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Sunnyvale: Sunnyvale elementary schools lead at 54.5. A 55.8-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.

Above Average2024–25 data10 schools · avg 54.1/100

Sunnyvale has 10 ranked schools across elementary and middle levels with an average Scope Score of 54.1/100 — 9.2 points above the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Cherry Chase Elementary at 88/100, where 68.8% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $17,765 per student (above the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 9.7%, below the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
54.1
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
55.8
32.5 – 88.3
Avg Exceeded %
31.6%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
9.7%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
10
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementarySolid
54.5/100
832.4%9.9%
MiddleSolid
52.4/100
228.4%9.1%

Sunnyvale's elementary schools average 54.5/100 — 9.7 points above the state average.

K–12 pipeline

The typical school path in Sunnyvale, top-scoring shown first.

Elementary
54.5
avg score · 8 schools
+5 more elementary schools
Middle
52.4
avg score · 2 schools
Sunnyvale Middle
Solid
63/100
Columbia Middle
Developing
42/100

District Analysis

Sunnyvale has 10 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 54.1/100 — 9.2 points above the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Sunnyvale's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 54.5.

District-wide elementary growth averages +0.4pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — schools are making incremental gains.

Score range of 55.8 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 9.7%, 8.2pp below the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 1.7%, near the state average of 1.6%.

Cherry Chase Elementary leads the district at 88 with 68.8% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Sunnyvale

2 High Ceiling1 Growth Engine1 On the Rise1 Culture First5 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 2 schools in Sunnyvale are classified as Growth Engine or On the Rise — 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
44.1%
White
16.6%
Asian
23.5%
Black
1.4%
Other
14.3%
Free/Reduced Lunch
25%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Sunnyvale spends $17,765 per student in current expenditures — $2,950 above the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$17,765
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
5,950
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 30.9%
$13,572 → $17,765
Spending Efficiency
3.04
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 62%Support 36%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
$80,296–$150,834
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
380
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Sunnyvale

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (8)

Sunnyvale has 8 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 54.5 — 9.7 points above the state average of 44.8. 2 of 8 elementary schools score above 70.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +0.4pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Cherry Chase Elementary with a Scope Score of 88 and 68.8% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Cherry Chase Elementary
Sunnyvale High Ceiling
68.8%Strong
88/100
2Cumberland Elementary
Sunnyvale High Ceiling
57.5%Strong
77/100
3Fairwood Elementary
Sunnyvale Growth Engine
35.0%Solid
58/100
4Ellis Elementary
Sunnyvale Building Momentum
32.1%Solid
50/100
5Bishop Elementary
Sunnyvale Building Momentum
17.8%Developing
47/100
6San Miguel Elementary
Sunnyvale Building Momentum
19.0%Developing
44/100
7Lakewood Elementary
Sunnyvale On the Rise
17.6%Developing
40/100
8Vargas Elementary
Sunnyvale Culture First
11.7%Developing
32/100

Middle Schools (2)

Sunnyvale has 2 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 52.4 — 9.8 points above the state average of 42.6.

Growth is essentially flat at -0.3pp.

The highest-scoring middle school is Sunnyvale Middle with a Scope Score of 63 and 42.9% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Sunnyvale Middle
Sunnyvale Building Momentum
42.9%Solid
63/100
2Columbia Middle
Sunnyvale Building Momentum
13.8%Developing
42/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 10 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 Sunnyvale

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 Sunnyvale a good school district?
Sunnyvale has 10 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 54.1/100, which is 9.2 points above the state average. 31.6% 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 Sunnyvale?
The highest-scoring school in Sunnyvale is Cherry Chase Elementary with a Scope Score of 88/100 and 68.8% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Sunnyvale spend per student?
Sunnyvale spends $17,765 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 Sunnyvale?
Teacher salaries in Sunnyvale range from $80,296–$150,834 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.