School Profile · San Diego
University City High: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.
University City posts 62% meeting the standard; 36.1% push past it. Steady is worth something — and the gap between those two numbers is the thing to ask about.
6949 Genesee Avenue, 92122·San Diego Unified·San Diego·Grades 9-12·1,465 students·49% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(858) 605-2800·Website
Scope Score
75
💪 Strong All-Around · Strong
ranked #128 statewide · #4 of 27 in San Diego Unified
University City High scores 75 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 93rd percentile of 1,739 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →
Most rating sites would stop at “62% proficient” and call it done. University City deserves a closer read. The school sits in San Diego, where two in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 31.7% of English learners reached the top ELPAC level, versus 17.7% statewide.
The story this school is actually telling
Proficient by 11th grade
62%
State 35%
Graduate
99%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
72%
State 36%
Of 100 students here: 62 are proficient by 11th grade → 99 graduate → 72 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.
72.8%
Low-income · ELA · met standard
University City's most underrated number
72.8% 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.
University City low-income: 72.8%State low-income: 38.2%
The 7 things our score weighs
Graduation rate
99.0%
State 87.6%
11.4pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
36.1%
State 15.5%
20.6pp above state avg
College readiness
71.5%
State 35.5%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
62.2%
State 34.6%
27.6pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
17.6%
State 32.1%
14.5pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.8%
State 4.0%
2.2pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
31.7%
State 17.7%
14.0pp 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.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
▼
High School
University City High
75/100
This school
Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 74
Torrey Pines Elementary
San Diego Unified · 2 mi
Strong
81/100
Curie Elementary
San Diego Unified · 0.6 mi
Strong
77/100
John Muir
San Diego Unified · 2.8 mi
Solid
64/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
La Jolla Country Day School
Genesee Ave · Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-12 · 1082 students
9:1Private1.3 mi
National University Virtual High School
N Torrey Pines Rd · Nonsectarian · Grades 6-12 · 266 students
24:1Private4 mi
San Diego Center for Children Academy
Armstrong St · Nonsectarian · Grades 2-12 · 62 students
7:1Private4.9 mi
Fusion San Diego
Shoreham Pl Ste 130 · Nonsectarian · Grades 6-12 · 34 students
5:1Private1.5 mi
The Bishop'S School
La Jolla Blvd · Church of God · Grades 6-12 · 805 students
8:1Private4.2 mi
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic39.9%
White34.2%
Asian9.4%
Black3.1%
Other13.4%
GenderFemale 48.4%Male 51.5%Non-binary 0.1%
Resources & Access
Enrollment
1,465
Near CA avg (~1,450)
Free/Reduced Lunch
49%
15pp below CA avg (64%)
Student-Teacher Ratio
25:1
4 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$17,769
District avg: $15,976 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
31.7% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$55,375 – $124,275
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At University City High in San Diego, 72.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. University City High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 30.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (35.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (70.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 41.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 151 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Homeless+15.7pp
33.3% vs 17.6% overall · n=66
Suspension · Black+4.7pp
6.5% vs 1.8% overall · n=46
ELA · Disabilities−41.7pp
36.8% vs 78.5% overall · n=38
3 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · Disabilities−32.5pp
15.8% vs 48.3% overall · n=38
Math · Disabilities−30.2pp
15.8% vs 46.0% overall · n=38
Math Exceeded · Disabilities−13.4pp
10.5% vs 23.9% overall · n=38
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income151 tested
ELA 72.8%·Math 35.1%· +30.3pp vs district
Hispanic128 tested
ELA 70.9%·Math 32.8%· +29.8pp vs district
White112 tested
ELA 82.1%·Math 51.8%· +7.0pp vs district
Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$105K
$20K above CA median
Median Home Value
$1.05M
$387K above CA median
Bachelor's+
75%
40pp above CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
18.3 years avg experience
70 teachers
Teacher Credentials
95% fully credentialed
AP Courses Offered
32 AP courses
218 students qualified via AP exam
Sources: CDE SARC · CDE College/Career Indicator, 2024-25
Community Profile provides context about who attends this school and the resources available. These factors are never part of the Scope Score. Learn why →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
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%
99.0%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 64th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
36.1%
↑ vs CA 15.5% · 71th pctile
College readiness · 20%
71.5%
↑ vs CA 35.5% · 71th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
62.2%
↑ vs CA 34.6% · 69th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
17.6%
↑ vs CA 32.1% · 62th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.8%
↑ vs CA 4.0% · 60th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
31.7%
↑ vs CA 17.7% · 79th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 321 | 48% | 30% | 14% | 7% | 79% | +31 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 322 | 24% | 22% | 17% | 37% | 46% | +23 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 330 | 22% | 31% | 42% | 5% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 151 | 72.8% | +30 | +35 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 127 | 70.9% | +30 | +32 |
| White | 112 | 82.1% | +7 | +20 |
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University City High ← | — | 75 | 36.1% | 62.2% | — | 1.8% |
| Madison High | 2.9 mi | 52 | 12.2% | 34.8% | — | 2.4% |
| California average | — | 47 | 15.5% | 34.6% | — | 4.0% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
99.0%
AP Exam Prepared
71.5%
A-G Completion
68.8%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
82.6%
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #62 → #77 → #59 → #66 → #128
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=1,739 high schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
Frequently asked questions
Is University City High a good high school?
University City High has a Scope Score of 75 out of 100, placing it in the 93rd percentile of California high schools and ranked #128 statewide. 36.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 20.6 percentage points above the California average of 15.5%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for high schools: exceeded standard (43%), met or exceeded (22%), grade 3-to-5 growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%), and suspension rate (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What are University City High's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 62.2% of students at University City High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 36.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 26.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 36.1% 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. 643 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does University City High rank in California?
University City High ranks #128 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 93rd 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 University City High?
17.6% of students at University City High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 32.1%. The suspension rate is 1.8%, 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 University City High compare to other schools in San Diego?
University City High scores 75/100 (93rd 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 1,465 students. Use the schools in San Diego page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.
How does University City High serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At University City High in San Diego, 72.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. University City High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 30.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (35.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (70.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 41.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 151 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.