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Garden Grove Unified

Above Average2024–25 data52 schools · avg 53.3/100

Garden Grove Unified has 52 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 53.3/100 — 9.5 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Ethan B. Allen Elementary at 84/100, where 66.4% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $14,737 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 5 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 14.5%, below the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
53.3
State avg: 43.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
53.9
29.8 – 83.8
Avg Exceeded %
28.3%
State avg: 21.6%
CDE CAASPP 2025
Chronic Absenteeism
14.5%
State avg: 18.1%
CDE Attendance 2025
Schools Ranked
52
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementarySolid
51.8/100
4428.5%13.6%
HighSolid
61.5/100
827.3%19.4%

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
51.8
avg score · 44 schools
Ethan B. Allen Elementary
Strong
84/100
Patton Elementary
Strong
79/100
Loyal Barker Elementary
Strong
78/100
+41 more elementary schools
→
High
61.5
avg score · 8 schools
La Quinta High
Strong
78/100
Pacifica High
Strong
71/100
Garden Grove High
Solid
69/100
+5 more high schools

District Analysis

Strongest level: Garden Grove Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 61.5.

Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages -2.3pp (state avg: -3.0pp), a negative trend that warrants attention.

Consistency: Score range of 53.9 points — showing significant variation between schools.

Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 14.5%, 3.6pp above the state average of 18.1%.

Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 1.6%, near the state average of 1.7%.

Top school: Ethan B. Allen Elementary leads the district at 84 with 66.4% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Garden Grove Unified

6 Culture First6 On the Rise5 Strong All-Around5 Growth Engine25 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 11 schools in Garden Grove Unified are classified as On the Rise (6) or Growth Engine (5) — 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
55.5%
White
5.9%
Asian
33.4%
Black
0.5%
Other
4.6%
Free/Reduced Lunch
81%
Economic need indicator · district avg
CDE CAASPP 2025

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Garden Grove Unified spends $14,737 per student in current expenditures — $78 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$14,737
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
40,124
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 28.3%
$11,487 → $14,737
Spending Efficiency
3.62
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 63%Support 34%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
$72,504–$141,634
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
1,910
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

Elementary Schools (44)

Garden Grove Unified has 44 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 51.8 — 8.1 points above the state average of 43.8. 4 of 44 elementary schools score above 70.

Growth averages -2.3pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Ethan B. Allen Elementary with a Scope Score of 84 and 66.4% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Ethan B. Allen Elementary
Garden Grove Unified High Ceiling
66.4%Strong
84/100
2Patton Elementary
Garden Grove Unified High Ceiling
56.9%Strong
79/100
3Loyal Barker Elementary
Garden Grove Unified High Ceiling
54.8%Strong
78/100
4A. G. Cook Elementary
Garden Grove Unified High Ceiling
57.0%Strong
77/100
5John Murdy Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Growth Engine
40.6%Solid
69/100
6Thomas Paine Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
48.9%Solid
68/100
7Susan B. Anthony Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
43.3%Solid
67/100
8Enders Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Growth Engine
42.7%Solid
66/100
9Excelsior Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Solid Base
46.2%Solid
63/100
10Merton E. Hill Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Strong All-Around
37.5%Solid
63/100
11Garden Park Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Growth Engine
32.5%Solid
61/100
12Morningside Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Strong All-Around
34.0%Solid
59/100
13Ocia A. Peters Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
38.8%Solid
58/100
14Gilbert Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
34.8%Solid
57/100
15Faylane Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
35.5%Solid
56/100
16Agnes Ware Stanley Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Growth Engine
30.8%Solid
55/100
17Post Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Culture First
38.1%Solid
55/100
18R. F. Hazard Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Culture First
27.8%Solid
54/100
19Stanford Elementary
Garden Grove Unified On the Rise
26.6%Solid
54/100
20Louis G. Zeyen Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Growth Engine
28.6%Solid
53/100
21Sunnyside Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
28.9%Solid
53/100
22Ethel M. Evans Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Culture First
27.4%Solid
51/100
23Parkview Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
28.8%Solid
50/100
24James Monroe Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Culture First
20.6%Developing
48/100
25Mamie L. Northcutt Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
18.4%Developing
47/100
26Ernest O. Lawrence Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
22.2%Developing
46/100
27John Marshall Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Culture First
27.8%Developing
45/100
28Earl Warren Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
19.1%Developing
43/100
29Rosita Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
21.1%Developing
42/100
30Brookhurst Elementary
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
20.9%Developing
42/100

High Schools (8)

Garden Grove Unified has 8 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 61.5 — 14.0 points above the state average of 47.5. 2 of 8 high schools score above 70.

The highest-scoring high school is La Quinta High with a Scope Score of 78 and 49.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1La Quinta High
Garden Grove Unified Strong All-Around
49.6%Strong
78/100
2Pacifica High
Garden Grove Unified Strong All-Around
37.4%Strong
71/100
3Garden Grove High
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
33.4%Solid
69/100
4Bolsa Grande High
Garden Grove Unified Strong All-Around
32.3%Solid
68/100
5Rancho Alamitos High
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
23.1%Solid
60/100
6Santiago High
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
19.9%Solid
58/100
7Los Amigos High
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
21.6%Solid
58/100
8Marie L. Hare High
Garden Grove Unified Building Momentum
1.6%Needs Support
30/100

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 Garden Grove Unified

  • Class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality
  • Quality of arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs
  • Teacher experience, turnover, and professional development
  • Campus safety, bullying climate, and social-emotional support
  • Parent and community engagement levels
  • Quality of special education and gifted programs
  • How resources are distributed across schools within the district

Scope Scores measure academic performance and school climate using public data. They are one lens among many. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Is Garden Grove Unified a good school district?
Garden Grove Unified has 52 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 53.3/100, which is 9.5 points above the California state average of 43.8. 28.3% of students exceed the state standard on average. The Scope Score measures academic performance and school climate across six dimensions. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best school in Garden Grove Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Garden Grove Unified is Ethan B. Allen Elementary with a Scope Score of 84/100 and 66.4% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Garden Grove Unified spend per student?
Garden Grove Unified spends $14,737 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 Garden Grove Unified?
Teacher salaries in Garden Grove Unified range from $72,504–$141,634 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 six dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade-level growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, and ELPAC English Learner proficiency. Full methodology and weights.

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