ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in
South Hills High · West Covina

South Hills High: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.

South Hills posts 51% meeting the standard, and 21.9% 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.

645 South Barranca Street, 91723 (opens in new tab)·Covina-Valley Unified·West Covina·Grades 9-12·1,568 students·62% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(626) 974-6220·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5644
% Exceeded22%16%
% Met+51%36%
Grad rate98.2%87.6%
College readiness50.4%35.4%
Absence15.9%30.2%
Suspension1.7%3.6%
Scope Score
56
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #488 statewide · #1 of 4 in Covina-Valley Unified

South Hills High scores 56 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 77th 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 “51% proficient” and call it done. South Hills deserves a closer read. The school sits in West Covina, where three in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

South Hills's low-income kids hit 68.2% 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 held the 77th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 51% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1170%63%64%60%68%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1136%29%28%28%34%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
51%
State 36%
Graduate
98%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
50%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 51 are proficient by 11th grade → 98 graduate → 50 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

68.2%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

South Hills's most underrated number

68.2% 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.

South Hills low-income: 68.2%State low-income: 38.2%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
98.2%
State 87.6%
10.6pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
21.9%
State 15.8%
6.0pp above state avg
College readiness
50.4%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
50.7%
State 35.7%
15.0pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
15.9%
State 30.2%
14.3pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.7%
State 3.6%
2.0pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
19.4%
State 18.0%
1.5pp 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 South Hills High in West Covina, 68.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 48.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. South Hills High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 19.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (32.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (64.1% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 53.3 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 242 students tested.

All students at this school: 51% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 51%, district —, state 36%51%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 45%, district 42%, state 32%45% · −5 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 50%, district 41%, state 32%50% · −0 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 52%, district 47%, state 44%52% · +1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 49%, district 45%, state 42%49% · −2 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 8%, district 16%, state 15%8% · −42 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 89%, district 75%, state 72%89% · +38 vs school
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: this school 44%, district 40%, state 46%44% · −7 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 26%, district 35%, state 22%26% · −24 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 66%, district 52%, state 56%66% · +15 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 73%, district 75%, state 65%73% · +22 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 8%, district 11%, state 11%8% · −43 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: too few students to report‹11
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: too few students to report‹11
American Indian/Alaska NativeAmerican Indian/Alaska Native: too few students to report‹11
Pacific IslanderPacific Islander: 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 15.9%, district 18.7%, state 30.2%15.9% · −14.3pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.7%, district —, state 3.6%1.7% · −2.0pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1215.3%

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 22:1, district 23:122:1
Teaching staff76 teachers
Avg. experience15.8 years
Fully credentialed86%
Intern / emergency permit1.6%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$61,447 – $133,185
Principal salary$167,640 – $185,453
Superintendent salary$345,036

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered43
AP exam qualifiers119 students
CTE pathway completers76 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $20,830, CA average $14,815$20,830 · spent at this school
Federal share$1,267 per student

$1,267 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$20,494 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
Instruction66%
Instruction support10%
Student services8%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance10%

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$13,569 per pupil
2019$13,409 per pupil
2018$13,698 per pupil
2017$12,762 per pupil
2016$12,281 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic80.2%
District 79.4% · CA 56.1%
Asian7.2%
District 8.0% · CA 10.2%
White5.7%
District 5.0% · CA 19.9%
Other4.3%
District 5.1% · CA 9.0%
Black2.5%
District 2.6% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 62.3% (1pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$94K · CA $85K
Median home value$717K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+25% · CA 35%
ZIP population17,733
Median age38 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 33% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is South Hills High a good high school?

South Hills High has a Scope Score of 56 out of 100, placing it in the 77th percentile of California high schools and ranked #488 statewide. 21.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 6.0 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 South Hills High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 50.7% of students at South Hills High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 21.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 28.8% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 21.9% 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. 788 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does South Hills High rank in California?

South Hills High ranks #488 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 77th 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 South Hills High?

15.9% of students at South Hills 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 1.7%, 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 South Hills High compare to other schools in West Covina?

South Hills High scores 56/100 (77th 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 1,568 students. Use the schools in West Covina page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does South Hills High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At South Hills High in West Covina, 68.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 48.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. South Hills High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 19.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (32.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (64.1% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 53.3 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 242 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%
98.2%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 63th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
21.9%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 56th pctile
College readiness · 20%
50.4%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 59th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
50.7%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 61th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
15.9%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 62th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.7%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 59th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
19.4%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 55th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1139234%34%17%15%68%+20
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1139610%24%27%39%34%+10
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/114027%25%59%8%

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 Disadvantaged24268.2%+20+30
Hispanic/Latino31264.1%+14+25
Students with Disabilities4214.3%−3−3
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
South Hills High ←5621.9%50.7%1.7%
West Covina High1.8 mi6120.8%45.8%0.5%
Covina High1.6 mi5213.7%40.2%2.8%
Mt. SAC Early College Academy at West Covina0.9 mi5126.0%52.9%0.8%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
98.2%
AP Exam Prepared
50.4%
A-G Completion
67.8%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
79.3%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195978#45621.6%52.7%11.2%2.4%
20225578#46521.2%46.1%24.5%2.8%
20235476#51318.4%46.1%19.3%1.8%
20245373#57916.3%43.8%19.9%2.7%
20255677#48821.9%50.7%15.9%1.7%
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
Female10.9%15.9%+5.0pp
Male10.3%14.7%+4.4pp
Asian2.3%7.0%+4.7pp
Black/African American20.3%9.5%-10.8pp
White4.7%2.8%-1.9pp
Hispanic/Latino10.9%16.4%+5.5pp
Students with Disabilities16.4%30.2%+13.8pp
English Learners8.0%31.5%+23.5pp
Homeless15.6%28.6%+13.0pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged12.1%18.6%+6.5pp
All Students10.6%15.3%+4.7pp
Filipino16.7%
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