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Santa Paula Unified: Santa Paula Unified high schools lead at 37.8. A 27.6-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.

Below Average2024–25 data9 schools · avg 37.2/100

Santa Paula Unified has 9 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 37.2/100 — 7.7 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Santa Paula High at 49/100, where 11.1% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $15,290 per student (above the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 23.4%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
37.2
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
27.6
21.7 – 49.3
Avg Exceeded %
9.3%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
23.4%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
9
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
37.0/100
710.1%20.5%
HighDeveloping
37.8/100
26.2%33.3%

Santa Paula Unified's high schools average 37.8/100 — 5.9 points below the state average.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
37.0
avg score · 7 schools
McKevett Elementary
Developing
46/100
Grace Thille Elementary
Developing
45/100
Glen City Elementary
Developing
41/100
+4 more elementary schools
High
37.8
avg score · 2 schools
Santa Paula High
Developing
49/100
Renaissance High
Needs Support
26/100

District Analysis

Santa Paula Unified has 9 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 37.2/100 — 7.7 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Santa Paula Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 37.8.

District-wide elementary growth averages -0.7pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — growth is essentially flat.

Score range of 27.6 points — showing notable variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 23.4%, 5.4pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 3.7%, above the state average of 1.6%.

Santa Paula High leads the district at 49 with 11.1% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Santa Paula Unified

2 On the Rise1 Growth Engine6 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 3 schools in Santa Paula Unified are classified as On the Rise (2) 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
94.3%
White
4.3%
Asian
0.3%
Black
0.3%
Other
0.8%
Free/Reduced Lunch
86%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Santa Paula Unified spends $15,290 per student in current expenditures — $476 above the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$15,290
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
5,081
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 19.4%
$12,803 → $15,290
Spending Efficiency
2.43
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 63%Support 34%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
$64,531–$111,310
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
467
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Santa Paula Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (7)

Santa Paula Unified has 7 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 37.0 — 7.8 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth is essentially flat at -0.7pp.

The highest-scoring elementary school is McKevett Elementary with a Scope Score of 46 and 18.2% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1McKevett Elementary
Santa Paula Unified Building Momentum
18.2%Developing
46/100
2Grace Thille Elementary
Santa Paula Unified Growth Engine
13.5%Developing
45/100
3Glen City Elementary
Santa Paula Unified On the Rise
10.9%Developing
41/100
4Barbara Webster Elementary
Santa Paula Unified On the Rise
11.9%Developing
39/100
5Thelma Bedell Elementary
Santa Paula Unified Building Momentum
9.0%Developing
37/100
6Blanchard Elementary
Santa Paula Unified Building Momentum
4.1%Needs Support
28/100
7Santa Paula Unified School District Independent St
Santa Paula Unified Building Momentum
3.1%Needs Support
22/100

High Schools (2)

Santa Paula Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 37.8 — 5.9 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is Santa Paula High with a Scope Score of 49 and 11.1% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Santa Paula High
Santa Paula Unified Building Momentum
11.1%Developing
49/100
2Renaissance High
Santa Paula Unified Building Momentum
1.4%Needs Support
26/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 9 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 Santa Paula 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 Santa Paula Unified a good school district?
Santa Paula Unified has 9 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 37.2/100, which is 7.7 points below the state average. 9.3% 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 Santa Paula Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Santa Paula Unified is Santa Paula High with a Scope Score of 49/100 and 11.1% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Santa Paula Unified spend per student?
Santa Paula Unified spends $15,290 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 Santa Paula Unified?
Teacher salaries in Santa Paula Unified range from $64,531–$111,310 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.