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Del Norte County Unified: Del Norte County Unified elementary schools add +3.3 points from grade 3 to 5 — a signal that schools are adding real value.

Below Average2024–25 data11 schools · avg 31.8/100

Del Norte County Unified has 11 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 31.8/100 — 13.0 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Redwood Elementary at 47/100, where 13.9% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,668 per student (below the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 29.2%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
31.8
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
28.2
19.1 – 47.2
Avg Exceeded %
7.0%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
29.2%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
11
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
1
of 11 ranked
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
31.8/100
86.7%24.6%
MiddleNeeds Support
24.6/100
17.5%28.2%
HighDeveloping
35.5/100
27.9%48.1%

Del Norte County Unified's high schools average 35.5/100 — 8.2 points below the state average.

K–12 pipeline

The typical school path in Del Norte County Unified, top-scoring shown first.

Elementary
31.8
avg score · 8 schools
Redwood Elementary
Developing
47/100
Uncharted Shores Academy
Developing
41/100
Mary Peacock Elementary
Developing
37/100
+5 more elementary schools
Middle
24.6
avg score · 1 school
Crescent Elk Middle
Needs Support
25/100
High
35.5
avg score · 2 schools
Del Norte High
Developing
41/100
Sunset High
Developing
30/100

District Analysis

Del Norte County Unified has 11 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 31.8/100 — 13.0 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Del Norte County Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 35.5.

District-wide elementary growth averages +3.3pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — schools are adding meaningful value beyond what students arrive with.

Score range of 28.2 points — showing notable variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 29.2%, 11.3pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 6.1%, above the state average of 1.6%.

Redwood Elementary leads the district at 47 with 13.9% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Del Norte County Unified

3 On the Rise8 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 3 schools in Del Norte County Unified are classified as On the Rise (3) — 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
24.2%
White
46.6%
Asian
2.7%
Black
0.3%
Other
26.3%
Free/Reduced Lunch
70%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Del Norte County Unified spends $13,668 per student in current expenditures — $1,147 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$13,668
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
3,564
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 18.4%
$11,544 → $13,668
Spending Efficiency
2.33
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 61%Support 35%Other 4%
NCES F-33 Finance · District-level data — not school-specific

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

For the data nerds

Every school in Del Norte County Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (8)

Del Norte County Unified has 8 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 31.8 — 13.0 points below the state average of 44.8.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +3.3pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Redwood Elementary with a Scope Score of 47 and 13.9% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Redwood Elementary
Del Norte County Unified Building Momentum
13.9%Developing
47/100
2Uncharted Shores Academy
Del Norte County Unified On the Rise
11.2%Developing
41/100
3Mary Peacock Elementary
Del Norte County Unified On the Rise
9.6%Developing
37/100
4Joe Hamilton Elementary
Del Norte County Unified On the Rise
5.2%Developing
31/100
5Smith River Elementary
Del Norte County Unified Building Momentum
7.7%Developing
31/100
6Pine Grove Elementary
Del Norte County Unified Building Momentum
2.6%Needs Support
27/100
7Bess Maxwell Elementary
Del Norte County Unified Building Momentum
2.0%Needs Support
21/100
8Margaret Keating Elementary
Del Norte County Unified Building Momentum
1.0%Needs Support
19/100

Middle Schools (1)

Del Norte County Unified has 1 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 24.6 — 18.0 points below the state average of 42.6.

Growth averages -4.9pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring middle school is Crescent Elk Middle with a Scope Score of 25 and 7.5% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Crescent Elk Middle
Del Norte County Unified Building Momentum
7.5%Needs Support
25/100

High Schools (2)

Del Norte County Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 35.5 — 8.2 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is Del Norte High with a Scope Score of 41 and 11.5% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Del Norte High
Del Norte County Unified Building Momentum
11.5%Developing
41/100
2Sunset High
Del Norte County Unified Building Momentum
4.3%Developing
30/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 11 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 Del Norte County 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 Del Norte County Unified a good school district?
Del Norte County Unified has 11 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 31.8/100, which is 13.0 points below the state average. 7.0% 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 Del Norte County Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Del Norte County Unified is Redwood Elementary with a Scope Score of 47/100 and 13.9% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Del Norte County Unified spend per student?
Del Norte County Unified spends $13,668 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 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.