low-income kids hit 54.2% 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 stayed near the 70th percentile since 2022.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathBlue(Increased Significantly)
ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade2022202320242025
Grade 1146%35%38%47%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade2022202320242025
Grade 1125%20%12%28%

The story this school is actually telling

The launchpad · college readiness
89.3%

of students leave measurably college-ready, versus 35.4% statewide.

↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The catch · suspensions
11.7%

of students were suspended, versus 3.6% statewide — the data can't say why.

↓ the part no ranking site shows you
Proficient by 11th grade
38%
State 36%
Graduate
96%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
89%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 38 are proficient by 11th grade → 96 graduate → 89 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

54.2%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Paradise's most underrated number

54.2% 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.

Paradise low-income: 54.2%State low-income: 38.2%

The 6 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
95.6%
State 87.6%
8.0pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
13.6%
State 15.8%
2.3pp below state avg
College readiness
89.3%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
37.6%
State 35.7%
1.9pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
30.0%
State 30.2%
0.2pp below state avg
Suspension rate
11.7%
State 3.6%
8.0pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask about the discipline philosophy and what a typical suspension is for. Numbers can't tell you whether a campus feels strict or chaotic — a visit can.

  • Ask what typically leads to a suspension, and what happens before it gets there.
  • 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 Paradise Senior High in Paradise, 54.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 29.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Paradise Senior High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 25.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (22.4% Math proficient); White students (49.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 6.2 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 48 students tested.

All students at this school: 38% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 38%, district —, state 36%38%
WhiteWhite: this school 39%, district 32%, state 56%39% · +2 vs school
MaleMale: this school 33%, district 31%, state 42%33% · −4 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 38%, district 27%, state 32%38% · +1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 40%, district 33%, state 44%40% · +3 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 34%, district 30%, state 32%34% · −3 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 15%, district 8%, state 15%15% · −22 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: too few students to report‹11
HomelessHomeless: too few students to report‹11
AsianAsian: too few students to report‹11
English LearnersEnglish Learners: 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 30.0%, district 25.6%, state 30.2%30.0% · −0.2pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 11.7%, district —, state 3.6%11.7% · +8.0pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1229.8%

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 19:1, district 20:119:1
Teaching staff30 teachers
Avg. experience10.1 years
Fully credentialed84%
First-year teachers7%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$57,726 – $118,325
Principal salary$148,546 – $132,579
Superintendent salary$221,839

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered6
AP exam qualifiers25 students
CTE pathway completers1 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $23,244, CA average $14,815$23,244 · spent at this school
Federal share$602 per student

$602 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$24,240 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
Instruction60%
Instruction support8%
Student services10%
Administration11%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other1%

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$19,718 per pupil
2019$20,342 per pupil
2018$12,089 per pupil
2017$9,702 per pupil
2016$9,446 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White75.6%
District 73.6% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic14.8%
District 16.4% · CA 56.1%
Other8.5%
District 8.8% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.6%
District 0.8% · CA 10.2%
Black0.6%
District 0.5% · CA 4.8%
GenderFemale 45.0%Male 54.3%Non-binary 0.6%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 49.9% (14pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$69K · CA $85K
Median home value$456K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+31% · CA 35%
ZIP population8,339
Median age58 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 495 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 44% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Paradise Senior High a good high school?

Paradise Senior High has a Scope Score of 52 out of 100, placing it in the 70th percentile of California high schools and ranked #654 statewide. 13.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 2.3 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 Paradise Senior High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 37.6% of students at Paradise Senior High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 13.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 24.0% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 13.6% 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. 192 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Paradise Senior High rank in California?

Paradise Senior High ranks #654 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 70th 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 Paradise Senior High?

30.0% of students at Paradise Senior 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 11.7%. 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 Paradise Senior High compare to other schools in Paradise?

Paradise Senior High scores 52/100 (70th 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 495 students. Use the schools in Paradise page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Paradise Senior High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Paradise Senior High in Paradise, 54.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 29.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Paradise Senior High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 25.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (22.4% Math proficient); White students (49.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 6.2 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 48 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%
95.6%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 60th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
13.6%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 48th pctile
College readiness · 20%
89.3%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 81th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
37.6%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 51th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
30.0%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 50th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
11.7%
↓ vs CA 3.6% · 14th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 119517%31%23%29%47%+0
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 119710%18%22%51%28%+4
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/115210%35%52%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 Disadvantaged4854.2%+25+16
White7149.3%+16−13
Hispanic/Latino1741.2%+9+2
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Paradise Senior High ←5213.6%37.6%11.7%
Ridgeview High (Continuation)0.1 mi275.6%8.3%5.7%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
95.6%
AP Exam Prepared
89.3%
A-G Completion
19.8%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
62.3%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20225272#57710.7%35.6%38.6%10.4%
20235170#6499.7%27.4%30.0%8.3%
20245168#6849.2%25.0%26.6%7.3%
20255270#65413.6%37.6%30.0%11.7%
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female22.9%28.8%+5.9pp
Male29.5%30.7%+1.2pp
Hispanic/Latino23.7%25.7%+2.0pp
American Indian/Alaska Native25.0%
Two or More Races33.8%41.7%+7.9pp
Students with Disabilities45.6%35.8%-9.8pp
Foster Youth46.2%
Homeless26.7%54.3%+27.6pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged26.8%34.4%+7.6pp
All Students26.3%29.8%+3.5pp
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