Saugus Union runs schools through 6th grade. Its 14 public elementary schools run from the 53rd to the 93rd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). Middle and high school are run by another district; confirm the school for your address with the district.
K6Elementary
712Middle and high
Saugus Union · grades K–6
Another district · grades 7–12
Elementary · 14 schools
from 53rd to 93rd · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
West Creek Academy: 93rd percentile, Strong
Tesoro del Valle Elementary: 91st percentile, Strong
Plum Canyon Elementary: 90th percentile, Strong
Emblem Academy: 88th percentile, Strong
Charles Helmers Elementary: 87th percentile, Strong
The average elementary school in Saugus Union had 5 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.
The district
Where does Saugus Union’s money go, and what does it plan?
Saugus Union spent $15,563 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 65 cents of every Saugus Union 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
Instruction65%
Instruction support7%
Student services9%
Administration10%
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
$128.3 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 31 funded actions in 5 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, 118 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 87% of the money. The plan itself puts 95% of it toward staff.
Recruit/Maintain Highly Qualified Certificated Employees $71.8 million
Recruit/Maintain Highly Qualified Classified Employees $29.3 million
Facilities, Health/Safety Needs, and Grounds Maintenance $10.3 million
28 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
6 of the plan’s 31 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name reading, math or English learners
Reading $0.4 million
Math $0.7 million
English learners $4.1 million
Largest of these
Dual Language Immersion Program (DLI)$4.0 million
Mathematics TOSA$672,538
English Language Arts TOSA$413,775
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 $7.8 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth.
What changed
The total is $6.1 million (5%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Recruit/Maintain Highly Qualified Certificated Employees, which went from $67.5 million to $71.8 million.
Largest cuts
Facilities, Health/Safety Needs, and Grounds Maintenance−$2.0 million
Professional Learning Communities (PLC)−$453,306
Largest increases
Recruit/Maintain Highly Qualified Certificated Employees+$4.4 million
Dual Language Immersion Program (DLI)+$2.2 million
Provide Standards-based Instructional Materials+$1.9 million
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 2024–25Goals 1 and 2
69%
67%
down 2 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 2
64%
63%
down 1 pt
Goals 3, 4 and 5 aren’t shown because they track other measures.
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.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
small actions drawn together
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1Achievement Gap - Implement instructional programs and services that allow all students to achieve while…$5.2 million4% of action budgets
“Achievement Gap - Implement instructional programs and services that allow all students to achieve while closing the Achievement Gap in the core academic areas – English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, Science, Social Science” p. 10 ↗
7 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $5.9 million (−$624,728)
Largest funded actions
Professional Learning Communities (PLC)$2.4 millionaction 1.4 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2.1 million is state funding counted toward those services
Technology Access$1.0 millionaction 1.7 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Mathematics TOSA$0.7 millionaction 1.2 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $314,836 is state funding counted toward those services
English Language Arts TOSA$0.4 millionaction 1.1 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $302,469 is state funding counted toward those services
Site Staff Supports for Unduplicated Pupils$0.3 millionaction 1.6 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
2 more funded actions in this goal
Assessment System · action 1.3 · p. 73 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $202,952 is state funding counted toward those services$0.3 million
Site Resources to Enhance Unduplicated Pupil Learning · action 1.5 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Professional Learning Communities (PLC)−$0.5 million$2.9 million → $2.4 million · p. 74 ↗
Mathematics TOSA+$334,223$338,315 → $672,538 · p. 73 ↗
Assessment System−$65,551$326,942 → $261,391 · p. 73 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Technology Access · $1.0 million → $1.0 million · p. 74 ↗unchanged
English Language Arts TOSA · $358,268 → $413,775 · p. 73 ↗+$55,507
Site Staff Supports for Unduplicated Pupils · $271,130 → $276,264 · p. 74 ↗+$5,134
Site Resources to Enhance Unduplicated Pupil Learning · $135,371 → $123,736 · p. 74 ↗−$11,635
How the plan measures it · 1 measure
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 10 ↗.
Goal 2English Learner Academic Needs - Provide instructional opportunities necessary to ensure English Learner…$4.3 million3% of action budgets
“English Learner Academic Needs - Provide instructional opportunities necessary to ensure English Learner academic achievement and their appropriate acquisition of English” p. 21 ↗
5 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $2.1 million (+$2.2 million)
Largest funded actions
Dual Language Immersion Program (DLI)$4.0 millionaction 2.1 · p. 74 ↗
Program Development & Monitoring$0.2 millionaction 2.4 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
PD related to EL students & ELDunder $0.1 millionaction 2.5 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $18,074 is state funding counted toward those services
English Learner Acquisitionunder $0.1 millionaction 2.3 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Site English Learner Coordinatorsunder $0.1 millionaction 2.2 · p. 74 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Dual Language Immersion Program (DLI)+$2.2 million$1.8 million → $4.0 million · p. 74 ↗
PD related to EL students & ELD−$38,662$68,437 → $29,775 · p. 74 ↗
English Learner Acquisition−$35,983$45,983 → $10,000 · p. 74 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Program Development & Monitoring · $243,066 → $246,163 · p. 74 ↗+$3,097
Site English Learner Coordinators · $9,306 → $9,333 · p. 74 ↗+$27
How the plan measures it · 1 measure
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 21 ↗.
Goal 3Student Engagement & Wellness - Create school environments that are responsive to student and stakeholder…$4.3 million3% of action budgets
“Student Engagement & Wellness - Create school environments that are responsive to student and stakeholder Social Emotional Learning (SEL) needs to increase their engagement and connectedness to learning and school” p. 28 ↗
5 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $4.1 million (+$215,446)
Largest funded actions
Mental Health & Social-Emotional Supports Activities$2.8 millionaction 3.5 · p. 75 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.3 million is state funding counted toward those services
Behavior Support Teams$0.6 millionaction 3.2 · p. 75 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Additional School Psychologists$0.5 millionaction 3.6 · p. 75 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
School Engagement and School Connectedness$0.4 millionaction 3.3 · p. 75 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
PBIS Professional Developmentunder $0.1 millionaction 3.4 · p. 75 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1,000 is state funding counted toward those services
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Mental Health & Social-Emotional Supports Activities+$0.4 million$2.4 million → $2.8 million · p. 75 ↗
Behavior Support Teams−$130,028$742,632 → $612,604 · p. 75 ↗
PBIS Professional Development−$32,201$40,916 → $8,715 · p. 75 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Additional School Psychologists · $504,557 → $496,626 · p. 75 ↗−$7,931
School Engagement and School Connectedness · $411,941 → $411,723 · p. 75 ↗−$218
How the plan measures it · 1 measure
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 28 ↗.
Goal 4Educational Partner/Family Engagement & Core Services - Engage educational partners (families) in the school…$114.4 million89% of action budgets
“Educational Partner/Family Engagement & Core Services - Engage educational partners (families) in the school community and decision making process to create a core instructional program appropriate for the Basic Conditions of Learning necessary for all students” p. 36 ↗
12 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $110.1 million (+$4.4 million)
Facilities, Health/Safety Needs, and Grounds Maintenance$10.3 millionaction 4.7 · p. 76 ↗
Provide Standards-based Instructional Materials$1.9 millionaction 4.3 · p. 75 ↗
Family and Community Liaisons$0.4 millionaction 4.5 · p. 76 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
7 more funded actions in this goal
Library Media Specialists · action 4.10 · p. 76 ↗$0.3 million
Translation Services · action 4.11 · p. 76 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $96,371 is state funding counted toward those services$0.2 million
Provide Communications Tools · action 4.4 · p. 75 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
TIPS & PAR Support · action 4.9 · p. 76 ↗$0.1 million
Family Workshops & Training Sessions · action 4.8 · p. 76 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
GATE Support · action 4.12 · p. 76 ↗under $0.1 million
Special Education Services · action 4.6 · p. 76 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Recruit/Maintain Highly Qualified Certificated Employees+$4.4 million$67.5 million → $71.8 million · p. 75 ↗
Facilities, Health/Safety Needs, and Grounds Maintenance−$2.0 million$12.3 million → $10.3 million · p. 76 ↗
Provide Standards-based Instructional Materials+$1.9 millionunder $0.1 million → $1.9 million · p. 75 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Recruit/Maintain Highly Qualified Classified Employees · $29.0 million → $29.3 million · p. 75 ↗+$0.3 million
Family and Community Liaisons · $361,626 → $355,985 · p. 76 ↗−$5,641
Library Media Specialists · $312,931 → $332,730 · p. 76 ↗+$19,799
Translation Services · $220,570 → $224,676 · p. 76 ↗+$4,106
Provide Communications Tools · $202,053 → $73,214 · p. 75 ↗−$128,839
TIPS & PAR Support · $67,261 → $66,420 · p. 76 ↗−$841
Family Workshops & Training Sessions · $35,640 → $30,689 · p. 76 ↗−$4,951
GATE Support · $31,124 → $6,223 · p. 76 ↗−$24,901
Special Education Services · $6,204 → $5,852 · p. 76 ↗−$352
How the plan measures it · 1 measure
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 36 ↗.
Goal 5Diversity and Understanding- Provide opportunities for staff and students to see themselves represented in…$2,689under 1% of action budgets
“Diversity and Understanding- Provide opportunities for staff and students to see themselves represented in our schools, understand the contributions all people make to our world, and respect those differences when learning in school” p. 43 ↗
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, 9,191 students
1Hispanic or Latino39%
2White33%
3Asian9%
4Two or more races8%
5Filipino6%
6Black or African American3%
7Not reported<1%
8American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
9Pacific Islander<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools. Rounded labels may not total 100%; segments use the original shares.
Free or reduced-price meals
35%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 3,234 of 9,189 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?
Saugus Union 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, 49% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (174 of 355 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
Which public schools in Saugus Union rank highest?
Elementary: West Creek Academy, 93rd percentile (Strong). Each percentile is among the California elementary schools we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
Does living in the Saugus Union 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 Saugus Union good?
Saugus Union’s 14 public elementary schools run from the 53rd to the 93rd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 9 Strong and 5 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 Saugus Union compare with California?
The average elementary school in Saugus Union had 5 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 Saugus Union spend per student?
Saugus Union spent $15,563 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 65 cents of every Saugus Union 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 Saugus Union’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $128.3 million into 31 funded actions in 5 goals. Its largest goal holds $114.4 million, 89% 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 Saugus Union, 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.