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Oceanside Unified: Oceanside Unified elementary schools lead at 42.4. A 55.0-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.

Near Average2024–25 data24 schools · avg 40.4/100

Oceanside Unified has 24 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 40.4/100 — 4.5 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Libby Elementary at 63/100, where 20.8% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $14,594 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 3 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 24.8%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
40.4
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
55.0
8.5 – 63.5
Avg Exceeded %
14.1%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
24.8%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
24
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
2
of 24 ranked
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
42.4/100
1715.6%20.2%
MiddleDeveloping
35.5/100
410.7%28.1%
HighDeveloping
35.4/100
310.5%46.3%

Oceanside Unified's elementary schools average 42.4/100 — 2.4 points below the state average.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
42.4
avg score · 17 schools
Libby Elementary
Solid
63/100
+14 more elementary schools
Middle
35.5
avg score · 4 schools
Cesar Chavez Middle
Developing
40/100
Lincoln Middle
Developing
40/100
+1 more middle schools
High
35.4
avg score · 3 schools
El Camino High
Solid
52/100
Oceanside High
Developing
46/100

District Analysis

Oceanside Unified has 24 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 40.4/100 — 4.5 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Oceanside Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 42.4.

District-wide elementary growth averages +1.5pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — schools are making incremental gains.

Score range of 55.0 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 24.8%, 6.8pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 3.1%, near the state average of 1.6%.

Libby Elementary leads the district at 63 with 20.8% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Oceanside Unified

5 On the Rise3 Growth Engine16 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 8 schools in Oceanside Unified are classified as On the Rise (5) or Growth Engine (3) — 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
61.2%
White
22.0%
Asian
1.5%
Black
3.5%
Other
11.8%
Free/Reduced Lunch
72%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Oceanside Unified spends $14,594 per student in current expenditures — $220 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$14,594
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
16,373
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 34.7%
$10,838 → $14,594
Spending Efficiency
2.77
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 61%Support 36%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
$53,318–$118,979
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
757
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Oceanside Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (17)

Oceanside Unified has 17 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 42.4 — 2.4 points below the state average of 44.8.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +1.5pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Libby Elementary with a Scope Score of 63 and 20.8% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Libby Elementary
Oceanside Unified Growth Engine
20.8%Solid
63/100
2Coastal Academy Charter
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
30.5%Solid
58/100
3Santa Margarita Elementary
Oceanside Unified Growth Engine
24.1%Solid
53/100
4North Terrace Elementary
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
20.5%Solid
50/100
5Ivey Ranch Elementary
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
29.1%Developing
45/100
6Pacific View Charter
Oceanside Unified Growth Engine
4.1%Developing
45/100
7Palmquist Elementary
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
17.8%Developing
44/100
8Del Rio Elementary
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
15.2%Developing
44/100
9Stuart Mesa Elementary
Oceanside Unified On the Rise
10.9%Developing
41/100
10Laurel Elementary
Oceanside Unified On the Rise
9.1%Developing
41/100
11Pablo Tac School of the Arts
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
8.3%Developing
38/100
12Christa McAuliffe Elementary
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
18.5%Developing
38/100
13South Oceanside Elementary
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
16.7%Developing
37/100
14Mission Elementary
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
11.7%Developing
35/100
15Louise Foussat Elementary
Oceanside Unified On the Rise
8.6%Needs Support
30/100
16Surfside Academy
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
4.5%Needs Support
30/100
17Nichols Elementary
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
14.0%Needs Support
29/100

Middle Schools (4)

Oceanside Unified has 4 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 35.5 — 7.1 points below the state average of 42.6.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +3.4pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring middle school is Cesar Chavez Middle with a Scope Score of 40 and 12.9% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Cesar Chavez Middle
Oceanside Unified On the Rise
12.9%Developing
40/100
2Lincoln Middle
Oceanside Unified On the Rise
10.8%Developing
40/100
3Martin Luther King Jr. Middle
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
15.3%Developing
38/100
4Jefferson Middle
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
3.7%Needs Support
24/100

High Schools (3)

Oceanside Unified has 3 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 35.4 — 8.3 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is El Camino High with a Scope Score of 52 and 20.2% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1El Camino High
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
20.2%Solid
52/100
2Oceanside High
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
11.3%Developing
46/100
3Surfside High (Continuation)
Oceanside Unified Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
8/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 24 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 Oceanside 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 Oceanside Unified a good school district?
Oceanside Unified has 24 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 40.4/100, which is 4.5 points below the state average. 14.1% 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 Oceanside Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Oceanside Unified is Libby Elementary with a Scope Score of 63/100 and 20.8% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Oceanside Unified spend per student?
Oceanside Unified spends $14,594 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 Oceanside Unified?
Teacher salaries in Oceanside Unified range from $53,318–$118,979 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.