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Lake Tahoe Unified: Lake Tahoe Unified schools score 7.3 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 6.6 points.

Below Average2024–25 data8 schools · avg 37.6/100

Lake Tahoe Unified has 8 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 37.6/100 — 7.3 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet at 57/100, where 36.6% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,413 per student (below the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 32.4%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
37.6
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
41.3
15.7 – 57.0
Avg Exceeded %
14.4%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
32.4%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
8
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
42.0/100
517.5%24.8%
MiddleDeveloping
33.9/100
114.7%35.7%
HighNeeds Support
28.4/100
26.4%49.6%

Lake Tahoe Unified's elementary schools average 42.0/100 — 2.9 points below the state average with a −6.6pp declining trajectory.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
42.0
avg score · 5 schools
Bijou Community
Developing
47/100
Sierra House Elementary
Developing
41/100
+2 more elementary schools
Middle
33.9
avg score · 1 school
South Tahoe Middle
Developing
34/100
High
28.4
avg score · 2 schools
South Tahoe High
Developing
41/100
Mt. Tallac High
Needs Support
16/100

District Analysis

Lake Tahoe Unified has 8 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 37.6/100 — 7.3 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Lake Tahoe Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 42.0.

District-wide elementary growth averages -6.6pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 41.3 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 32.4%, 14.5pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 4.4%, above the state average of 1.6%.

Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet leads the district at 57 with 36.6% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Lake Tahoe Unified

1 Solid Base1 Culture First6 Building Momentum

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

Student demographics

Hispanic
48.6%
White
42.3%
Asian
0.9%
Black
0.6%
Other
7.6%
Free/Reduced Lunch
55%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Lake Tahoe Unified spends $13,413 per student in current expenditures — $1,402 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$13,413
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
3,725
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 16%
$11,567 → $13,413
Spending Efficiency
2.80
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 62%Support 36%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
$60,469–$128,797
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
203
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Lake Tahoe Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (5)

Lake Tahoe Unified has 5 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 42.0 — 2.9 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -6.6pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet with a Scope Score of 57 and 36.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet
Lake Tahoe Unified Solid Base
36.6%Solid
57/100
2Bijou Community
Lake Tahoe Unified Culture First
13.6%Developing
47/100
3Sierra House Elementary
Lake Tahoe Unified Building Momentum
21.7%Developing
41/100
4Tahoe Valley Elementary
Lake Tahoe Unified Building Momentum
12.1%Developing
36/100
5Elevated Digital Learning Academy
Lake Tahoe Unified Building Momentum
3.6%Needs Support
28/100

Middle Schools (1)

Lake Tahoe Unified has 1 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 33.9 — 8.8 points below the state average of 42.6.

Growth averages -7.8pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring middle school is South Tahoe Middle with a Scope Score of 34 and 14.7% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1South Tahoe Middle
Lake Tahoe Unified Building Momentum
14.7%Developing
34/100

High Schools (2)

Lake Tahoe Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 28.4 — 15.3 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is South Tahoe High with a Scope Score of 41 and 12.7% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1South Tahoe High
Lake Tahoe Unified Building Momentum
12.7%Developing
41/100
2Mt. Tallac High
Lake Tahoe Unified Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
16/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 8 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 Lake Tahoe 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 Lake Tahoe Unified a good school district?
Lake Tahoe Unified has 8 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 37.6/100, which is 7.3 points below the state average. 14.4% 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 Lake Tahoe Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Lake Tahoe Unified is Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet with a Scope Score of 57/100 and 36.6% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Lake Tahoe Unified spend per student?
Lake Tahoe Unified spends $13,413 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 Lake Tahoe Unified?
Teacher salaries in Lake Tahoe Unified range from $60,469–$128,797 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.