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Public school district · California

Poway Unified.Many schools. Many different stories.

Compare elementary, middle, and high schools across Poway Unified—and look beyond a single district average.

Del Norte HighWestview HighWillow Grove ElementaryDesign 39 CampusStone Ranch ElementaryMesa Verde MiddleRolling Hills ElementaryOak Valley MiddleMonterey Ridge ElementaryDeer Canyon ElementaryAdobe Bluffs ElementaryPoway HighMt. Carmel HighRancho Bernardo HighPark Village ElementarySundance ElementaryCreekside ElementaryDel Sur ElementaryTierra Bonita ElementaryCanyon View ElementaryLos Penasquitos ElementaryHighland Ranch ElementaryWestwood ElementarySunset Hills ElementaryBlack Mountain MiddleChaparral ElementaryBernardo Heights MiddleShoal Creek ElementaryPainted Rock ElementaryPoway to Palomar Middle College HighMidland ElementaryMorning Creek ElementaryPomerado ElementaryTurtleback ElementaryGarden Road ElementaryMeadowbrook MiddleTwin Peaks MiddleValley ElementaryPoway UnifiedN ↑
38 schools mapped · Location contextOpen map →
Census district boundary
The K–12 path at a glance
Elementary26 schools
avg 64.2/10023 Strong, 3 Solid
Middle6 schools
avg 59.8/1004 Strong, 2 Solid
High6 schools
avg 72.9/1005 Strong, 1 Solid

Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.

Stage 1 of 3

The elementary years

The elementary schools average 64.2/100 — 25.3 points above the state average, with 23 of 26 in the Strong band.

0100
Strong Solid Developing Needs Support district avg state avg

42 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 26 elementary schools — the average hides more than it tells.

The strength

Willow Grove Elementary (82/100) holds the Strong band — 56.8% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 46.9%. 2 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.

The catch

42 points separate the top and bottom elementary schools — the district average won't predict the school in front of you.

99th percentile · StrongScope Score 82/100
Design 39 Campus
High Ceiling
99th percentile · StrongScope Score 81/100
99th percentile · StrongScope Score 81/100

All 26 elementary schools, ranked, in the appendix →

Stage 2 of 3

The middle years

The middle schools average 59.8/100 — 21.2 points above the state average, with 4 of 6 in the Strong band.

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36 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 6 middle schools — the average hides more than it tells.

The strength

Mesa Verde Middle (78/100) holds the Strong band — 50.5% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 36.2%. 2 schools classify as Strong All-Around — no weak dimension we measure.

The catch

36 points separate the top and bottom middle schools — the district average won't predict the school in front of you.

Mesa Verde Middle
High Ceiling
97th percentile · StrongScope Score 78/100
Oak Valley Middle
Strong All-Around
96th percentile · StrongScope Score 76/100
Black Mountain Middle
Strong All-Around
89th percentile · StrongScope Score 61/100

All 6 middle schools, ranked, in the appendix →

Stage 3 of 3

The high school years

The high schools average 72.9/100 — 19.0 points above the state average, with 5 of 6 in the Strong band.

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6 high schools span 28 points around an average of 72.9.

The strength

Del Norte High (86/100) holds the Strong band — 51.8% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 37.7%. 3 schools classify as Strong All-Around — no weak dimension we measure.

The catch

28 points separate the top and bottom high schools — the district average won't predict the school in front of you.

Del Norte High
High Ceiling
98th percentile · StrongScope Score 86/100
Westview High
High Ceiling
97th percentile · StrongScope Score 84/100
Poway High
Strong All-Around
88th percentile · StrongScope Score 71/100

All 6 high schools, ranked, in the appendix →

What it means for your family

If you're choosing a neighborhood

Compare schools at your child’s level before deciding on an address. The strongest attendance-zone candidate is Willow Grove Elementary at 82/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.

If you already live here

No charters or magnets among the ranked schools here, so the main lever is an intra-district transfer — California districts run them on their own windows and criteria. If your zoned school sits low in the appendix below, ask the district office for this year's dates.

If your kid is enrolled now

A band is a position, not a prophecy — 2 campuses here rank as Growth Engine, their returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide. Ask your school two questions: what happens for a kid who arrives behind, and what the classroom looks like for one who arrives ahead.

The strongest-scoring run through the district:

Willow Grove Elementary 99th percentile · StrongScope Score 82/100Mesa Verde Middle 97th percentile · StrongScope Score 78/100Del Norte High 98th percentile · StrongScope Score 86/100

Top scorers at each level — not necessarily one zoned sequence. Confirm feeder patterns and enrollment zones with the district, and visit before you decide.

What this page can't see: whether a campus feels safe and glad at 8 a.m. If a path above looks workable, the next step is a visit.

Poway Unified has 38 public schools in this SchoolScope results directory. Compare schools by their primary reporting level below.

2024–25 CAASPP reporting · SchoolScope analysis. Directory coverage, not a complete inventory of every campus. Each school appears at its primary reporting level; K–8 and K–12 campuses can serve additional grades. Sources and methodology →

One district, three stages

The average changes with the journey.

Elementary schools

Explore elementary →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

26 comparable schools · average 64.2/100 · range 39.7–81.5

Middle schools

Explore middle →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

6 comparable schools · average 59.8/100 · range 42.1–78.3

High schools

Explore high →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

6 comparable schools · average 72.9/100 · range 57.6–85.9

Explore Poway Unified by place.

Districts nearby

DistrictAverage scoreRanked schoolsTop schoolDistance
Poway Unifiedthis district64.9 / 10038Del Norte High—
Solana Beach Elementary80.1 / 1003Solana Ranch Elementary6.7 mi
San Dieguito Union High80.4 / 1003Canyon Crest Academy7.1 mi
Rancho Santa Fe Elementary74.6 / 1002R. Roger Rowe Middle7.1 mi
Del Mar Union Elementary77.6 / 1007Sage Canyon7.2 mi
Grossmont Union High64.2 / 1002West Hills High10.7 mi

Averages blend every school level in a district and carry no score band. Compare a level at a time in the spreads above, then open the schools. Distances run between school-location centers.

Cities served

City pages include schools from other districts too. Check the district named on each school profile.

Patterns across the district

What kinds of schools are here?

Patterns worth exploring.

Choose a pattern to find matching schools in the lists below. Open a profile to see the underlying measures and questions to ask on a visit.

How patterns are defined →

Archetypes describe reported patterns, not school quality or fit. Available measures differ by school level.

Schools in Poway Unified

Browse by level, then compare the evidence behind each profile.

Map ↗

Elementary schools in Poway Unified · 26 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
Willow Grove Elementary
Poway Unified High Ceiling
56.8%99th percentile · StrongScope Score 82/100
Design 39 Campus
Poway Unified High Ceiling
55.2%99th percentile · StrongScope Score 81/100
Stone Ranch Elementary
Poway Unified High Ceiling
56.5%99th percentile · StrongScope Score 81/100
Rolling Hills Elementary
Poway Unified High Ceiling
58.4%98th percentile · StrongScope Score 78/100
Monterey Ridge Elementary
Poway Unified High Ceiling
61.9%97th percentile · StrongScope Score 76/100
Deer Canyon Elementary
Poway Unified High Ceiling
61.1%97th percentile · StrongScope Score 74/100

Middle schools in Poway Unified · 6 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
Mesa Verde Middle
Poway Unified High Ceiling
50.5%97th percentile · StrongScope Score 78/100
Oak Valley Middle
Poway Unified Strong All-Around
49.0%96th percentile · StrongScope Score 76/100
Black Mountain Middle
Poway Unified Strong All-Around
33.7%89th percentile · StrongScope Score 61/100
Bernardo Heights Middle
Poway Unified Solid Base
35.1%87th percentile · StrongScope Score 58/100
Meadowbrook Middle
Poway Unified Building Momentum
25.7%66th percentile · SolidScope Score 43/100
Twin Peaks Middle
Poway Unified Building Momentum
23.3%64th percentile · SolidScope Score 42/100

High schools in Poway Unified · 6 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
Del Norte High
Poway Unified High Ceiling
51.8%98th percentile · StrongScope Score 86/100
Westview High
Poway Unified High Ceiling
50.1%97th percentile · StrongScope Score 84/100
Poway High
Poway Unified Strong All-Around
32.0%88th percentile · StrongScope Score 71/100
Mt. Carmel High
Poway Unified Strong All-Around
35.3%88th percentile · StrongScope Score 70/100
Rancho Bernardo High
Poway Unified Strong All-Around
34.7%87th percentile · StrongScope Score 70/100
Poway to Palomar Middle College High
Poway Unified Building Momentum
22.2%64th percentile · SolidScope Score 58/100
Compare selected schools

Select two to four schools at the same level. Rankings and score bands compare each school with its own enrollment group.

District finance · FY 2024–25

Where the district's dollars go.

Poway Unified spent $15,880 per student in FY 2024–25 — $4,611 less than the median California district ($20,491), about 23% lower. About 65 cents of every dollar goes to classroom instruction.

Current expense per student

Current expense of education per unit of average daily attendance, from the district's annual SACS filing to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus. Spending is context, not a measure of school quality.

Share by function

  • Instruction65%
  • Instruction support12%
  • Student services8%
  • Administration5%
  • Buildings & maintenance9%
  • Other1%

Shares of the same current-expense total, by SACS function. Names are simplified from the filing's own categories.

The system behind the schools

The people behind the classrooms — district-grain context that never enters a school's score.

People
Teacher salary range$58,959–$127,725
Teaching staff1,510 · FTE
District enrollment35,663 · students
Who attends
Hispanic 18.4% · White 37.5% · Black 1.6% · Asian 24.3% · Other 18.2%
Free/reduced lunch17% · economic need indicator

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule 2024–25 · CDE enrollment (district averages)

See how the school years fit together.

Explore the next stage, then verify the schools available for your address.

These are browsing links, not a feeder path. Assignments vary by residence, program, permits, and available space.

Looking beyond Poway Unified?

Explore public, private, and early-learning options.

Know what you’re comparing.

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.

Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 38 schoolsMethodology · Download this data (CSV)

Free to download, CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

Frequently asked questions

How many schools are listed in Poway Unified?
This SchoolScope directory lists 38 public schools in Poway Unified with 2024–25 reporting records. This is directory coverage, not a complete campus inventory. Each school appears under its primary reporting level; a K–8 or K–12 campus may serve additional grades.
Which schools have the highest scores in Poway Unified?
Among comprehensive public schools listed here, the highest Scope Score at each primary reporting level is: Elementary: Willow Grove Elementary (82/100). Middle: Mesa Verde Middle (78/100). High: Del Norte High (86/100). These are separate level rankings, not a single cross-level league table. A score does not establish fit or enrollment eligibility. See the methodology.
Can I compare elementary, middle, and high schools directly?
Compare schools at the same level and within the same enrollment group. Scope Score formulas and available measures differ by level. The plots show comprehensive public schools separately for each level; individual profiles explain their comparison group.
Does living in Poway Unified guarantee a particular school?
A district outline does not establish assignment to an individual school. Attendance boundaries, programs, permits, and available space can affect enrollment. Confirm the requirements directly with the district.
What does a SchoolScope pattern mean?
Archetypes summarize patterns in publicly reported academic and school-climate measures. They describe reported results, not a school’s quality or a child’s fit. Open the school profile for reporting years, missing measures, and questions to ask. Read how the patterns are defined.
Where do these results come from?
The underlying public data comes from the California Department of Education, including CAASPP reporting for 2024–25. Scope Scores and archetypes are SchoolScope calculations, not official CDE ratings. View CDE data and SchoolScope’s methodology and limitations.