Sonoma Valley Unified’s 5 public elementary schools run from the 10th to the 64th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). They sit in three of the four bands: Solid, Developing and Needs Support.
Elementary · 5 schools
from 10th to 64th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Woodland Star Charter: 64th percentile, Solid
Sonoma Charter: 40th percentile, Developing
El Verano Elementary: 27th percentile, Developing
Flowery Elementary: 20th percentile, Needs Support
Sassarini Elementary: 10th percentile, Needs Support
2Needs Support
2Developing
1Solid
0Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school.
Middle and high school pictures
Middle · 3 schools
from 16th to 82nd · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Woodland Star Charter: 82nd percentile, Strong
Sonoma Charter: 48th percentile, Developing
Altimira Middle: 16th percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
1Developing
0Solid
1Strong
High · 1 school
at 35th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests
Sonoma Valley High: 35th percentile, Developing
0Needs Support
1Developing
0Solid
0Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 2 of the 7 ranked schools teach two levels, so they appear in more than one picture.
The average elementary school in Sonoma Valley Unified had 18 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.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in Sonoma Valley Unified score highest?
Woodland Star Charter is highest, at the 82nd percentile.
That’s higher than 82 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in Sonoma Valley Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
The average middle school in Sonoma Valley Unified had 19 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
High schools
Where does the high school we score in Sonoma Valley Unified stand?
Sonoma Valley High is at the 35th percentile.
That’s higher than 35 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). It’s the only public high school we score in Sonoma Valley Unified.
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
Creekside HighContinuation high school: compared only with other continuation schools
The district
Where does Sonoma Valley Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Sonoma Valley Unified spent $26,001 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 58 cents of every Sonoma Valley Unified 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
Instruction58%
Instruction support11%
Student services12%
Administration9%
Buildings & maintenance10%
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
$41.3 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 37 funded actions in 5 goals. That’s 56% of its $73.6 million general fund budget. 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, 138 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 84% of the money. The plan itself puts 93% of it toward staff.
Attract and Retain Highly Qualified Staff $30.8 million
Expanded/Summer Learning $2.2 million
Transportation $1.7 million
34 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
2 of the plan’s 37 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name reading or English learners
Reading $346,658
English learners $5,000
Largest of these
Foundational Literacy Support (Elementary)$346,658
Professional Development English Language Development Pedagogy$5,000
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 $4.8 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $7.1 million and estimates it spent $8.9 million, $1.8 million (25%) more than planned (our arithmetic).
$8.9 million spent (estimated)$7.1 million planned
What changed
The total is $12.2 million (42%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Attract and Retain Highly Qualified Staff, which went from $16.2 million to $30.8 million.
Largest cuts
Targeted Instruction−$1.7 million
Innovative Library Media Centers−$453,584
Foundational Literacy Support (Elementary)−$422,973
Largest increases
Attract and Retain Highly Qualified Staff+$14.6 million
School Counselors+$243,058
Core Academic Instruction for ALL+$225,883
New in the 2026–27 plan
High School Graduation Plans for College Career Readiness$253,188
Ask: What did Targeted Instruction pay for, and what changes now that the 2026–27 plan gives it $1.7 million less?
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 2024–25Goal 2 · Academic Success and Excellence for ALL
37%
34%
down 3 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 2 · Academic Success and Excellence for ALL
20%
20%
no change
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 1 · Engagement, Connection/Belonging and Wellness
18 in 100
19 in 100
1 more in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 1 · Engagement, Connection/Belonging and Wellness
2.9%
2.9%
no change
Goal 5 tracks named schools and Goals 3 and 4 track other measures, so they aren’t shown here.
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.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Attract and Retain Highly Qualified Staff · $30,768,957
Expanded/Summer Learning · $2,169,471
Transportation · $1,737,962
The full plan5 goals, 42 measures and where the money goes
We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($41.3 million).
Where does the money go?
76% to Goal 3, Highly Qualified Educators and Staff. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1Engagement, Connection/Belonging and Wellness$4.4 million11% of action budgets
“Create safe, engaging, culturally responsive learning environments to promote a positive school culture and climate where all students feel welcome, included and that they belong” p. 19 ↗
12 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $4.1 million (+$312,530)
Largest funded actions
Transportation$1.7 millionaction 1.13 · p. 93 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
School Counselors$0.9 millionaction 1.11 · p. 93 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Mental Health Support and Resources$0.5 millionaction 1.1 · p. 92 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Broaden Elective Offerings$0.4 millionaction 1.14 · p. 93 ↗
Supports for Newcomer/Immigrant Students, Youth in Foster Care, Youth on Probation, and Students Experiencing Homelessness$0.4 millionaction 1.7 · p. 92 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
7 more funded actions in this goal
School Nursing Teams · action 1.12 · p. 93 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $136,306 is state funding counted toward those services$0.3 million
Attendance Support · action 1.3 · p. 92 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Social Emotional Support and Resources · action 1.2 · p. 92 ↗under $0.1 million
Implement Strategic Scheduling Practices to Open Access to Acceleration and Enrichment Opportunities for all Students · action 1.8 · p. 92 ↗under $0.1 million
Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) · action 1.5 · p. 92 ↗under $0.1 million
Create Inclusive and Welcoming Spaces · action 1.6 · p. 92 ↗under $0.1 million
Lift Student Leadership and Voice · action 1.10 · p. 92 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Supports for Newcomer/Immigrant Students, Youth in Foster Care, Youth on Probation, and Students Experiencing Homelessness−$260,257$654,247 → $393,990 · p. 92 ↗
School Counselors+$243,058$654,247 → $897,305 · p. 93 ↗
Broaden Elective Offerings+$211,265$218,005 → $429,270 · p. 93 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Transportation · $1.5 million → $1.7 million · p. 93 ↗+$0.2 million
Mental Health Support and Resources · $496,971 → $461,114 · p. 92 ↗−$35,857
School Nursing Teams · $322,904 → $297,822 · p. 93 ↗−$25,082
Attendance Support · $156,486 → $124,920 · p. 92 ↗−$31,566
Social Emotional Support and Resources · $3,000 → $6,000 · p. 92 ↗+$3,000
Implement Strategic Scheduling Practices to Open Access to Acceleration and Enrichment Opportunities for all Students · $6,000 → $6,000 · p. 92 ↗unchanged
Facilities in "Good" Repair as measured by the Facilities Inspection Tool (FIT)p. 22 ↗
Baseline
100% of facilities are in good repair
Target for year 3
Maintain 100%
Access to Standards - Aligned Instructional Materialsp. 23 ↗
Baseline
100% of students have access to instructional materials (per Williams)
Target for year 3
Maintain 100%
7 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 2Academic Success and Excellence for ALL$5.1 million12% of action budgets
“Provide all students with access to high quality, relevant, innovative and rigorous learning experience with universal, targeted, and intensive support based on their strengths to prepare them for college and career readiness with a specialized focus on closing the achievement gap for our Multilingual Learners and Students with Disabilities” p. 36 ↗
10 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $7.0 million (−$1.9 million)
Largest funded actions
Expanded/Summer Learning$2.2 millionaction 2.10 · p. 93 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Transitional Kindergarten$0.8 millionaction 2.13 · p. 94 ↗
Core Academic Instruction for ALL$0.5 millionaction 2.4 · p. 93 ↗
Support for Multilingual Learners$0.4 millionaction 2.5 · p. 93 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Foundational Literacy Support (Elementary)$0.3 millionaction 2.3 · p. 93 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
5 more funded actions in this goal
Targeted Instruction · action 2.6 · p. 93 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $220,000 is state funding counted toward those services$0.3 million
Develop a Culture of Data use Utilizing a Continuum of Assessment · action 2.1 · p. 93 ↗$0.3 million
High School Graduation Plans for College Career Readiness · action 2.12 · p. 94 ↗$0.3 million
AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) · action 2.15 · p. 94 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Instructional Guide and Clear Learning Goals for all Courses · action 2.2 · p. 93 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Targeted Instruction−$1.7 million$2.0 million → $0.3 million · p. 93 ↗
Foundational Literacy Support (Elementary)−$422,973$769,631 → $346,658 · p. 93 ↗
Support for Multilingual Learners−$244,946$659,603 → $414,657 · p. 93 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Expanded/Summer Learning · $2.1 million → $2.2 million · p. 93 ↗+$0.1 million
Transitional Kindergarten · $857,884 → $831,653 · p. 94 ↗−$26,231
Core Academic Instruction for ALL · $290,262 → $516,145 · p. 93 ↗+$225,883
Develop a Culture of Data use Utilizing a Continuum of Assessment · $220,358 → $272,360 · p. 93 ↗+$52,002
High School Graduation Plans for College Career Readiness · $253,188 · p. 94 ↗new or renamed
AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) · $15,552 → $20,000 · p. 94 ↗+$4,448
Instructional Guide and Clear Learning Goals for all Courses · $35,000 → $7,320 · p. 93 ↗−$27,680
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 17 measures · 3 quoted
STAR Reading % At or Near Expectations (40% percentile)p. 39 ↗
Baseline
2023-2024 ALL 35% - …
Target for year 3
ALL 65% …
STAR Math % At or Near Expectations (40% percentile)p. 40 ↗
Goal 3Highly Qualified Educators and Staff$31.3 million76% of action budgets
“Cultivate a culture of professional learning to develop and retain highly qualified staff in order to facilitate innovative, inclusive and culturally relevant learning experiences to each and every student” p. 53 ↗
8 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $17.6 million (+$13.8 million)
Largest funded actions
Attract and Retain Highly Qualified Staff$30.8 millionaction 3.1 · p. 94 ↗
Innovative Library Media Centers$0.3 millionaction 3.13 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Teacher Leadership and Collaboration$0.2 millionaction 3.3 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
District-wide Professional Learning$0.1 millionaction 3.4 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
New Teacher and Staff Supportunder $0.1 millionaction 3.2 · p. 94 ↗
3 more funded actions in this goal
Professional Development English Language Development Pedagogy · action 3.9 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Inclusive Education Practices · action 3.10 · p. 95 ↗under $0.1 million
Ongoing Training with Instructional Assistants · action 3.5 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Attract and Retain Highly Qualified Staff+$14.6 million$16.2 million → $30.8 million · p. 94 ↗
Innovative Library Media Centers−$453,584$723,080 → $269,496 · p. 95 ↗
District-wide Professional Learning−$205,240$282,240 → $77,000 · p. 95 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Teacher Leadership and Collaboration · $281,315 → $214,720 · p. 95 ↗−$66,595
New Teacher and Staff Support · $5,000 → $5,000 · p. 94 ↗unchanged
Professional Development English Language Development Pedagogy · $9,000 → $5,000 · p. 95 ↗−$4,000
25% Families completed the 2024 Youth Truth Survey
Target for year 3
40% Families completed the 2024 Youth Truth Survey
5 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 5 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalCreekside will increase student outcomes by improving student achievement, engagement and overall school…$20,000under 1% of action budgets
“Creekside will increase student outcomes by improving student achievement, engagement and overall school climate for all students, including students identified as Hispanic and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged. NOTE: CREEKSIDE NO LONGER IS ELIGIBLE FOR EQUITY MULTIPLIER FUNDING; THEREFORE THIS GOAL WILL BE DISCOUNTED FOR THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR. AS THERE ARE REMAINING EQUITY MULTIPLIER FUNDS, FUNDS WILL BE SPENT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE 25/26 IDENTIFIED ACTIONS, PER COMMUNITY INPUT” p. 73 ↗
1 funded action · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Social Emotional Support$20,000action 5.1 · p. 96 ↗
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Social Emotional Support−$19,600$39,600 → $20,000 · p. 96 ↗
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, 3,519 students
1Hispanic or Latino64%
2White31%
3Two or more races2%
4Asian1%
5Black or African American<1%
6Not reported<1%
7Filipino<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
37%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 1,291 of 3,485 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?
The state is giving Sonoma Valley Unified extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 44% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (241 of 548 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 Sonoma Valley Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Woodland Star Charter, 64th percentile (Solid). Middle: Woodland Star Charter, 82nd percentile (Strong). High: Sonoma Valley High, 35th percentile (Developing). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
Does living in the Sonoma Valley Unified 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 Sonoma Valley Unified good?
Sonoma Valley Unified’s 5 public elementary schools run from the 10th to the 64th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Solid, 2 Developing and 2 Needs Support. Sonoma Valley Unified’s 3 public middle schools run from the 16th to the 82nd percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 1 Developing and 1 Needs Support. Sonoma Valley Unified has one public high school we score, Sonoma Valley High, at the 35th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 1 Developing. 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 Sonoma Valley Unified compare with California?
The average elementary school in Sonoma Valley Unified had 18 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 average middle school in Sonoma Valley Unified had 19 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does Sonoma Valley Unified spend per student?
Sonoma Valley Unified spent $26,001 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 58 cents of every Sonoma Valley Unified 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 Sonoma Valley Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $41.3 million into 37 funded actions in 5 goals, 56% of its $73.6 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $31.3 million, 76% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, 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 Sonoma Valley Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.