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Ceres Unified: Ceres Unified schools score 6.5 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 6.1 points.

Below Average2024–25 data20 schools · avg 38.3/100

Ceres Unified has 20 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 38.3/100 — 6.5 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is La Rosa Elementary at 54/100, where 22.6% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $14,347 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 18.2%, near the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
38.3
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
40.3
14.1 – 54.4
Avg Exceeded %
10.4%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
18.2%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
20
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
3
of 20 ranked
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
37.3/100
1610.7%15.7%
HighDeveloping
42.4/100
49.1%28.3%

Ceres Unified's high schools average 42.4/100 — within 1.3 points of the state average.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
37.3
avg score · 16 schools
Samuel Vaughn Elementary
Developing
47/100
+13 more elementary schools
High
42.4
avg score · 4 schools
Ceres High
Developing
48/100
+1 more high schools

District Analysis

Ceres Unified has 20 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 38.3/100 — 6.5 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Ceres Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 42.4.

District-wide elementary growth averages -6.1pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 40.3 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 18.2%, 0.3pp near the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 2.3%, near the state average of 1.6%.

La Rosa Elementary leads the district at 54 with 22.6% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Ceres Unified

5 Culture First3 On the Rise1 Growth Engine11 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 4 schools in Ceres Unified are classified as On the Rise (3) or Growth Engine — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.

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

Student demographics

Hispanic
79.3%
White
11.2%
Asian
5.6%
Black
1.2%
Other
2.8%
Free/Reduced Lunch
83%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Ceres Unified spends $14,347 per student in current expenditures — $467 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$14,347
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
14,251
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 27.3%
$11,268 → $14,347
Spending Efficiency
2.67
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 55%Support 42%Other 3%
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
$69,779–$139,451
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
615
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Ceres Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (16)

Ceres Unified has 16 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 37.3 — 7.5 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -6.1pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is La Rosa Elementary with a Scope Score of 54 and 22.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1La Rosa Elementary
Ceres Unified Building Momentum
22.6%Solid
54/100
2Patricia Kay Beaver Elementary
Ceres Unified Building Momentum
12.9%Developing
47/100
3Samuel Vaughn Elementary
Ceres Unified Growth Engine
14.5%Developing
47/100
4M. Robert Adkison Elementary
Ceres Unified Culture First
12.4%Developing
41/100
5Joel J. Hidahl Elementary
Ceres Unified On the Rise
9.4%Developing
40/100
6Caswell Elementary
Ceres Unified Culture First
7.4%Developing
39/100
7Carroll Fowler Elementary
Ceres Unified Culture First
10.7%Developing
39/100
8Endeavor Alternative
Ceres Unified Building Momentum
1.7%Developing
38/100
9Whitmore Charter School of Art & Technology
Ceres Unified Culture First
15.2%Developing
36/100
10Sinclear Elementary
Ceres Unified Building Momentum
17.6%Developing
35/100
11Aspire Summit Charter Academy
Ceres Unified On the Rise
7.3%Developing
35/100
12Don Pedro Elementary
Ceres Unified On the Rise
4.8%Developing
34/100
13Virginia Parks Elementary
Ceres Unified Building Momentum
11.6%Developing
34/100
14Lucas Elementary
Ceres Unified Culture First
8.4%Developing
32/100
15Westport Elementary
Ceres Unified Building Momentum
11.1%Developing
30/100
16Walter White Elementary
Ceres Unified Building Momentum
4.0%Needs Support
14/100

High Schools (4)

Ceres Unified has 4 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 42.4 — within 1.3 points of the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is Whitmore Charter High with a Scope Score of 53 and 7.7% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Whitmore Charter High
Ceres Unified Building Momentum
7.7%Solid
53/100
2Central Valley High
Ceres Unified Building Momentum
12.8%Solid
51/100
3Ceres High
Ceres Unified Building Momentum
15.7%Developing
48/100
4Argus High (Continuation)
Ceres Unified Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
18/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 20 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 Ceres 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 Ceres Unified a good school district?
Ceres Unified has 20 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 38.3/100, which is 6.5 points below the state average. 10.4% 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 Ceres Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Ceres Unified is La Rosa Elementary with a Scope Score of 54/100 and 22.6% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Ceres Unified spend per student?
Ceres Unified spends $14,347 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 Ceres Unified?
Teacher salaries in Ceres Unified range from $69,779–$139,451 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.