ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in

San Jose Unified: San Jose Unified high schools lead at 48.9. A 61.8-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.

Near Average2024–25 data42 schools · avg 44.0/100

San Jose Unified has 42 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 44.0/100 — within 0.8 points of the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Leland High at 78/100, where 56.5% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,878 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 24.3%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
44.0
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
61.8
15.9 – 77.6
Avg Exceeded %
20.9%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
24.3%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
42
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
1
of 42 ranked
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
43.6/100
2821.0%21.9%
MiddleDeveloping
40.9/100
719.9%23.3%
HighDeveloping
48.9/100
721.3%34.6%

San Jose Unified's high schools average 48.9/100 — 5.2 points above the state average.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
43.6
avg score · 28 schools
+25 more elementary schools
Middle
40.9
avg score · 7 schools
Bret Harte Middle
Strong
71/100
John Muir Middle
Developing
44/100
+4 more middle schools
High
48.9
avg score · 7 schools
Leland High
Strong
78/100
Pioneer High
Solid
64/100
Willow Glen High
Solid
56/100
+4 more high schools

District Analysis

San Jose Unified has 42 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 44.0/100 — within 0.8 points of the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: San Jose Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 48.9.

District-wide elementary growth averages +1.3pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — schools are making incremental gains.

Score range of 61.8 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 24.3%, 6.4pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 4.0%, above the state average of 1.6%.

Leland High leads the district at 78 with 56.5% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in San Jose Unified

7 On the Rise5 High Ceiling3 Strong All-Around1 Growth Engine25 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 8 schools in San Jose Unified are classified as On the Rise (7) or Growth Engine — 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
59.7%
White
16.7%
Asian
12.2%
Black
2.3%
Other
9.0%
Free/Reduced Lunch
50%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

San Jose Unified spends $13,878 per student in current expenditures — $936 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$13,878
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
27,430
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 15.9%
$11,975 → $13,878
Spending Efficiency
3.17
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 60%Support 38%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
$70,000–$134,400
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
1,510
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in San Jose Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (28)

San Jose Unified has 28 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 43.6 — within 1.3 points of the state average of 44.8. 4 of 28 elementary schools score above 70.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +1.3pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Williams Elementary with a Scope Score of 77 and 63.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Williams Elementary
San Jose Unified High Ceiling
63.6%Strong
77/100
2Graystone Elementary
San Jose Unified High Ceiling
57.3%Strong
74/100
3Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary
San Jose Unified Strong All-Around
43.3%Strong
72/100
4Los Alamitos Elementary
San Jose Unified High Ceiling
51.4%Strong
70/100
5Booksin Elementary
San Jose Unified Strong All-Around
48.6%Solid
69/100
6Simonds Elementary
San Jose Unified Growth Engine
46.5%Solid
68/100
7Hacienda Science/Environmental Magnet
San Jose Unified Strong All-Around
38.6%Solid
65/100
8Schallenberger Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
34.1%Solid
54/100
9Reed Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
34.7%Solid
54/100
10River Glen
San Jose Unified Culture First
19.7%Developing
46/100
11Almaden Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
15.4%Developing
46/100
12Willow Glen Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
26.0%Developing
42/100
13Walter L. Bachrodt Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
13.6%Developing
41/100
14Liberty Alternative
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
3.3%Developing
39/100
15Rachel Carson Elementary
San Jose Unified On the Rise
13.5%Developing
39/100
16Canoas Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
13.3%Developing
38/100
17Horace Mann Elementary
San Jose Unified On the Rise
6.7%Developing
35/100
18Merritt Trace Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
16.1%Developing
35/100
19Allen at Steinbeck
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
10.3%Developing
31/100
20Washington Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
1.9%Needs Support
28/100
21Ernesto Galarza Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
4.0%Needs Support
28/100
22Terrell Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
9.8%Needs Support
27/100
23Selma Olinder Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
4.0%Needs Support
27/100
24Gardner Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
2.8%Needs Support
25/100
25Grant Elementary
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
3.4%Needs Support
24/100
26Anne Darling Elementary
San Jose Unified On the Rise
3.4%Needs Support
23/100
27Lowell Elementary
San Jose Unified On the Rise
1.2%Needs Support
23/100
28Empire Gardens Elementary
San Jose Unified On the Rise
1.8%Needs Support
20/100

Middle Schools (7)

San Jose Unified has 7 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 40.9 — within 1.8 points of the state average of 42.6. 1 of 7 middle schools score above 70.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +0.6pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring middle school is Bret Harte Middle with a Scope Score of 71 and 51.0% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Bret Harte Middle
San Jose Unified High Ceiling
51.0%Strong
71/100
2Castillero Middle
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
28.6%Solid
54/100
3John Muir Middle
San Jose Unified On the Rise
16.5%Developing
44/100
4Willow Glen Middle
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
20.7%Developing
36/100
5Muwekma Ohlone Middle
San Jose Unified On the Rise
6.8%Needs Support
28/100
6Herbert Hoover Middle
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
10.1%Needs Support
26/100
7ACE Inspire Academy
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
5.4%Needs Support
25/100

High Schools (7)

San Jose Unified has 7 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 48.9 — 5.2 points above the state average of 43.7. 1 of 7 high schools score above 70.

The highest-scoring high school is Leland High with a Scope Score of 78 and 56.5% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Leland High
San Jose Unified High Ceiling
56.5%Strong
78/100
2Pioneer High
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
35.3%Solid
64/100
3Willow Glen High
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
22.5%Solid
56/100
4Abraham Lincoln High
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
15.3%Solid
53/100
5Gunderson High
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
8.9%Developing
45/100
6San Jose High
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
10.2%Developing
31/100
7Broadway High
San Jose Unified Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
16/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 42 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 San Jose 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 San Jose Unified a good school district?
San Jose Unified has 42 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 44.0/100, which is within 0.8 points of the state average. 20.9% 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 San Jose Unified?
The highest-scoring school in San Jose Unified is Leland High with a Scope Score of 78/100 and 56.5% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does San Jose Unified spend per student?
San Jose Unified spends $13,878 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 San Jose Unified?
Teacher salaries in San Jose Unified range from $70,000–$134,400 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.