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Taft Union High · Taft

Taft Union High: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Taft Union posts 31% meeting the standard and 10.8% exceeding it, against 36% and 15.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

701 Wildcat Way, 93268 (opens in new tab)·Taft Union High·Taft·Grades 9-12·1,064 students·82% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(661) 763-2300·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3744
% Exceeded11%16%
% Met+31%36%
Grad rate89.5%87.6%
College readiness0.9%35.4%
Absence21.7%30.2%
Suspension3.0%3.6%
Scope Score
37
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,448 statewide

Taft Union High scores 37 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 33rd percentile of 2,160 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “31% proficient” and call it done. Taft Union deserves a closer read. The school sits in Taft, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Taft Union's low-income kids hit 48.4% 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 33rd percentile since 2019.

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

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 31% of students meet the standard today, above the 24% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1133%39%33%46%52%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1114%9%7%15%11%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
31%
State 36%
Graduate
90%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
1%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 31 are proficient by 11th grade → 90 graduate → 1 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

48.4%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Taft Union's most underrated number

48.4% 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.

Taft Union low-income: 48.4%State low-income: 38.2%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
89.5%
State 87.6%
1.9pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
10.8%
State 15.8%
5.0pp below state avg
College readiness
0.9%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate below state avg
Met or exceeded
31.4%
State 35.7%
4.4pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
21.7%
State 30.2%
8.5pp below state avg
Suspension rate
3.0%
State 3.6%
0.6pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
17.9%
State 18.0%
0.0pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • Ask what share of students complete the full college-prep course sequence, and who gets steered into it.
  • 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 Taft Union High in Taft, 48.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 44.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Taft Union High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 3.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (9.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (47.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 43.0 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 186 students tested.

All students at this school: 31% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 31%, district —, state 36%31%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 29%, district 27%, state 32%29% · −3 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 28%, district 26%, state 32%28% · −3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 31%, district 30%, state 44%31% · −0 vs school
MaleMale: this school 32%, district 29%, state 42%32% · +1 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 36%, district 35%, state 56%36% · +5 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 4%, district 4%, state 11%4% · −27 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 8%, district 7%, state 15%8% · −24 vs school

5 of 13 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 21.7%, district 38.9%, state 30.2%21.7% · −8.5pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 3.0%, district —, state 3.6%3.0% · −0.6pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1221.1%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 18:1, district 18:118:1
Teaching staff62 teachers
Avg. experience14.6 years
Fully credentialed81%
First-year teachers2%
Intern / emergency permit4.7%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$48,777 – $125,252
Principal salary$0 – $157,427
Superintendent salary$199,225

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered1
AP exam qualifiers1 students
CTE pathway completers89 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $26,889, CA average $14,815$26,889 · spent at this school
Federal share$958 per student

$958 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$26,491 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
Instruction47%
Instruction support9%
Student services12%
Administration9%
Buildings & maintenance17%
Other6%

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$20,266 per pupil
2019$21,757 per pupil
2018$23,039 per pupil
2017$26,005 per pupil
2016$27,935 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic61.6%
District 61.7% · CA 56.1%
White35.4%
District 35.1% · CA 19.9%
Other2.2%
District 2.3% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.5%
District 0.5% · CA 10.2%
Black0.3%
District 0.3% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 81.9% (18pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$58K · CA $85K
Median home value$237K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+8% · CA 35%
ZIP population16,963
Median age32 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 21% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Taft Union High a good high school?

Taft Union High has a Scope Score of 37 out of 100, placing it in the 33rd percentile of California high schools and ranked #1,448 statewide. 10.8% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 5.0 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 Taft Union High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 31.4% of students at Taft Union High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 10.8% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 20.5% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 10.8% 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. 472 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Taft Union High rank in California?

Taft Union High ranks #1,448 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 33rd 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 Taft Union High?

21.7% of students at Taft Union High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 3.0%. 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 Taft Union High compare to other schools in Taft?

Taft Union High scores 37/100 (33rd 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 1,064 students. Use the schools in Taft page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

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

At Taft Union High in Taft, 48.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 44.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Taft Union High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 3.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (9.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (47.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 43.0 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 186 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

All schools in Taft →

A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means

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%
89.5%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 52th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
10.8%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 45th pctile
College readiness · 20%
0.9%
↓ vs CA 35.4% · 30th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
31.4%
↓ vs CA 35.7% · 47th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
21.7%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 57th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
3.0%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 53th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
17.9%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 53th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1123619%33%28%20%52%+4
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 112363%8%24%65%11%−12
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/112383%18%73%6%

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 Disadvantaged18648.4%+4+10
Hispanic/Latino14647.3%+3+8
White8257.3%+2−4
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Taft Union High ←—3710.8%31.4%—3.0%
Buena Vista High (Continuation)0.3 mi264.0%17.2%—6.4%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
89.5%
AP Exam Prepared
0.9%
A-G Completion
27.5%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
64.4%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193429#14483.9%23.9%14.2%7.7%—
20223227#15254.2%23.8%41.0%3.5%—
20233329#15326.9%20.4%24.1%4.6%—
20243733#142610.1%30.4%20.8%2.7%—
20253733#144810.8%31.4%21.7%3.0%—
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
Female14.3%21.5%+7.2pp
Male12.4%20.8%+8.4pp
Hispanic/Latino10.8%18.8%+8.0pp
American Indian/Alaska Native0.0%——
Two or More Races16.7%——
Students with Disabilities21.3%33.1%+11.8pp
English Learners11.1%21.7%+10.6pp
Military-Connected6.3%21.4%+15.1pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged16.1%23.0%+6.9pp
All Students13.4%21.1%+7.7pp
Homeless—33.3%—
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction

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