ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in

Torrance Unified: Torrance Unified elementary schools lead at 62.6. A 70.8-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.

Above Average2024–25 data30 schools · avg 61.3/100

Torrance Unified has 30 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 61.3/100 — 16.5 points above the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Walteria Elementary at 82/100, where 57.6% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $11,441 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 5 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 11.1%, below the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
61.3
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
70.8
11.2 – 82.1
Avg Exceeded %
36.8%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
11.1%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
30
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementarySolid
62.6/100
1739.1%9.1%
MiddleSolid
61.9/100
835.5%9.0%
HighSolid
56.2/100
531.0%21.3%

Torrance Unified's elementary schools average 62.6/100 — 17.7 points above the state average.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
62.6
avg score · 17 schools
Anza Elementary
Strong
80/100
Towers Elementary
Strong
75/100
+14 more elementary schools
Middle
61.9
avg score · 8 schools
Calle Mayor Middle
Strong
74/100
Jefferson Middle
Solid
67/100
+5 more middle schools
High
56.2
avg score · 5 schools
West High
Solid
69/100
North High
Solid
67/100
South High
Solid
67/100
+2 more high schools

District Analysis

Torrance Unified has 30 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 61.3/100 — 16.5 points above the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Torrance Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 62.6.

District-wide elementary growth averages +1.3pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — schools are making incremental gains.

Score range of 70.8 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 11.1%, 6.8pp below the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 1.3%, near the state average of 1.6%.

Walteria Elementary leads the district at 82 with 57.6% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Torrance Unified

7 Strong All-Around5 Growth Engine3 Solid Base2 High Ceiling11 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 5 schools in Torrance Unified are classified as Growth Engine (5) — 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
37.4%
White
19.3%
Asian
24.3%
Black
4.3%
Other
14.8%
Free/Reduced Lunch
36%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Torrance Unified spends $11,441 per student in current expenditures — $3,374 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$11,441
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
22,490
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 9.6%
$10,442 → $11,441
Spending Efficiency
5.36
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 66%Support 32%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
$62,009–$122,300
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
1,024
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Torrance Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (17)

Torrance Unified has 17 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 62.6 — 17.7 points above the state average of 44.8. 4 of 17 elementary schools score above 70.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +1.3pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Walteria Elementary with a Scope Score of 82 and 57.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Walteria Elementary
Torrance Unified High Ceiling
57.6%Strong
82/100
2Anza Elementary
Torrance Unified High Ceiling
51.8%Strong
80/100
3Towers Elementary
Torrance Unified Growth Engine
46.4%Strong
75/100
4Riviera Elementary
Torrance Unified Strong All-Around
49.4%Strong
74/100
5Arlington Elementary
Torrance Unified Strong All-Around
43.4%Solid
69/100
6Hickory Elementary
Torrance Unified Building Momentum
46.2%Solid
66/100
7Lincoln Elementary
Torrance Unified Solid Base
47.0%Solid
64/100
8Joseph Arnold Elementary
Torrance Unified Growth Engine
38.6%Solid
63/100
9Victor Elementary
Torrance Unified Solid Base
38.2%Solid
59/100
10Seaside Elementary
Torrance Unified Solid Base
48.0%Solid
59/100
11Evelyn Carr Elementary
Torrance Unified Building Momentum
27.3%Solid
59/100
12Fern Elementary
Torrance Unified Building Momentum
32.1%Solid
59/100
13Howard Wood Elementary
Torrance Unified Growth Engine
29.6%Solid
53/100
14Edison Elementary
Torrance Unified Culture First
27.5%Solid
53/100
15John Adams Elementary
Torrance Unified Building Momentum
30.1%Solid
52/100
16Torrance Elementary
Torrance Unified Building Momentum
22.9%Developing
49/100
17Yukon Elementary
Torrance Unified Growth Engine
28.1%Developing
48/100

Middle Schools (8)

Torrance Unified has 8 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 61.9 — 19.2 points above the state average of 42.6. 2 of 8 middle schools score above 70.

Growth averages -3.6pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring middle school is Edward J. Richardson Middle with a Scope Score of 75 and 46.8% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Edward J. Richardson Middle
Torrance Unified Growth Engine
46.8%Strong
75/100
2Calle Mayor Middle
Torrance Unified Building Momentum
49.7%Strong
74/100
3Jefferson Middle
Torrance Unified Strong All-Around
39.6%Solid
67/100
4Bert M. Lynn Middle
Torrance Unified Building Momentum
41.6%Solid
66/100
5Madrona Middle
Torrance Unified Building Momentum
29.4%Solid
61/100
6Casimir Middle
Torrance Unified Culture First
32.5%Solid
57/100
7Philip Magruder Middle
Torrance Unified Building Momentum
23.9%Solid
51/100
8J. H. Hull Middle
Torrance Unified Building Momentum
20.4%Developing
45/100

High Schools (5)

Torrance Unified has 5 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 56.2 — 12.5 points above the state average of 43.7.

The highest-scoring high school is West High with a Scope Score of 69 and 41.0% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1West High
Torrance Unified Strong All-Around
41.0%Solid
69/100
2North High
Torrance Unified Strong All-Around
39.5%Solid
67/100
3South High
Torrance Unified Strong All-Around
39.1%Solid
67/100
4Torrance High
Torrance Unified Strong All-Around
35.7%Solid
67/100
5Shery (Kurt T.) High (Continuation)
Torrance Unified Building Momentum
0.0%Needs Support
11/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 30 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 Torrance 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 Torrance Unified a good school district?
Torrance Unified has 30 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 61.3/100, which is 16.5 points above the state average. 36.8% 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 Torrance Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Torrance Unified is Walteria Elementary with a Scope Score of 82/100 and 57.6% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Torrance Unified spend per student?
Torrance Unified spends $11,441 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 Torrance Unified?
Teacher salaries in Torrance Unified range from $62,009–$122,300 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.