School Profile · Cottonwood
West Valley Early College High: Low-income kids here outscore the state by 16 points. But suspensions run 2× the state rate.
West Valley Early College posts numbers for its most vulnerable students that most schools don't reach overall. The trend line is the part worth a closer look.
3805 Happy Valley Road, 96022 (opens in new tab)·Anderson Union High·Cottonwood·Grades 9-12·736 students·47% low-income·Magnet·2024–25 CAASPP·(530) 347-7171·Website
Magnet program — specialized public school with themed curriculum. Enrollment via district lottery, not neighborhood-based.
Scope Score
42
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,280 statewide · #2 of 5 in Anderson Union High
West Valley Early College High scores 42 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 41st 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 →
Most rating sites would stop at “45% proficient” and call it done. West Valley Early College deserves a closer read. The school sits in Cottonwood, where two in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 54.3% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide.
The story this school is actually telling
The equalizer · low-income proficiency
54.3%
of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide.
↑ the number zip-code rankings hide
The catch · suspensions
7.8%
of students were suspended, versus 3.6% statewide — the data can't say why.
↓ the part no ranking site shows you
Proficient by 11th grade
45%
State 36%
Graduate
97%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
1%
State 35%
Of 100 students here: 45 are proficient by 11th grade → 97 graduate → 1 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.
54.3%
Low-income · ELA · met standard
West Valley Early College's most underrated number
54.3% 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.
West Valley Early College low-income: 54.3%State low-income: 38.2%
The 7 things our score weighs
Graduation rate
97.2%
State 87.6%
9.6pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
14.0%
State 15.8%
1.8pp below state avg
College readiness
1.2%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate below state avg
Met or exceeded
45.0%
State 35.7%
9.3pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
25.9%
State 30.2%
4.3pp below state avg
Suspension rate
7.8%
State 3.6%
4.2pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
15.4%
State 18.0%
2.6pp below state avg
Worth a school visit
Ask about the discipline philosophy and what a typical suspension is for. Numbers can't tell you whether a campus feels strict or chaotic — a visit can.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
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.
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic19.7%
White68.1%
Asian1.8%
Black1.8%
Other8.7%
GenderFemale 44.7%Male 55.3%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 47.1% (17pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
736
714 below CA avg (~1,450)
Student-Teacher Ratio
22:1
1 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$17,057
District avg: $13,498 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
15.4% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$50,399 – $116,784
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At West Valley Early College High in Cottonwood, 54.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 48.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. West Valley Early College High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 5.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (27.1% Math proficient); White students (53.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 9.6 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 70 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Homeless+19.1pp
45.0% vs 25.9% overall · n=20
Suspension · Homeless+19.5pp
27.3% vs 7.8% overall · n=22
Math · Hispanic−9.6pp
25.9% vs 35.5% overall · n=27
1 more gap by subject
Math Exceeded · Hispanic−3.8pp
7.4% vs 11.2% overall · n=27
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income70 tested
ELA 54.3%·Math 27.1%· +5.4pp vs district
White115 tested
ELA 53.0%·Math 37.2%· +7.5pp vs district
Hispanic27 tested
ELA 63.0%·Math 25.9%· +4.6pp 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
$89K
$4K above CA median
Median Home Value
$367K
$292K below CA median
Bachelor's+
22%
13pp below 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
14.2 years avg experience
33 teachers · 3% second-year
Teacher Credentials
85% fully credentialed
AP Courses Offered
2 AP courses
1 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%
97.2%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 62th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
14.0%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 48th pctile
College readiness · 20%
1.2%
↓ vs CA 35.4% · 30th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
45.0%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 57th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
25.9%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 54th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
7.8%
↓ vs CA 3.6% · 31th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
15.4%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 49th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 154 | 17% | 38% | 25% | 20% | 55% | +7 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 11 | 152 | 11% | 24% | 28% | 37% | 36% | +12 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 148 | 7% | 24% | 59% | 9% |
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 | 70 | 54.3% | +5 | +16 |
| White | 115 | 53.0% | +8 | −9 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 27 | 63.0% | +5 | +24 |
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Valley Early College High ← | — | 42 | 14.0% | 45.0% | — | 7.8% |
| California average | — | 44 | 15.8% | 35.7% | — | 3.6% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
97.2%
AP Exam Prepared
1.2%
A-G Completion
38.0%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
66.7%
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #1084 → #1181 → #1037 → #1333 → #1280
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means
Frequently asked questions
Is West Valley Early College High a good high school?
West Valley Early College High has a Scope Score of 42 out of 100, placing it in the 41st percentile of California high schools and ranked #1,280 statewide. 14.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is near the California average of 15.8%. 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 West Valley Early College High's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 45.0% of students at West Valley Early College High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 14.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 31.0% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 14.0% 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. 306 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does West Valley Early College High rank in California?
West Valley Early College High ranks #1,280 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 41st 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 West Valley Early College High?
25.9% of students at West Valley Early College 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 7.8%. 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 West Valley Early College High compare to other schools in Cottonwood?
West Valley Early College High scores 42/100 (41st 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 736 students. Use the schools in Cottonwood page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.
How does West Valley Early College High serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At West Valley Early College High in Cottonwood, 54.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 48.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. West Valley Early College High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 5.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (27.1% Math proficient); White students (53.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 9.6 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 70 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.