ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in

Carpinteria Unified: Carpinteria Unified schools score 4.0 points above the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 26.9 points.

Near Average2024–25 data6 schools · avg 48.9/100

Carpinteria Unified has 6 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 48.9/100 — 4.0 points above the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Summerland Elementary at 73/100, where 45.5% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $16,461 per student (above the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 18.8%, near the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
48.9
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
38.5
34.4 – 72.9
Avg Exceeded %
24.6%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
18.8%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
6
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementarySolid
52.6/100
429.3%16.5%
MiddleDeveloping
34.4/100
114.0%23.3%
HighDeveloping
48.5/100
116.6%23.4%

Carpinteria Unified's elementary schools average 52.6/100 — 7.7 points above the state average with a −26.9pp declining trajectory.

K–12 pipeline

The typical school path in Carpinteria Unified, top-scoring shown first.

Elementary
52.6
avg score · 4 schools
Canalino Elementary
Developing
49/100
+1 more elementary schools
Middle
34.4
avg score · 1 school
Carpinteria Middle
Developing
34/100
High
48.5
avg score · 1 school
Carpinteria Senior High
Developing
49/100

District Analysis

Carpinteria Unified has 6 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 48.9/100 — 4.0 points above the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Carpinteria Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 52.6.

District-wide elementary growth averages -26.9pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 38.5 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 18.8%, 0.9pp near the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 4.7%, above the state average of 1.6%.

Summerland Elementary leads the district at 73 with 45.5% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Carpinteria Unified

1 Strong All-Around1 Solid Base4 Building Momentum

Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more

Student demographics

Hispanic
57.7%
White
38.6%
Asian
0.9%
Black
0.4%
Other
2.4%
Free/Reduced Lunch
57%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Carpinteria Unified spends $16,461 per student in current expenditures — $1,646 above the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$16,461
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
2,091
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 30.9%
$12,572 → $16,461
Spending Efficiency
2.97
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 56%Support 42%Other 2%
NCES F-33 Finance · District-level data — not school-specific

Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020

Teacher compensation

Salary Range
$50,367–$103,452
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
126
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Carpinteria Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (4)

Carpinteria Unified has 4 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 52.6 — 7.7 points above the state average of 44.8. 1 of 4 elementary schools score above 70.

Growth averages -26.9pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Summerland Elementary with a Scope Score of 73 and 45.5% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Summerland Elementary
Carpinteria Unified Strong All-Around
45.5%Strong
73/100
2Carpinteria Family
Carpinteria Unified Solid Base
30.1%Solid
53/100
3Canalino Elementary
Carpinteria Unified Building Momentum
24.6%Developing
49/100
4Aliso Elementary
Carpinteria Unified Building Momentum
17.0%Developing
36/100

Middle Schools (1)

Carpinteria Unified has 1 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 34.4 — 8.3 points below the state average of 42.6.

Growth averages -12.3pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring middle school is Carpinteria Middle with a Scope Score of 34 and 14.0% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Carpinteria Middle
Carpinteria Unified Building Momentum
14.0%Developing
34/100

High Schools (1)

Carpinteria Unified has 1 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 48.5 — 4.8 points above the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is Carpinteria Senior High with a Scope Score of 49 and 16.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Carpinteria Senior High
Carpinteria Unified Building Momentum
16.6%Developing
49/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 6 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology

Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.

What Scope Scores can't tell you about Carpinteria Unified

Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how resources are distributed across schools within the district. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Is Carpinteria Unified a good school district?
Carpinteria Unified has 6 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 48.9/100, which is 4.0 points above the state average. 24.6% of students exceed the state standard on average. The Scope Score measures academic performance and school climate across seven dimensions. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best school in Carpinteria Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Carpinteria Unified is Summerland Elementary with a Scope Score of 73/100 and 45.5% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Carpinteria Unified spend per student?
Carpinteria Unified spends $16,461 per student in current expenditures. The state average is $14,815. Spending data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data Fiscal Survey (F-33). Higher spending does not automatically mean better outcomes — the Scope Score measures what happens in the classroom regardless of budget.
What is the teacher salary range in Carpinteria Unified?
Teacher salaries in Carpinteria Unified range from $50,367–$103,452 based on the district's salary schedule (CDE Form J-90). The California statewide median teacher salary is approximately $98,000.
What does the Scope Score measure?
The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on seven dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade-level growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Full methodology and weights.