Castaic Union runs schools through 8th grade. Its 3 public elementary schools run from the 53rd to the 76th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). High school is run by another district; confirm the school for your address with the district.
K5Elementary
68Middle
912High
Castaic Union · grades K–8
Another district · grades 9–12
Elementary · 3 schools
from 53rd to 76th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
The average elementary school in Castaic Union had 13 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.
Middle schools
Where does the middle school we score in Castaic Union stand?
Castaic Middle is at the 78th percentile.
That’s higher than 78 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). It’s the only public middle school we score in Castaic Union.
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
Where does Castaic Union’s money go, and what does it plan?
Castaic Union spent $17,018 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 65 cents of every Castaic Union dollar went to classroom instruction.
Spending by function
Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.
Share by function, 2024–25
Instruction65%
Instruction support10%
Student services6%
Administration10%
Buildings & maintenance9%
Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.
What the district plans
$25.8 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 32 funded actions in 4 goals. That’s 81% of its $31.8 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.
The plan in short
Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 117 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 58% of the money. The plan itself puts 80% of it toward staff.
Qualified and appropriately assigned teachers $8.3 million
Provide services for students with disabilities $4.3 million
Ensure Standards of Safety $2.5 million
29 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
6 of the plan’s 32 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name reading, catch-up help or English learners
Reading $66,174
Catch-up help $845,023
English learners $345,148
Largest of these
Provide intervention teachers for elementary Learning Centers$619,255
Provide services for English Learners$345,148
Provide support for small group instruction and support for students in transitional kindergarten$157,048
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students
It plans $2.3 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $2.7 million and estimates it spent $2.1 million, $0.6 million (21%) less than planned (our arithmetic).
$2.1 million spent (estimated)$2.7 million planned
Ask: Why did estimated spending on these services come in $0.6 million under the 2025–26 plan, and where does that money go in 2026–27?
What changed
The total is $528,635 (2%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Contracts and Services for District Operations, which went from $732,723 to $2.3 million.
Largest cuts
Provide services for students with disabilities−$614,549
Operations Support Staff−$315,924
Provide support for small group instruction and support for students in transitional kindergarten−$194,354
Largest increases
Contracts and Services for District Operations+$1.6 million
Qualified and appropriately assigned teachers+$415,315
Ensure Standards of Safety+$307,615
New in the 2026–27 plan
Provide Special Ed. Transportation$500,810
What its goals measure
Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.
What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1, 2 and 4
57%
57%
no change
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1, 2 and 4
46%
45%
down 1 pt
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 3
13 in 100
12 in 100
1 fewer in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 3
0.4%
0.5%
up 0.1 pts
Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Qualified and appropriately assigned teachers · $8,262,924
Provide services for students with disabilities · $4,335,953
Ensure Standards of Safety · $2,458,995
The full plan4 goals, 42 measures and where the money goes
We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($25.8 million).
Where does the money go?
44% to Goal 1. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1Castaic Union School District will provide a high quality education to raise the academic achievement of all students$11.3 million44% of action budgets
13 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $11.0 million (+$362,992) · p. 19 ↗
Largest funded actions
Qualified and appropriately assigned teachers$8.3 millionaction 1.1 · p. 76 ↗
District and School Administrators$1.8 millionaction 1.7 · p. 76 ↗
Technology and Digital Access$0.5 millionaction 1.4 · p. 76 ↗
Core Instructional materials$0.2 millionaction 1.2 · p. 76 ↗
Classroom supplies and materials$0.2 millionaction 1.5 · p. 76 ↗
8 more funded actions in this goal
Professional Development for Certificated Staff · action 1.8 · p. 76 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Teacher Collaboration · action 1.10 · p. 76 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Implement Science of Reading · action 1.11 · p. 76 ↗$0.1 million
Supplemental Materials and Technology to Support Intervention · action 1.13 · p. 76 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Digital Platforms for planning and surveys · action 1.6 · p. 76 ↗under $0.1 million
Assessment and Accountability · action 1.9 · p. 76 ↗under $0.1 million
Supplemental Instructional Materials · action 1.3 · p. 76 ↗under $0.1 million
Improve student writing · action 1.12 · p. 76 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Qualified and appropriately assigned teachers+$0.4 million$7.8 million → $8.3 million · p. 76 ↗
Supplemental Instructional Materials−$141,714$155,185 → $13,471 · p. 76 ↗
District and School Administrators+$0.1 million$1.7 million → $1.8 million · p. 76 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Technology and Digital Access · $404,720 → $450,742 · p. 76 ↗+$46,022
All students have core instructional materials at school and at home (Williams)p. 20 ↗
Baseline
100% of students have standards based instructional materials (January 2024)
Target for year 3
100% of students have standards based instructional materials
14 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 2CUSD will provide a high quality education program for all students focusing on academic intensity…$6.5 million25% of action budgets
“CUSD will provide a high quality education program for all students focusing on academic intensity implementing a Multi-tiered System of Support to narrow the achievement gap for all student groups” p. 34 ↗
6 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $7.2 million (−$762,738)
Largest funded actions
Provide services for students with disabilities$4.3 millionaction 2.2 · p. 77 ↗
Extended Learning Opportunities$1.1 millionaction 2.5 · p. 77 ↗
Provide intervention teachers for elementary Learning Centers$0.6 millionaction 2.1 · p. 77 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Provide services for English Learners$0.3 millionaction 2.3 · p. 77 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Implement a comprehensive assessment plan to identify and target academic needs$0.1 millionaction 2.4 · p. 77 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
1 more funded action in this goal
Provide Academic Support for Middle School Students · action 2.6 · p. 77 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Provide services for students with disabilities−$0.6 million$5.0 million → $4.3 million · p. 77 ↗
Provide intervention teachers for elementary Learning Centers+$126,758$492,497 → $619,255 · p. 77 ↗
Extended Learning Opportunities−$0.1 million$1.2 million → $1.1 million · p. 77 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Provide services for English Learners · $350,079 → $345,148 · p. 77 ↗−$4,931
Implement a comprehensive assessment plan to identify and target academic needs · $99,806 → $74,593 · p. 77 ↗−$25,213
Provide Academic Support for Middle School Students · $5,000 · p. 77 ↗new or renamed
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 10 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 34 ↗.
Goal 3CUSD will operate to increasing efficiency and effectiveness in all areas of operation, promoting a safe and…$7.8 million30% of action budgets
“CUSD will operate to increasing efficiency and effectiveness in all areas of operation, promoting a safe and positive school environment” p. 46 ↗
12 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $6.7 million (+$1.1 million)
Largest funded actions
Ensure Standards of Safety$2.5 millionaction 3.3 · p. 77 ↗
Contracts and Services for District Operations$2.3 millionaction 3.5 · p. 77 ↗
Operations Support Staff$1.3 millionaction 3.2 · p. 77 ↗
Provide Special Ed. Transportation$0.5 millionaction 3.6 · p. 77 ↗
Provide school based mental health services$0.4 millionaction 3.12 · p. 78 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
7 more funded actions in this goal
Schoolwide Behavior Support Staff · action 3.1 · p. 77 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.3 million
Provide Administrative Support for Implementation of Services for students · action 3.4 · p. 77 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
Provide Counseling Services · action 3.9 · p. 77 ↗$0.2 million
Professional Development to Support Positive School Climate · action 3.8 · p. 77 ↗$0.1 million
Build Parent Partnerships · action 3.11 · p. 78 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Implement Attendance and Engagement Plan · action 3.10 · p. 78 ↗under $0.1 million
Provide students with behavior support to decrease lost academic time · action 3.13 · p. 78 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Contracts and Services for District Operations+$1.6 million$0.7 million → $2.3 million · p. 77 ↗
Operations Support Staff−$0.3 million$1.6 million → $1.3 million · p. 77 ↗
Ensure Standards of Safety+$0.3 million$2.2 million → $2.5 million · p. 77 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Provide Special Ed. Transportation · $500,810 · p. 77 ↗new or renamed
Provide school based mental health services · $304,640 → $361,235 · p. 78 ↗+$56,595
Schoolwide Behavior Support Staff · $323,981 → $314,755 · p. 77 ↗−$9,226
Provide Administrative Support for Implementation of Services for students · $208,121 → $190,042 · p. 77 ↗−$18,079
Provide Counseling Services · $144,572 → $154,336 · p. 77 ↗+$9,764
Professional Development to Support Positive School Climate · $143,203 → $125,650 · p. 77 ↗−$17,553
10 Parents- average number of parents attending workshops
Target for year 3
25+ Parents attending each workshop
11 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 4The Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant$157,0481% of action budgets
“The District will have unexpended LREBG funds for the 2025-2026 school year and therefore describes how these funds will be expended in the 25- 26 school year” p. 59 ↗
All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.
Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends
Student mix
2024–25 · October enrollment count, 1,914 students
1Hispanic or Latino51%
2White35%
3Two or more races6%
4Filipino3%
5Asian2%
6Black or African American2%
7Not reported1%
8Pacific Islander<1%
9American Indian or Alaska Native0%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
50%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 961 of 1,914 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.
The district’s state records
Is the state giving the district extra help?
Castaic Union isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 56% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (61 of 109 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
Which public schools in Castaic Union rank highest?
Elementary: Northlake Hills Elementary, 76th percentile (Strong). Middle: Castaic Middle, 78th percentile (Strong). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
Does living in the Castaic Union district decide which school my child attends?
Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (5)
Are the public schools in Castaic Union good?
Castaic Union’s 3 public elementary schools run from the 53rd to the 76th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong and 2 Solid. Castaic Union has one public middle school we score, Castaic Middle, at the 78th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.
How does chronic absence in Castaic Union compare with California?
The average elementary school in Castaic Union had 13 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does Castaic Union spend per student?
Castaic Union spent $17,018 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 65 cents of every Castaic Union dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.
What is in Castaic Union’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $25.8 million into 32 funded actions in 4 goals, 81% of its $31.8 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $11.3 million, 44% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP) from spring 2026 and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Castaic Union, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.