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Paradise Unified: Paradise Unified schools score 9.2 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 21.7 points.

Below Average2024–25 data8 schools · avg 35.7/100

Paradise Unified has 8 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 35.7/100 — 9.2 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Paradise Senior High at 52/100, where 13.6% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $19,718 per student (above the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 25.6%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
35.7
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
27.9
24.6 – 52.4
Avg Exceeded %
11.3%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
25.6%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
8
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
3
of 8 ranked
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
33.0/100
510.8%20.8%
MiddleDeveloping
40.9/100
116.8%20.6%
HighDeveloping
39.6/100
29.6%40.2%

Paradise Unified's middle schools average 40.9/100 — within 1.7 points of the state average with +13.8pp grade-to-grade growth.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
33.0
avg score · 5 schools
HomeTech Charter
Needs Support
28/100
+2 more elementary schools
Middle
40.9
avg score · 1 school
Paradise Charter Middle
Developing
41/100
High
39.6
avg score · 2 schools

District Analysis

Paradise Unified has 8 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 35.7/100 — 9.2 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Paradise Unified's middle schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 40.9.

District-wide elementary growth averages -21.7pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 27.9 points — showing notable variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 25.6%, 7.7pp above the state average of 17.9%.

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

Paradise Senior High leads the district at 52 with 13.6% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Paradise Unified

1 Culture First1 On the Rise6 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 1 school in Paradise Unified is classified as 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
15.1%
White
74.5%
Asian
0.8%
Black
0.5%
Other
9.1%
Free/Reduced Lunch
68%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Paradise Unified spends $19,718 per student in current expenditures — $4,903 above the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$19,718
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
1,533
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 108.7%
$9,446 → $19,718
Spending Efficiency
1.81
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 62%Support 34%Other 4%
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
$57,726–$118,325
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
112
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Paradise Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (5)

Paradise Unified has 5 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 33.0 — 11.8 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -21.7pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Children's Community Charter with a Scope Score of 50 and 16.4% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Children's Community Charter
Paradise Unified Culture First
16.4%Developing
50/100
2Paradise Ridge Elementary
Paradise Unified Building Momentum
20.8%Developing
36/100
3HomeTech Charter
Paradise Unified Building Momentum
6.5%Needs Support
28/100
4Pine Ridge
Paradise Unified Building Momentum
3.9%Needs Support
27/100
5Cedarwood Elementary
Paradise Unified Building Momentum
6.6%Needs Support
25/100

Middle Schools (1)

Paradise Unified has 1 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 40.9 — within 1.7 points of the state average of 42.6.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +13.8pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring middle school is Paradise Charter Middle with a Scope Score of 41 and 16.8% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Paradise Charter Middle
Paradise Unified On the Rise
16.8%Developing
41/100

High Schools (2)

Paradise Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 39.6 — 4.1 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is Paradise Senior High with a Scope Score of 52 and 13.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Paradise Senior High
Paradise Unified Building Momentum
13.6%Solid
52/100
2Ridgeview High (Continuation)
Paradise Unified Building Momentum
5.6%Needs Support
27/100
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 Paradise 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 Paradise Unified a good school district?
Paradise Unified has 8 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 35.7/100, which is 9.2 points below the state average. 11.3% 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 Paradise Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Paradise Unified is Paradise Senior High with a Scope Score of 52/100 and 13.6% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Paradise Unified spend per student?
Paradise Unified spends $19,718 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 Paradise Unified?
Teacher salaries in Paradise Unified range from $57,726–$118,325 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.