ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in

Golden Valley Unified: Golden Valley Unified middle schools lead at 51.9. A 22.4-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.

Near Average2024–25 data6 schools · avg 44.4/100

Golden Valley Unified has 6 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 44.4/100 — within 0.5 points of the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Ranchos Middle at 52/100, where 21.6% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $11,644 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 14.2%, below the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
44.4
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
22.4
29.5 – 51.9
Avg Exceeded %
19.1%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
14.2%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
6
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
44.3/100
321.9%9.0%
MiddleSolid
51.9/100
121.6%10.5%
HighDeveloping
40.6/100
213.4%23.7%

Golden Valley Unified's middle schools average 51.9/100 — 9.3 points above the state average.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
44.3
avg score · 3 schools
Webster Elementary
Developing
45/100
Sierra View Elementary
Developing
45/100
Stone Creek Elementary
Developing
43/100
Middle
51.9
avg score · 1 school
Ranchos Middle
Solid
52/100
High
40.6
avg score · 2 schools
Liberty High
Solid
52/100

District Analysis

Golden Valley Unified has 6 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 44.4/100 — within 0.5 points of the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Golden Valley Unified's middle schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 51.9.

District-wide elementary growth averages -1.0pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 22.4 points — showing notable variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 14.2%, 3.8pp below the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 3.8%, above the state average of 1.6%.

Ranchos Middle leads the district at 52 with 21.6% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Golden Valley Unified

1 Growth Engine1 On the Rise4 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 2 schools in Golden Valley Unified are classified as Growth Engine or On the Rise — 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
56.1%
White
32.9%
Asian
4.2%
Black
2.6%
Other
4.3%
Free/Reduced Lunch
33%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Golden Valley Unified spends $11,644 per student in current expenditures — $3,171 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$11,644
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
2,089
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 10.7%
$10,522 → $11,644
Spending Efficiency
3.81
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 57%Support 41%Other 2%
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
$53,680–$102,617
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
146
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Golden Valley Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (3)

Golden Valley Unified has 3 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 44.3 — within 0.5 points of the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -1.0pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Webster Elementary with a Scope Score of 45 and 20.4% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Webster Elementary
Golden Valley Unified Growth Engine
20.4%Developing
45/100
2Sierra View Elementary
Golden Valley Unified Building Momentum
20.5%Developing
45/100
3Stone Creek Elementary
Golden Valley Unified On the Rise
24.9%Developing
43/100

Middle Schools (1)

Golden Valley Unified has 1 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 51.9 — 9.3 points above the state average of 42.6.

The highest-scoring middle school is Ranchos Middle with a Scope Score of 52 and 21.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Ranchos Middle
Golden Valley Unified Building Momentum
21.6%Solid
52/100

High Schools (2)

Golden Valley Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 40.6 — 3.1 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is Liberty High with a Scope Score of 52 and 22.1% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Liberty High
Golden Valley Unified Building Momentum
22.1%Solid
52/100
2Independence Continuation High
Golden Valley Unified Building Momentum
4.8%Needs Support
30/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 6 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 Valley 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 Valley Unified a good school district?
Golden Valley Unified has 6 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 44.4/100, which is within 0.5 points of the state average. 19.1% 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 Valley Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Golden Valley Unified is Ranchos Middle with a Scope Score of 52/100 and 21.6% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Golden Valley Unified spend per student?
Golden Valley Unified spends $11,644 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 Golden Valley Unified?
Teacher salaries in Golden Valley Unified range from $53,680–$102,617 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.