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San Dieguito HS Academy · Encinitas

San Dieguito HS Academy: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.

San Dieguito HS Academy posts 62% meeting the standard, and 35.9% going well past it. Most kids here keep up. Fewer get pushed further. Ask the school what it does for a child who already finds the work easy.

800 Santa Fe Drive, 92024 (opens in new tab)·San Dieguito Union High·Encinitas·Grades 9-12·1,843 students·25% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 753-1121
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6644
% Exceeded36%16%
% Met+62%36%
Grad rate98.4%87.6%
College readiness66.5%35.4%
Absence13.0%30.2%
Suspension1.2%3.6%
Scope Score
66
💪 Strong All-Around · Solid
ranked #175 statewide · #3 of 5 in San Dieguito Union High

San Dieguito HS Academy scores 66 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 92nd 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 “62% proficient” and call it done. San Dieguito HS Academy deserves a closer read. It sits at the 92nd percentile of 2,160 California high schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

San Dieguito HS Academy's low-income kids hit 56.6% 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 92nd-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathBlue(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 62% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1171%70%76%71%73%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1155%52%54%50%51%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
62%
State 36%
Graduate
98%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
67%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 62 are proficient by 11th grade → 98 graduate → 67 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

56.6%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

San Dieguito HS Academy's most underrated number

56.6% 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.

San Dieguito HS Academy low-income: 56.6%State low-income: 38.2%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
98.4%
State 87.6%
10.8pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
35.9%
State 15.8%
20.1pp above state avg
College readiness
66.5%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
62.0%
State 35.7%
26.3pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
13.0%
State 30.2%
17.2pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.2%
State 3.6%
2.4pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
32.4%
State 18.0%
14.4pp above 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 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 San Dieguito HS Academy in Encinitas, 56.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 61.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. San Dieguito HS Academy trails its district average for low-income students by 5.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (33.6% Math proficient); White students (78.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 63.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 113 students tested.

All students at this school: 62% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 62%, district —, state 36%62%
WhiteWhite: this school 68%, district 73%, state 56%68% · +6 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 63%, district 76%, state 44%63% · +1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 61%, district 73%, state 42%61% · −2 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 45%, district 54%, state 32%45% · −17 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 41%, district 54%, state 32%41% · −21 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 19%, district 30%, state 15%19% · −43 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 77%, district 82%, state 56%77% · +15 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 86%, district 91%, state 72%86% · +24 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 5%, district 20%, state 11%5% · −57 vs school
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: this school 36%, district 68%, state 46%36% · −26 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 29%, district 30%, state 22%29% · −33 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: too few students to report‹11
FilipinoFilipino: too few students to report‹11
American Indian/Alaska NativeAmerican Indian/Alaska Native: 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 13.0%, district 22.7%, state 30.2%13.0% · −17.2pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.2%, district —, state 3.6%1.2% · −2.4pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1212.3%

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 25:1, district 24:125:1
Teaching staff91 teachers
Avg. experience15.8 years
Fully credentialed95%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$70,862 – $145,072
Principal salary$0 – $199,179
Superintendent salary$358,750

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered56
AP exam qualifiers298 students
CTE pathway completers128 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $16,066, CA average $14,815$16,066 · spent at this school
Federal share$21 per student

$21 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$16,948 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
Instruction56%
Instruction support11%
Student services12%
Administration8%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other2%

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$12,624 per pupil
2019$11,728 per pupil
2018$11,865 per pupil
2017$11,201 per pupil
2016$11,107 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White61.4%
District 52.8% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic25.4%
District 17.2% · CA 56.1%
Other9.5%
District 10.6% · CA 9.0%
Asian3.3%
District 18.7% · CA 10.2%
Black0.4%
District 0.7% · CA 4.8%
GenderFemale 49.5%Male 49.9%Non-binary 0.6%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 24.9% (39pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$159K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.61M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+67% · CA 35%
ZIP population50,617
Median age44 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 61% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is San Dieguito HS Academy a good high school?

San Dieguito HS Academy has a Scope Score of 66 out of 100, placing it in the 92nd percentile of California high schools and ranked #175 statewide. 35.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 20.1 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 San Dieguito HS Academy's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 62.0% of students at San Dieguito HS Academy met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 35.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 26.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 35.9% 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. 832 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does San Dieguito HS Academy rank in California?

San Dieguito HS Academy ranks #175 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 92nd 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 San Dieguito HS Academy?

13.0% of students at San Dieguito HS Academy are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 1.2%, indicating a low-discipline-incident environment. 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 San Dieguito HS Academy compare to other schools in Encinitas?

San Dieguito HS Academy scores 66/100 (92nd 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 1,843 students. Use the schools in Encinitas page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does San Dieguito HS Academy serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At San Dieguito HS Academy in Encinitas, 56.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 61.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. San Dieguito HS Academy trails its district average for low-income students by 5.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (33.6% Math proficient); White students (78.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 63.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 113 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%
98.4%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 63th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
35.9%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 71th pctile
College readiness · 20%
66.5%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 68th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
62.0%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 69th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
13.0%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 64th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.2%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 61th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
32.4%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 76th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1141643%30%13%14%73%+26
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1141629%22%20%29%51%+28
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1142123%38%36%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 Disadvantaged11356.6%−5+18
White25478.3%−2+17
Hispanic/Latino10755.1%−8+16
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
San Dieguito HS Academy ←6635.9%62.0%1.2%
Sunset High (Continuation)0.5 mi4012.6%40.5%2.8%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
98.4%
AP Exam Prepared
66.5%
A-G Completion
81.3%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
70.5%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20196790#20532.7%62.9%6.3%3.3%
20226490#20231.2%60.7%26.2%2.0%
20236793#14637.5%64.7%14.8%1.6%
20246692#17635.1%60.6%14.3%1.4%
20256692#17535.9%62.0%13.0%1.2%
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
Female6.4%13.4%+7.0pp
Male4.8%11.0%+6.2pp
Asian2.8%9.7%+6.9pp
White0.0%0.0%+0.0pp
Hispanic/Latino5.9%13.2%+7.3pp
Two or More Races1.4%13.4%+12.0pp
Students with Disabilities8.6%18.9%+10.3pp
English Learners10.0%23.3%+13.3pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged7.9%19.2%+11.3pp
All Students5.6%12.3%+6.7pp
Homeless23.2%
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