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Irvine Unified: Irvine Unified elementary schools lead at 68.2. A 65.1-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.

Above Average2024–25 data37 schools · avg 67.5/100

Irvine Unified has 37 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 67.5/100 — 22.6 points above the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Santiago Hills Elementary at 95/100, where 66.6% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,060 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 7 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 11.2%, below the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
67.5
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
65.1
30.1 – 95.3
Avg Exceeded %
43.9%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
11.2%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
37
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementarySolid
68.2/100
3145.5%9.7%
HighSolid
63.7/100
635.6%19.2%

Irvine Unified's elementary schools average 68.2/100 — 23.3 points above the state average.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
68.2
avg score · 31 schools
+28 more elementary schools
High
63.7
avg score · 6 schools
Northwood High
Strong
73/100
Woodbridge High
Strong
71/100
Portola High
Strong
70/100
+3 more high schools

District Analysis

Irvine Unified has 37 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 67.5/100 — 22.6 points above the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Irvine Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 68.2.

District-wide elementary growth averages +1.0pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — schools are making incremental gains.

Score range of 65.1 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 11.2%, 6.7pp below the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 1.2%, near the state average of 1.6%.

Santiago Hills Elementary leads the district at 95 with 66.6% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Irvine Unified

12 High Ceiling7 Growth Engine6 Strong All-Around3 Solid Base6 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 8 schools in Irvine Unified are classified as Growth Engine (7) 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
13.7%
White
23.2%
Asian
48.2%
Black
2.2%
Other
12.7%
Free/Reduced Lunch
22%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Irvine Unified spends $13,060 per student in current expenditures — $1,755 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$13,060
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
35,660
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 20.1%
$10,874 → $13,060
Spending Efficiency
5.16
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 56%Support 43%Other 1%
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
$59,726–$137,884
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
1,811
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Irvine Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (31)

Irvine Unified has 31 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 68.2 — 23.3 points above the state average of 44.8. 1 of 31 elementary schools have Scope Scores above 90.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +1.0pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Santiago Hills Elementary with a Scope Score of 95 and 66.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Santiago Hills Elementary
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
66.6%Strong
95/100
2Deerfield Elementary
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
55.7%Strong
88/100
3Eastshore Elementary
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
61.1%Strong
85/100
4Turtle Rock Elementary
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
62.8%Strong
82/100
5Brywood Elementary
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
56.9%Strong
78/100
6Westpark Elementary
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
52.5%Strong
77/100
7Bonita Canyon Elementary
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
53.7%Strong
77/100
8Stone Creek Elementary
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
53.0%Strong
76/100
9Vista Verde
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
51.9%Strong
75/100
10Loma Ridge Elementary
Irvine Unified Building Momentum
46.6%Strong
71/100
11Canyon View Elementary
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
55.8%Strong
71/100
12Eastwood Elementary
Irvine Unified Growth Engine
41.5%Strong
70/100
13Stonegate Elementary
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
57.2%Strong
70/100
14Irvine Unified School District Virtual Academy
Irvine Unified High Ceiling
52.6%Strong
70/100
15Cadence Park
Irvine Unified Growth Engine
41.0%Solid
70/100
16College Park Elementary
Irvine Unified Building Momentum
49.1%Solid
68/100
17Meadow Park Elementary
Irvine Unified Growth Engine
43.9%Solid
67/100
18Beacon Park
Irvine Unified Building Momentum
46.0%Solid
67/100
19Woodbury Elementary
Irvine Unified Building Momentum
45.0%Solid
65/100
20Portola Springs Elementary
Irvine Unified Solid Base
42.3%Solid
64/100
21Plaza Vista
Irvine Unified Strong All-Around
38.0%Solid
64/100
22Solis Park
Irvine Unified Growth Engine
43.9%Solid
62/100
23Springbrook Elementary
Irvine Unified Growth Engine
35.0%Solid
60/100
24Alderwood Elementary
Irvine Unified Solid Base
38.0%Solid
60/100
25University Park Elementary
Irvine Unified Building Momentum
30.6%Solid
58/100
26Cypress Village Elementary
Irvine Unified Solid Base
42.5%Solid
56/100
27Northwood Elementary
Irvine Unified Growth Engine
34.7%Solid
56/100
28Culverdale Elementary
Irvine Unified Growth Engine
29.9%Solid
55/100
29Alternative Education-San Joaquin High
Irvine Unified Culture First
24.0%Solid
53/100
30Greentree Elementary
Irvine Unified Culture First
31.9%Solid
52/100

High Schools (6)

Irvine Unified has 6 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 63.7 — 20.0 points above the state average of 43.7. 4 of 6 high schools score above 70.

The highest-scoring high school is Northwood High with a Scope Score of 73 and 47.2% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Northwood High
Irvine Unified Strong All-Around
47.2%Strong
73/100
2Woodbridge High
Irvine Unified Strong All-Around
41.9%Strong
71/100
3Portola High
Irvine Unified Strong All-Around
41.1%Strong
70/100
4University High
Irvine Unified Strong All-Around
39.0%Strong
70/100
5Irvine High
Irvine Unified Strong All-Around
40.0%Solid
68/100
6Creekside High
Irvine Unified Building Momentum
4.5%Developing
30/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 37 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 Irvine 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 Irvine Unified a good school district?
Irvine Unified has 37 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 67.5/100, which is 22.6 points above the state average. 43.9% 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 Irvine Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Irvine Unified is Santiago Hills Elementary with a Scope Score of 95/100 and 66.6% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Irvine Unified spend per student?
Irvine Unified spends $13,060 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 Irvine Unified?
Teacher salaries in Irvine Unified range from $59,726–$137,884 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.