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Valencia High · Placentia

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

Valencia posts 57% meeting the standard, and 32.8% 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.

500 North Bradford Avenue, 92870 (opens in new tab)·Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified·Placentia·Grades 9-12·2,411 students·67% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(714) 996-4970
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6244
% Exceeded33%16%
% Met+57%36%
Grad rate95.1%87.6%
College readiness71.8%35.4%
Absence18.5%30.2%
Suspension2.1%3.6%
Scope Score
62
💪 Strong All-Around · Solid
ranked #284 statewide · #4 of 7 in Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified

Valencia High scores 62 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 87th 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.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “57% proficient” and call it done. Valencia deserves a closer read. The school sits in Placentia, where two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Valencia's low-income kids hit 58.5% 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 87th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathOrange(Declined Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 57% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1168%71%76%66%68%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1148%44%46%49%46%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
57%
State 36%
Graduate
95%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
72%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 57 are proficient by 11th grade → 95 graduate → 72 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

58.5%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Valencia's most underrated number

58.5% 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.

Valencia low-income: 58.5%State low-income: 38.2%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
95.1%
State 87.6%
7.5pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
32.8%
State 15.8%
17.0pp above state avg
College readiness
71.8%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
57.1%
State 35.7%
21.4pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
18.5%
State 30.2%
11.7pp below state avg
Suspension rate
2.1%
State 3.6%
1.5pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
13.2%
State 18.0%
4.8pp below 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 Valencia High in Placentia, 58.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 52.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Valencia High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 6.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (30.8% Math proficient); Hispanic students (55.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 64.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 379 students tested.

All students at this school: 57% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 57%, district —, state 36%57%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 45%, district 45%, state 32%45% · −12 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 41%, district 43%, state 32%41% · −16 vs school
MaleMale: this school 56%, district 61%, state 42%56% · −1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 58%, district 62%, state 44%58% · +1 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 92%, district 88%, state 72%92% · +35 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 35%, district 31%, state 22%35% · −22 vs school
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: this school 44%, district 53%, state 46%44% · −13 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 4%, district 13%, state 11%4% · −53 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 77%, district 69%, state 56%77% · +20 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 18%, district 23%, state 15%18% · −39 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 90%, district 80%, state 65%90% · +33 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 53%, district 80%, state 56%53% · −4 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: too few students to report‹11
Pacific IslanderPacific Islander: too few students to report‹11
Foster YouthFoster Youth: 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 18.5%, district 15.5%, state 30.2%18.5% · −11.7pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.1%, district —, state 3.6%2.1% · −1.5pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1218.2%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path
▼
High School
Valencia High
62/100
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.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 22:1, district 24:122:1
Teaching staff119 teachers
Avg. experience14.9 years
Fully credentialed79%
First-year teachers4%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$61,890 – $134,287
Principal salary$149,134 – $174,077
Superintendent salary$375,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered59
AP exam qualifiers280 students
CTE pathway completers160 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $18,941, CA average $14,815$18,941 · spent at this school
District current expense · FY 2024–25$17,635 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 support12%
Student services8%
Administration4%
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$12,415 per pupil
2019$11,178 per pupil
2018$11,385 per pupil
2017$11,108 per pupil
2016$10,858 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic66.1%
District 45.7% · CA 56.1%
Asian19.4%
District 19.2% · CA 10.2%
White8.5%
District 26.0% · CA 19.9%
Other4.9%
District 8.0% · CA 9.0%
Black1.1%
District 1.2% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 67.3% (3pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$116K · CA $85K
Median home value$921K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+44% · CA 35%
ZIP population52,826
Median age39 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 2,411 students, this school is well above the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 45% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Valencia High a good high school?

Valencia High has a Scope Score of 62 out of 100, placing it in the 87th percentile of California high schools and ranked #284 statewide. 32.8% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 17.0 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 Valencia High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 57.1% of students at Valencia High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 32.8% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 24.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 32.8% 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. 1,135 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Valencia High rank in California?

Valencia High ranks #284 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 87th 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 Valencia High?

18.5% of students at Valencia 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 2.1%. 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 Valencia High compare to other schools in Placentia?

Valencia High scores 62/100 (87th 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 2,411 students. Use the schools in Placentia page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Valencia High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Valencia High in Placentia, 58.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 52.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Valencia High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 6.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (30.8% Math proficient); Hispanic students (55.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 64.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 379 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 Placentia →

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%
95.1%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 59th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
32.8%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 68th pctile
College readiness · 20%
71.8%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 71th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
57.1%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 65th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
18.5%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 60th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.1%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 57th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
13.2%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 45th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1157138%30%18%13%68%+21
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1156427%19%16%38%46%+23
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1159018%27%49%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 Disadvantaged37958.5%+6+20
Hispanic/Latino36355.8%+5+17
Asian11995.0%+6+21
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Valencia High ←—6232.8%57.1%—2.1%
Troy High1.2 mi7964.8%82.6%—1.1%
El Dorado High1.3 mi6535.1%65.1%—1.0%
La Sierra High (Alternative)1.2 mi4519.4%44.5%—4.0%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
95.1%
AP Exam Prepared
71.8%
A-G Completion
58.1%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
81.5%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20196689#23033.7%57.9%12.7%2.5%—
20226490#21732.2%57.4%19.0%2.2%—
20236692#16238.6%61.4%18.9%1.0%—
20246389#23831.4%57.4%18.5%1.0%—
20256287#28432.8%57.1%18.5%2.1%—
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
Female13.1%19.3%+6.2pp
Male11.9%17.2%+5.3pp
Asian3.6%3.8%+0.2pp
Black/African American19.5%30.0%+10.5pp
White3.6%7.0%+3.4pp
Hispanic/Latino15.0%23.0%+8.0pp
Two or More Races14.3%11.5%-2.8pp
Students with Disabilities26.4%28.0%+1.6pp
English Learners19.6%33.6%+14.0pp
Homeless21.4%26.0%+4.6pp
Military-Connected21.4%——
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged16.2%22.5%+6.3pp
All Students12.4%18.2%+5.8pp
Foster Youth—42.9%—
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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