Valley Center-Pauma Unified: Valley Center-Pauma Unified schools score 10.2 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 2.9 points.
Valley Center-Pauma Unified has 7 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 34.6/100 — 10.2 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Valley Center High at 49/100, where 11.1% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $12,715 per student (below the state average of $14,815). Chronic absenteeism averages 33.9%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Developing 37.0/100 | 4 | 11.5% | 31.2% |
| Middle | Needs Support 25.4/100 | 1 | 5.4% | 27.8% |
| High | Developing 34.5/100 | 2 | 5.5% | 42.2% |
Valley Center-Pauma Unified's elementary schools average 37.0/100 — 7.8 points below the state average with a −2.9pp declining trajectory.
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Valley Center-Pauma Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Valley Center-Pauma Unified has 7 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 34.6/100 — 10.2 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Strongest level: Valley Center-Pauma Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 37.0.
District-wide elementary growth averages -2.9pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.
Score range of 29.4 points — showing notable variation between schools.
District chronic absenteeism averages 33.9%, 16.0pp above the state average of 17.9%.
District suspension rate averages 3.9%, above the state average of 1.6%.
Valley Center High leads the district at 49 with 11.1% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Valley Center-Pauma Unified
Hidden gems: 1 school in Valley Center-Pauma Unified is classified as 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
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
Valley Center-Pauma Unified spends $12,715 per student in current expenditures — $2,099 below the state average of $14,815.
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Every school in Valley Center-Pauma Unified
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP
Elementary Schools (4)
Valley Center-Pauma Unified has 4 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 37.0 — 7.8 points below the state average of 44.8.
Growth averages -2.9pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Lilac with a Scope Score of 47 and 15.7% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lilac Valley Center-Pauma Unified Building Momentum | 15.7% | Developing 47/100 |
| 2 | Valley Center Prep Valley Center-Pauma Unified Building Momentum | 18.2% | Developing 38/100 |
| 3 | Valley Center Elementary Valley Center-Pauma Unified On the Rise | 10.1% | Developing 33/100 |
| 4 | Pauma Elementary Valley Center-Pauma Unified Building Momentum | 2.1% | Developing 30/100 |
Middle Schools (1)
Valley Center-Pauma Unified has 1 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 25.4 — 17.2 points below the state average of 42.6.
Grade-to-grade growth averages +2.4pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring middle school is Valley Center Middle with a Scope Score of 25 and 5.4% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valley Center Middle Valley Center-Pauma Unified Building Momentum | 5.4% | Needs Support 25/100 |
High Schools (2)
Valley Center-Pauma Unified has 2 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 34.5 — 9.2 points below the state average of 43.7.
The highest-scoring high school is Valley Center High with a Scope Score of 49 and 11.1% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valley Center High Valley Center-Pauma Unified Building Momentum | 11.1% | Developing 49/100 |
| 2 | Oak Glen High Valley Center-Pauma Unified Building Momentum | 0.0% | Needs Support 20/100 |
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.
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