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Sonoma Valley Unified: Sonoma Valley Unified elementary schools lead at 38.6. A 42.4-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.

Below Average2024–25 data9 schools · avg 36.7/100

Sonoma Valley Unified has 9 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 36.7/100 — 8.2 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Woodland Star Charter at 61/100, where 24.4% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $18,599 per student (above the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 22.9%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
36.7
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
42.4
18.7 – 61.0
Avg Exceeded %
10.5%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
22.9%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
9
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
2
of 9 ranked
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
38.6/100
613.4%19.2%
MiddleNeeds Support
28.6/100
12.8%16.1%
HighDeveloping
34.9/100
25.8%37.1%

Sonoma Valley Unified's elementary schools average 38.6/100 — 6.2 points below the state average.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
38.6
avg score · 6 schools
Sonoma Charter
Developing
44/100
Prestwood Elementary
Developing
34/100
+3 more elementary schools
Middle
28.6
avg score · 1 school
Altimira Middle
Needs Support
29/100
High
34.9
avg score · 2 schools
Creekside High
Needs Support
19/100

District Analysis

Sonoma Valley Unified has 9 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 36.7/100 — 8.2 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Sonoma Valley Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 38.6.

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

Score range of 42.4 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 22.9%, 4.9pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 3.0%, near the state average of 1.6%.

Woodland Star Charter leads the district at 61 with 24.4% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Sonoma Valley Unified

2 On the Rise1 Growth Engine6 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 3 schools in Sonoma Valley 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
62.6%
White
31.6%
Asian
1.2%
Black
1.0%
Other
3.5%
Free/Reduced Lunch
40%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Sonoma Valley Unified spends $18,599 per student in current expenditures — $3,784 above the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$18,599
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
3,503
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 41.8%
$13,115 → $18,599
Spending Efficiency
1.97
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 58%Support 39%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
$62,020–$110,107
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
176
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Sonoma Valley Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (6)

Sonoma Valley Unified has 6 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 38.6 — 6.2 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth is essentially flat at -0.7pp.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Woodland Star Charter with a Scope Score of 61 and 24.4% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Woodland Star Charter
Sonoma Valley Unified Growth Engine
24.4%Solid
61/100
2Sonoma Charter
Sonoma Valley Unified On the Rise
19.7%Developing
44/100
3Prestwood Elementary
Sonoma Valley Unified Building Momentum
13.1%Developing
34/100
4Flowery Elementary
Sonoma Valley Unified Building Momentum
8.9%Developing
32/100
5Sassarini Elementary
Sonoma Valley Unified Building Momentum
7.6%Developing
30/100
6El Verano Elementary
Sonoma Valley Unified On the Rise
6.5%Developing
30/100

Middle Schools (1)

Sonoma Valley Unified has 1 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 28.6 — 14.1 points below the state average of 42.6.

Growth is essentially flat at -0.1pp.

The highest-scoring middle school is Altimira Middle with a Scope Score of 29 and 2.8% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Altimira Middle
Sonoma Valley Unified Building Momentum
2.8%Needs Support
29/100

High Schools (2)

Sonoma Valley Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 34.9 — 8.9 points below the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is Sonoma Valley High with a Scope Score of 51 and 11.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Sonoma Valley High
Sonoma Valley Unified Building Momentum
11.6%Solid
51/100
2Creekside High
Sonoma Valley Unified Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
19/100
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 Sonoma Valley 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 Sonoma Valley Unified a good school district?
Sonoma Valley Unified has 9 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 36.7/100, which is 8.2 points below the state average. 10.5% 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 Sonoma Valley Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Sonoma Valley Unified is Woodland Star Charter with a Scope Score of 61/100 and 24.4% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Sonoma Valley Unified spend per student?
Sonoma Valley Unified spends $18,599 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 Sonoma Valley Unified?
Teacher salaries in Sonoma Valley Unified range from $62,020–$110,107 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.