ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in

El Rancho Unified: El Rancho Unified schools score 6.1 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 4.3 points.

Below Average2024–25 data13 schools · avg 38.7/100

El Rancho Unified has 13 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 38.7/100 — 6.1 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is El Rancho High at 52/100, where 19.7% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,381 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 22.9%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
38.7
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
27.0
24.9 – 51.8
Avg Exceeded %
13.4%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
22.9%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
13
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
40.1/100
815.4%19.6%
MiddleDeveloping
35.1/100
310.5%19.0%
HighDeveloping
38.3/100
29.9%42.1%

El Rancho Unified's elementary schools average 40.1/100 — 4.7 points below the state average with a −4.3pp declining trajectory.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
40.1
avg score · 8 schools
+5 more elementary schools
Middle
35.1
avg score · 3 schools
STEAM Academy @ Burke
Developing
47/100
Rivera Middle
Developing
30/100
High
38.3
avg score · 2 schools
El Rancho High
Solid
52/100
Ruben Salazar Continuation
Needs Support
25/100

District Analysis

El Rancho Unified has 13 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 38.7/100 — 6.1 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: El Rancho Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 40.1.

District-wide elementary growth averages -4.3pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 27.0 points — showing notable variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 22.9%, 5.0pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 3.6%, near the state average of 1.6%.

El Rancho High leads the district at 52 with 19.7% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in El Rancho Unified

3 On the Rise1 Growth Engine9 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 4 schools in El Rancho 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
97.3%
White
1.2%
Asian
0.6%
Black
0.2%
Other
0.7%
Free/Reduced Lunch
82%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

El Rancho Unified spends $13,381 per student in current expenditures — $1,434 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$13,381
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
7,985
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 14.8%
$11,655 → $13,381
Spending Efficiency
2.89
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 58%Support 38%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 El Rancho Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (8)

El Rancho Unified has 8 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 40.1 — 4.7 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -4.3pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Birney Tech Academy with a Scope Score of 50 and 18.9% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Birney Tech Academy
El Rancho Unified Growth Engine
18.9%Solid
50/100
2Valencia Academy of the Arts
El Rancho Unified On the Rise
18.5%Developing
43/100
3Magee Academy of Arts & Sciences
El Rancho Unified Building Momentum
20.0%Developing
42/100
4Rivera Elementary
El Rancho Unified Building Momentum
12.4%Developing
42/100
5North Ranchito Elementary
El Rancho Unified Building Momentum
15.1%Developing
41/100
6Rio Vista Elementary
El Rancho Unified Building Momentum
20.0%Developing
40/100
7Durfee Elementary
El Rancho Unified Building Momentum
12.8%Developing
36/100
8South Ranchito Dual Language Academy
El Rancho Unified On the Rise
5.7%Needs Support
27/100

Middle Schools (3)

El Rancho Unified has 3 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 35.1 — 7.5 points below the state average of 42.6.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +0.5pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring middle school is STEAM Academy @ Burke with a Scope Score of 47 and 16.9% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1STEAM Academy @ Burke
El Rancho Unified Building Momentum
16.9%Developing
47/100
2Rivera Middle
El Rancho Unified On the Rise
8.8%Developing
30/100
3North Park Academy of the Arts
El Rancho Unified Building Momentum
5.6%Needs Support
28/100

High Schools (2)

El Rancho Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 38.3 — 5.4 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is El Rancho High with a Scope Score of 52 and 19.7% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1El Rancho High
El Rancho Unified Building Momentum
19.7%Solid
52/100
2Ruben Salazar Continuation
El Rancho Unified Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
25/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 13 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 El Rancho 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 El Rancho Unified a good school district?
El Rancho Unified has 13 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 38.7/100, which is 6.1 points below the state average. 13.4% 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 El Rancho Unified?
The highest-scoring school in El Rancho Unified is El Rancho High with a Scope Score of 52/100 and 19.7% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does El Rancho Unified spend per student?
El Rancho Unified spends $13,381 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.