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Golden Plains Unified: Golden Plains Unified schools score 15.4 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 12.0 points.

Below Average2024–25 data4 schools · avg 29.4/100

Golden Plains Unified has 4 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 29.4/100 — 15.4 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Tranquillity High at 43/100, where 8.3% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $17,077 per student (above the state average of $14,491). Chronic absenteeism averages 24.1%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
29.4
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
21.4
21.2 – 42.6
Avg Exceeded %
5.4%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
24.1%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
4
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryNeeds Support
25.0/100
34.4%21.7%
HighDeveloping
42.6/100
18.3%31.4%

Golden Plains Unified's high schools average 42.6/100 — within 1.1 points of the state average.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
25.0
avg score · 3 schools
San Joaquin Elementary
Needs Support
30/100
Tranquillity Elementary
Needs Support
24/100
Cantua Elementary
Needs Support
21/100
High
42.6
avg score · 1 school
Tranquillity High
Developing
43/100

District Analysis

Golden Plains Unified has 4 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 29.4/100 — 15.4 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Golden Plains Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 42.6.

District-wide elementary growth averages -12.0pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 21.4 points — showing notable variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 24.1%, 6.2pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 3.7%, above the state average of 1.6%.

Tranquillity High leads the district at 43 with 8.3% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Golden Plains Unified

1 Culture First3 Building Momentum

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

Student demographics

Hispanic
96.3%
White
2.2%
Asian
0.2%
Black
0.9%
Other
0.4%
Free/Reduced Lunch
91%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Golden Plains Unified spends $17,077 per student in current expenditures — $2,586 above the state average of $14,491.

Per-Pupil Spending
$17,077
State avg: $14,491
District Enrollment
1,520
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 17.8%
$14,494 → $17,077
Spending Efficiency
1.72
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 51%Support 42%Other 7%
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 Golden Plains Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (3)

Golden Plains Unified has 3 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 25.0 — 19.8 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -12.0pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is San Joaquin Elementary with a Scope Score of 30 and 3.0% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1San Joaquin Elementary
Golden Plains Unified Building Momentum
3.0%Needs Support
30/100
2Tranquillity Elementary
Golden Plains Unified Building Momentum
6.1%Needs Support
24/100
3Cantua Elementary
Golden Plains Unified Culture First
4.1%Needs Support
21/100

High Schools (1)

Golden Plains Unified has 1 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 42.6 — within 1.1 points of the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is Tranquillity High with a Scope Score of 43 and 8.3% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Tranquillity High
Golden Plains Unified Building Momentum
8.3%Developing
43/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 4 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 Golden Plains 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 Golden Plains Unified a good school district?
Golden Plains Unified has 4 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 29.4/100, which is 15.4 points below the state average. 5.4% 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 Golden Plains Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Golden Plains Unified is Tranquillity High with a Scope Score of 43/100 and 8.3% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Golden Plains Unified spend per student?
Golden Plains Unified spends $17,077 per student in current expenditures. The state average is $14,491. 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.