Pacifica runs schools through 8th grade. Its 5 public elementary schools run from the 33rd to the 83rd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). High school is run by another district; confirm the school for your address with the district.
K5Elementary
68Middle
912High
Pacifica · grades K–8
Another district · grades 9–12
Elementary · 5 schools
from 33rd to 83rd · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
from 64th to 77th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Cabrillo Elementary: 77th percentile, Strong
Ingrid B. Lacy Middle: 64th percentile, Solid
0Needs Support
0Developing
1Solid
1Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 1 of the 6 ranked schools teaches two levels, so it appears in more than one picture.
The average elementary school in Pacifica had 11 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in Pacifica score highest?
Cabrillo Elementary is highest, at the 77th percentile.
That’s higher than 77 in 100 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in Pacifica
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
Where does Pacifica’s money go, and what does it plan?
Pacifica spent $17,002 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 66 cents of every Pacifica dollar went to classroom instruction.
Spending by function
Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.
Share by function, 2024–25
Instruction66%
Instruction support12%
Student services4%
Administration9%
Buildings & maintenance9%
Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.
What the district plans
$2.3 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 25 funded actions in 3 goals. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.
The plan in short
Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 104 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 58% of the money; their titles are below. The plan itself puts 51% of it toward staff.
Invervention Supports for Unduplicated Student Population $780,315
Dedicated Instructional Staff $301,409
Action 3 $221,079
22 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
5 of the plan’s 25 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name reading, math or English learners
Reading $6,000
Math $6,000
English learners $303,853
Largest of these
Implementation of Integrated and Designated ELD and Professional Development$189,703
Integrated and Designated English Learner Language Instruction$110,150
SBAC ELA Progress Monitoring at Specific Schools and the District Office$6,000
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students
It plans $1.3 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $1.3 million and estimates it spent $1.3 million, under $0.1 million (2%) less than planned (our arithmetic).
$1.3 million spent (estimated)$1.3 million planned
What changed
The total is $35,281 (2%) lower than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Invervention Supports for Unduplicated Student Population, which went from $687,700 to $780,315.
Largest cuts
Integrated and Designated English Learner Language Instruction−$67,850
Supplemental Site Administrator Support for Academic, Behavioral and Social-Emotional Intervention−$29,749
Implementation of Integrated and Designated ELD and Professional Development−$11,297
Largest increases
Invervention Supports for Unduplicated Student Population+$92,615
Ask: What did Integrated and Designated English Learner Language Instruction pay for, and what changes now that the 2026–27 plan gives it $67,850 less?
What its goals measure
Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.
What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 2
54%
56%
up 2 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 2
52%
53%
up 1 pt
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 3
12 in 100
12 in 100
no change
Suspended at least onceGoal 1
1.1%
1.5%
up 0.4 pts
Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Invervention Supports for Unduplicated Student Population · $780,315
Dedicated Instructional Staff · $301,409
Supplemental Site Administrator Support for Academic, Behavioral and Social-Emotional Intervention · $221,079
The full plan3 goals, 32 measures and where the money goes
We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($2.3 million).
Where does the money go?
72% to Goal 2. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1All students will have access to rigorous and engaging instruction provided by highly qualified teachers and…$545,65024% of action budgets
“All students will have access to rigorous and engaging instruction provided by highly qualified teachers and supported by highly effective leadership with appropriate resources” p. 14 ↗
100% of new teachers receive onboarding and mentoring support. 2024
Target for year 3
100% of new teachers receive onboarding and mentoring support.
Grade-appropriate and standards-aligned IEP goalsp. 15 ↗
Baseline
100% of IEP goals are grade-appropriate and standards-aligned, 2024
Target for year 3
100% of IEP goals are grade- appropriate and standards-aligned.
10 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 2We will increase achievement for all our students while decreasing performance gaps and educational inequities$1.6 million72% of action budgets
10 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $1.6 million (+$51,569) · p. 27 ↗
Largest funded actions
Invervention Supports for Unduplicated Student Population$780,315action 2.9 · p. 66 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Dedicated Instructional Staff$301,409action 2.5 · p. 66 ↗
Supplemental Site Administrator Support for Academic, Behavioral and Social-Emotional Intervention$221,079action 2.10 · p. 66 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Implementation of Integrated and Designated ELD and Professional Development$189,703action 2.1 · p. 65 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Social/Emotional Embedded Classroom Strategies$65,000action 2.3 · p. 66 ↗
5 more funded actions in this goal
Make-Up Work Program · action 2.4 · p. 66 ↗$30,000
iReady Staff Development · action 2.2 · p. 66 ↗$13,500
SBAC ELA Progress Monitoring at Specific Schools and the District Office · action 2.7 · p. 66 ↗$6,000
SBAC Math Progress Monitoring at Specific Schools and the District Office · action 2.8 · p. 66 ↗$6,000
English Learner Progress at Sunset Ridge Elementary · action 2.6 · p. 66 ↗$4,000
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Invervention Supports for Unduplicated Student Population+$92,615$687,700 → $780,315 · p. 66 ↗
Supplemental Site Administrator Support for Academic, Behavioral and Social-Emotional Intervention−$29,749$250,828 → $221,079 · p. 66 ↗
Implementation of Integrated and Designated ELD and Professional Development−$11,297$201,000 → $189,703 · p. 65 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Make-Up Work Program · $30,000 → $30,000 · p. 66 ↗unchanged
iReady Staff Development · $13,500 → $13,500 · p. 66 ↗unchanged
SBAC ELA Progress Monitoring at Specific Schools and the District Office · $6,000 → $6,000 · p. 66 ↗unchanged
SBAC Math Progress Monitoring at Specific Schools and the District Office · $6,000 → $6,000 · p. 66 ↗unchanged
English Learner Progress at Sunset Ridge Elementary · $4,000 → $4,000 · p. 66 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 11 measures · 1 quoted
iReady staff development for math and English teachersp. 33 ↗
Baseline
100% of math and English teachers participate in iReady staff development. 2024
Target for year 3
100% of math and English teachers participate in iReady staff development.
10 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 3We will significantly increase family and community engagement to inspire and support them to be actively…$91,2004% of action budgets
“We will significantly increase family and community engagement to inspire and support them to be actively involved in preparing their students to be college and career ready and to reduce chronic absenteeism” p. 44 ↗
All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.
Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends
Student mix
2024–25 · October enrollment count, 2,652 students
1White39%
2Hispanic or Latino26%
3Two or more races17%
4Asian8%
5Filipino8%
6Black or African American1%
7Pacific Islander<1%
8American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
9Not reported<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
19%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 509 of 2,640 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.
The district’s state records
Is the state giving the district extra help?
Pacifica isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 26% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (28 of 108 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.
Elementary: Vallemar Elementary, 83rd percentile (Strong). Middle: Cabrillo Elementary, 77th percentile (Strong). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
Does living in the Pacifica district decide which school my child attends?
Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (5)
Are the public schools in Pacifica good?
Pacifica’s 5 public elementary schools run from the 33rd to the 83rd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 3 Solid and 1 Developing. Pacifica’s 2 public middle schools run from the 64th to the 77th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong and 1 Solid. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.
How does chronic absence in Pacifica compare with California?
The average elementary school in Pacifica had 11 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does Pacifica spend per student?
Pacifica spent $17,002 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 66 cents of every Pacifica dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.
What is in Pacifica’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $2.3 million into 25 funded actions in 3 goals. Its largest goal holds $1.6 million, 72% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP) from spring 2026 and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Pacifica, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.