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Tustin Unified: Tustin Unified elementary schools lead at 61.4. A 61.8-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.

Above Average2024–25 data28 schools · avg 58.7/100

Tustin Unified has 28 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 58.7/100 — 13.9 points above the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Orchard Hills at 88/100, where 65.2% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $12,042 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 6 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 13.0%, below the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
58.7
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
61.8
26.0 – 87.8
Avg Exceeded %
32.5%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
13.0%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
28
With Scope Scores
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementarySolid
61.4/100
2035.7%10.7%
MiddleSolid
51.1/100
423.8%13.1%
HighSolid
53.0/100
425.4%24.3%

Tustin Unified's elementary schools average 61.4/100 — 16.5 points above the state average.

K–12 pipeline

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

Elementary
61.4
avg score · 20 schools
Orchard Hills
Strong
88/100
+17 more elementary schools
Middle
51.1
avg score · 4 schools
Pioneer Middle
Solid
67/100
Hewes Middle
Solid
51/100
Columbus Tustin Middle
Developing
44/100
+1 more middle schools
High
53.0
avg score · 4 schools
Foothill High
Solid
61/100
Tustin High
Solid
52/100
+1 more high schools

District Analysis

Tustin Unified has 28 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 58.7/100 — 13.9 points above the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: Tustin Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 61.4.

District-wide elementary growth averages +0.9pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — schools are making incremental gains.

Score range of 61.8 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 13.0%, 5.0pp below the state average of 17.9%.

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

Orchard Hills leads the district at 88 with 65.2% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in Tustin Unified

7 Strong All-Around6 Growth Engine5 High Ceiling3 Culture First5 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 8 schools in Tustin Unified are classified as Growth Engine (6) or On the Rise (2) — 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
50.4%
White
18.8%
Asian
19.5%
Black
1.3%
Other
10.1%
Free/Reduced Lunch
56%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

Tustin Unified spends $12,042 per student in current expenditures — $2,773 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$12,042
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
22,761
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 16.6%
$10,328 → $12,042
Spending Efficiency
4.87
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 66%Support 31%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
$63,595–$136,551
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
965
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in Tustin Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (20)

Tustin Unified has 20 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 61.4 — 16.5 points above the state average of 44.8. 9 of 20 elementary schools score above 70.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +0.9pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Orchard Hills with a Scope Score of 88 and 65.2% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Orchard Hills
Tustin Unified High Ceiling
65.2%Strong
88/100
2Tustin Memorial Elementary
Tustin Unified High Ceiling
60.7%Strong
85/100
3Peters Canyon Elementary
Tustin Unified High Ceiling
53.1%Strong
82/100
4Red Hill Elementary
Tustin Unified Growth Engine
44.8%Strong
81/100
5Ladera Elementary
Tustin Unified Strong All-Around
47.0%Strong
77/100
6Hicks Canyon Elementary
Tustin Unified High Ceiling
51.9%Strong
76/100
7Arroyo Elementary
Tustin Unified High Ceiling
53.0%Strong
72/100
8Legacy Magnet Academy
Tustin Unified Strong All-Around
45.2%Strong
71/100
9Heritage Elementary
Tustin Unified Strong All-Around
47.1%Strong
70/100
10Tustin Connect
Tustin Unified Strong All-Around
51.2%Solid
69/100
11Myford Elementary
Tustin Unified Strong All-Around
44.5%Solid
67/100
12Loma Vista Elementary
Tustin Unified Growth Engine
25.0%Solid
53/100
13Tustin Ranch Elementary
Tustin Unified Growth Engine
25.2%Solid
52/100
14Guin Foss Elementary
Tustin Unified Culture First
35.1%Developing
48/100
15Benjamin F. Beswick Elementary
Tustin Unified Growth Engine
12.1%Developing
47/100
16Barbara Benson Elementary
Tustin Unified Growth Engine
18.3%Developing
45/100
17Robert Heideman Elementary
Tustin Unified Building Momentum
11.1%Developing
39/100
18W. R. Nelson Elementary
Tustin Unified Culture First
12.1%Developing
37/100
19Sycamore Magnet Academy
Tustin Unified Building Momentum
5.7%Developing
34/100
20Helen Estock Elementary
Tustin Unified Building Momentum
6.4%Developing
34/100

Middle Schools (4)

Tustin Unified has 4 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 51.1 — 8.5 points above the state average of 42.6.

Grade-to-grade growth averages +3.3pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.

The highest-scoring middle school is Pioneer Middle with a Scope Score of 67 and 39.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Pioneer Middle
Tustin Unified Growth Engine
39.6%Solid
67/100
2Hewes Middle
Tustin Unified Culture First
27.0%Solid
51/100
3Columbus Tustin Middle
Tustin Unified On the Rise
16.4%Developing
44/100
4C. E. Utt Middle
Tustin Unified On the Rise
12.1%Developing
42/100

High Schools (4)

Tustin Unified has 4 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 53.0 — 9.3 points above the state average of 43.7. 1 of 4 high schools score above 70.

The highest-scoring high school is Arnold O. Beckman High with a Scope Score of 73 and 49.1% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Arnold O. Beckman High
Tustin Unified Strong All-Around
49.1%Strong
73/100
2Foothill High
Tustin Unified Strong All-Around
29.9%Solid
61/100
3Tustin High
Tustin Unified Building Momentum
19.8%Solid
52/100
4Hillview High (Continuation)
Tustin Unified Building Momentum
2.8%Needs Support
26/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 28 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 Tustin 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 Tustin Unified a good school district?
Tustin Unified has 28 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 58.7/100, which is 13.9 points above the state average. 32.5% 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 Tustin Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Tustin Unified is Orchard Hills with a Scope Score of 88/100 and 65.2% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Tustin Unified spend per student?
Tustin Unified spends $12,042 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 Tustin Unified?
Teacher salaries in Tustin Unified range from $63,595–$136,551 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.