School district · San Diego County

Valley Center-Pauma Unified schools

Valley Center-Pauma Unified’s 3 public elementary schools run from the 18th to the 42nd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Elementary · 3 schools

from 18th to 42nd · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Valley Center Elementary: 42nd percentile, Developing
  • Lilac: 30th percentile, Developing
  • Pauma Elementary: 18th percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
2Developing
0Solid
0Strong

One dot per school.

Middle and high school pictures

Middle · 2 schools

from 6th to 8th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Pauma Elementary: 8th percentile, Needs Support
  • Valley Center Middle: 6th percentile, Needs Support
2Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
0Strong

High · 1 school

at 27th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests

  • Valley Center High: 27th percentile, Developing
0Needs Support
1Developing
0Solid
0Strong

One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 1 of the 5 ranked schools teaches two levels, so it appears in more than one picture.

  • 5 ranked schools
  • 2 schools not ranked statewide

Schools around Valley Center-Pauma Unified

7 listed public schools with mapped locations.

Open full map →

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Percentile among California schools at the same level

  • Strong75th+
  • Solid50–74th
  • Developing25–49th
  • Needs Supportbelow 25th
  • Not scored

The school lists on this page are also available without the map.

Elementary schools

Which elementary schools in Valley Center-Pauma Unified score highest?

Valley Center Elementary is highest, at the 42nd percentile.

That’s higher than 42 in 100 of the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Valley Center-Pauma Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Context

The average elementary school in Valley Center-Pauma Unified had 28 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 Valley Center-Pauma Unified score highest?

Pauma Elementary is highest, at the 8th percentile.

That’s higher than 8 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Valley Center-Pauma Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

High schools

Where does the high school we score in Valley Center-Pauma Unified stand?

Valley Center High is at the 27th percentile.

That’s higher than 27 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). It’s the only public high school we score in Valley Center-Pauma Unified.

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

2 high schools not ranked statewide

Continuation schools enroll students differently from a regular school, so each is compared only with schools of its kind. The others have no statewide percentile this year.

The district

Where does Valley Center-Pauma Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?

Valley Center-Pauma Unified spent $19,399 per student in the 2024–25 school year.

That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 54 cents of every Valley Center-Pauma 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

  • Instruction54%
  • Instruction support14%
  • Student services10%
  • Administration8%
  • Buildings & maintenance11%
  • Other3%

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

$15.1 million

planned in its 2026–27 plan for 56 funded actions in 6 goals. That’s 21% of its $70.4 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, 210 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.

Where the money goes

Three actions take 33% of the money. The plan itself puts 88% of it toward staff.

  • Transportation (Bussing) $2.4 million
  • Additional School Sections $1.3 million
  • Counseling Support $1.2 million
  • 53 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help

15 of the plan’s 56 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.

Actions whose titles name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners
  • Reading $0.2 million
  • Math $0.2 million
  • Catch-up help $1.5 million
  • English learners $1.2 million

An action naming two of these appears under both.

Largest of these

  • English Learner Secondary Instruction$768,280
  • Learning Recovery Intervention and Support Teachers (LREBG)$587,775
  • Secondary Intervention TOSA$281,653
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 $11.3 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $10.9 million and estimates it spent $10.9 million, within 1% of the plan.

What changed

The total is $1.9 million (14%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Elementary Instructional TOSA, which went from $162,056 to $621,129.

Largest cuts

  • English Learner Secondary Instruction−⁠$258,095
  • High School Summer Credit Recovery / Acceleration / Enrichment (LREBG)−⁠$86,231
  • Elementary and Middle School Summer Extended Learning−⁠$73,796

Largest increases

  • Elementary Instructional TOSA+⁠$459,073
  • 1-to-1 Devices+⁠$346,511
  • Alternative Education Program+⁠$341,426

New in the 2026–27 plan

  • Learning Recovery Intervention and Support Teachers (LREBG)$587,775
  • District Itinerant Psychologist and Support staff$188,002
  • District Wide Mathematics TOSA (LREBG)$165,539

Ask: What did English Learner Secondary Instruction pay for, and what changes now that the 2026–27 plan gives it $258,095 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
Measure2024–252025–26Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 2, 4 and 529%31%up 2 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 2, 4 and 518%19%up 1 pt
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 429 in 10028 in 1001 fewer in 100
Suspended at least onceGoals 1 and 43.1%3.2%up 0.1 pts

Goal 6 tracks named schools and Goal 3 tracks 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
  • Transportation (Bussing) · $2,448,255
  • Additional School Sections · $1,293,911
  • Counseling Support · $1,156,725
The full plan6 goals, 79 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 ($15.1 million).

Where does the money go?

47% to Goal 2. 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.

G1
G2
G3
G4
G5
G6

Change since the 2025–26 plan, same title

  • fell 25% or more
  • fell 10–25%
  • fell 2–10%
  • within 2%
  • grew 2–10%
  • grew 10–25%
  • grew 25% or more
  • new or renamed title
  • not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals

Every goal, in the plan’s order

Goal 1Every student is actively engaged in learning, feels safe at school and demonstrates good citizenship$7.0 million46% of action budgets

14 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $6.0 million (+⁠$975,420) · p. 29 ↗

Largest funded actions

  1. Transportation (Bussing)$2.4 millionaction 1.11 · p. 159 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  2. Counseling Support$1.2 millionaction 1.1 · p. 158 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. School Psychologists$0.9 millionaction 1.4 · p. 158 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $808,440 is state funding counted toward those services
  4. Support Staff: Behavior and Attendance$0.6 millionaction 1.6 · p. 158 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  5. Physical Health and Nutrition (Elementary PE Teachers)$0.5 millionaction 1.8 · p. 159 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

9 more funded actions in this goal

  • Administrators · action 1.3 · p. 158 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.4 million
  • Support Staff: Campus Supervision · action 1.5 · p. 158 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.4 million
  • District Itinerant Psychologist and Support staff · action 1.9 · p. 159 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $105,655 is state funding counted toward those services$0.2 million
  • District Social Worker · action 1.7 · p. 159 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
  • Counselor Support (LREBG) · action 1.2 · p. 158 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $61,107 is state funding counted toward those services$0.1 million
  • Counseling and Tutoring · action 1.10 · p. 159 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
  • Professional Development and Training · action 1.13 · p. 159 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
  • Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Implementation (PBIS) · action 1.14 · p. 159 ↗under $0.1 million
  • Attendance Monitoring and Communication · action 1.12 · p. 159 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Transportation (Bussing)+⁠$0.3 million$2.2 million → $2.4 million · p. 159 ↗
  2. Counseling Support+⁠$0.3 million$0.9 million → $1.2 million · p. 158 ↗
  3. School Psychologists+⁠$191,522$691,540 → $883,062 · p. 158 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Support Staff: Behavior and Attendance · $467,953 → $551,441 · p. 158 ↗+⁠$83,488
  • Physical Health and Nutrition (Elementary PE Teachers) · $511,082 → $543,683 · p. 159 ↗+⁠$32,601
  • Administrators · $406,628 → $436,057 · p. 158 ↗+⁠$29,429
  • Support Staff: Campus Supervision · $430,602 → $415,536 · p. 158 ↗−⁠$15,066
  • District Itinerant Psychologist and Support staff · $188,002 · p. 159 ↗new or renamed
  • District Social Worker · $132,135 → $135,736 · p. 159 ↗+⁠$3,601
  • Counselor Support (LREBG) · $53,908 → $122,214 · p. 158 ↗+⁠$68,306
  • Counseling and Tutoring · $69,100 → $73,735 · p. 159 ↗+⁠$4,635
  • Professional Development and Training · $28,163 → $9,756 · p. 159 ↗−⁠$18,407
  • Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Implementation (PBIS) · $29,000 → $6,000 · p. 159 ↗−⁠$23,000
  • Attendance Monitoring and Communication · $15,204 → $3,500 · p. 159 ↗−⁠$11,704

A reworded title counts as new.

How the plan measures it · 9 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 29 ↗.

Goal 2Every student receives high quality instruction leading to academic achievement and physical fitness…$7.0 million47% of action budgets

“Every student receives high quality instruction leading to academic achievement and physical fitness, successfully preparing them for college and career readiness” p. 46 ↗

22 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $6.2 million (+⁠$840,383)

Largest funded actions

  1. Additional School Sections$1.3 millionaction 2.13 · p. 161 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  2. Alternative Education Program$0.8 millionaction 2.12 · p. 161 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $607,832 is state funding counted toward those services
  3. English Learner Secondary Instruction$0.8 millionaction 2.11 · p. 161 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $621,148 is state funding counted toward those services
  4. Elementary Instructional TOSA$0.6 millionaction 2.2 · p. 160 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $186,340 is state funding counted toward those services
  5. Learning Recovery Intervention and Support Teachers (LREBG)$0.6 millionaction 2.21 · p. 162 ↗

17 more funded actions in this goal

  • 1-to-1 Devices · action 2.14 · p. 161 ↗$0.5 million
  • Special Projects Team · action 2.7 · p. 160 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $283,905 is state funding counted toward those services$0.3 million
  • Secondary Intervention TOSA · action 2.3 · p. 160 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.3 million
  • Library Media Specialist · action 2.8 · p. 160 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $228,683 is state funding counted toward those services$0.2 million
  • Elementary and Middle School Summer Extended Learning · action 2.18 · p. 161 ↗$0.2 million
  • Elementary Band Teachers · action 2.6 · p. 160 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
  • District Wide Mathematics TOSA (LREBG) · action 2.4 · p. 160 ↗$0.2 million
  • Bilingual Instructional Aides (BIA) · action 2.23 · p. 162 ↗$0.2 million
  • District Wide English Language Development (ELD) TOSA · action 2.1 · p. 159 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
  • High School Summer Credit Recovery / Acceleration / Enrichment (LREBG) · action 2.17 · p. 161 ↗$0.1 million
  • Expanded After School Academic and Enrichment Program (LREBG) · action 2.22 · p. 162 ↗$0.1 million
  • Site Computer Technicians · action 2.9 · p. 160 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
  • Intervention Resources · action 2.15 · p. 161 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $32,689 is state funding counted toward those services$0.1 million
  • Guidance Technicians · action 2.5 · p. 160 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
  • Professional Learning and Training (Standardized Assessments; CAASPP, CAST, CAA)/ High Impact strategies PDs - Benefits all students, specifically English Learners, LTELs, AI, Homeless, Two or More Races, SED, SWD · action 2.16 · p. 161 ↗$0.1 million
  • English Learner (EL) Support Classes · action 2.10 · p. 161 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
  • English Learner Instructional Programs and Professional Development · action 2.20 · p. 162 ↗under $0.1 million

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Elementary Instructional TOSA+⁠$459,073$162,056 → $621,129 · p. 160 ↗
  2. 1-to-1 Devices+⁠$346,511$131,394 → $477,905 · p. 161 ↗
  3. Alternative Education Program+⁠$341,426$498,024 → $839,450 · p. 161 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Additional School Sections · $1.3 million → $1.3 million · p. 161 ↗+⁠$12,913
  • English Learner Secondary Instruction · $1.0 million → $0.8 million · p. 161 ↗−⁠$0.3 million
  • Learning Recovery Intervention and Support Teachers (LREBG) · $587,775 · p. 162 ↗new or renamed
  • Special Projects Team · $259,105 → $342,723 · p. 160 ↗+⁠$83,618
  • Secondary Intervention TOSA · $283,171 → $281,653 · p. 160 ↗−⁠$1,518
  • Library Media Specialist · $231,258 → $242,183 · p. 160 ↗+⁠$10,925
  • Elementary and Middle School Summer Extended Learning · $298,153 → $224,357 · p. 161 ↗−⁠$73,796
  • Elementary Band Teachers · $182,516 → $190,322 · p. 160 ↗+⁠$7,806
  • District Wide Mathematics TOSA (LREBG) · $165,539 · p. 160 ↗new or renamed
  • Bilingual Instructional Aides (BIA) · $163,319 · p. 162 ↗new or renamed
  • District Wide English Language Development (ELD) TOSA · $135,520 → $151,450 · p. 159 ↗+⁠$15,930
  • High School Summer Credit Recovery / Acceleration / Enrichment (LREBG) · $226,977 → $140,746 · p. 161 ↗−⁠$86,231
  • Expanded After School Academic and Enrichment Program (LREBG) · $119,736 · p. 162 ↗new or renamed
  • Site Computer Technicians · $157,682 → $104,923 · p. 160 ↗−⁠$52,759
  • Intervention Resources · $95,530 → $90,689 · p. 161 ↗−⁠$4,841
  • Guidance Technicians · $74,697 → $81,018 · p. 160 ↗+⁠$6,321
  • Professional Learning and Training (Standardized Assessments; CAASPP, CAST, CAA)/ High Impact strategies PDs - Benefits all students, specifically English Learners, LTELs, AI, Homeless, Two or More Races, SED, SWD · $76,847 · p. 161 ↗new or renamed
  • English Learner (EL) Support Classes · $52,921 → $47,085 · p. 161 ↗−⁠$5,836
  • English Learner Instructional Programs and Professional Development · $25,694 → $33,129 · p. 162 ↗+⁠$7,435

A reworded title counts as new.

How the plan measures it · 32 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 46 ↗.

Goal 3Parents, guardians and students are informed with timely district, school and classroom information and have…$273,8232% of action budgets

“Parents, guardians and students are informed with timely district, school and classroom information and have opportunities to provide input for decision-making” p. 78 ↗

4 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $222,300 (+⁠$51,523)

Largest funded actions

  1. District TOSA$162,964action 3.1 · p. 162 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $130,372 is state funding counted toward those services
  2. Software Services$66,895action 3.3 · p. 162 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. Translation Services$40,464action 3.4 · p. 162 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  4. District and School Parent Workshops$3,500action 3.2 · p. 162 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. District TOSA+⁠$36,428$126,536 → $162,964 · p. 162 ↗
  2. Software Services+⁠$7,654$59,241 → $66,895 · p. 162 ↗
  3. Translation Services+⁠$7,441$33,023 → $40,464 · p. 162 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • District and School Parent Workshops · $3,500 → $3,500 · p. 162 ↗unchanged

How the plan measures it · 10 measures · 1 quoted

  • Parent Involvement - School Site Council (SSC) p. 79 ↗
    Baseline
    2023-2024: 87% of SSC members attend all meetings
    Target for year 3
    90% of SSC members attend all meetings

9 more measures in the plan’s table.

Goal 4 · Focus GoalBy end of the 2026-2027 school, VCPUSD will increase students served in their least restrictive environment…$203,5631% of action budgets

“By end of the 2026-2027 school, VCPUSD will increase students served in their least restrictive environment that includes standards-aligned instruction enabling students to meet or exceed state standards” p. 87 ↗

4 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $236,074 (−⁠$32,511)

Largest funded actions

  1. Student Services - Program Specialist$175,063action 4.1 · p. 163 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  2. Specialized Programs and Training$15,000action 4.4 · p. 163 ↗
  3. Instructional Program Review and Planning$7,500action 4.3 · p. 163 ↗
  4. Professional Learning - Universal Design for Learning (UDL)$6,000action 4.2 · p. 163 ↗

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Professional Learning - Universal Design for Learning (UDL)−⁠$19,000$25,000 → $6,000 · p. 163 ↗
  2. Instructional Program Review and Planning−⁠$9,500$17,000 → $7,500 · p. 163 ↗
  3. Specialized Programs and Training−⁠$6,600$21,600 → $15,000 · p. 163 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Student Services - Program Specialist · $172,474 → $175,063 · p. 163 ↗+⁠$2,589

How the plan measures it · 11 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 87 ↗.

Goal 5 · Focus GoalBy the end of the 2026-2027 academic year, increase the percentage of students who are prepared for college…$156,3141% of action budgets

“By the end of the 2026-2027 academic year, increase the percentage of students who are prepared for college and career as measured by the College and Career Indicator (CCI) to 60% or higher with focus on student groups listed on the California Schools Dashboard” p. 96 ↗

4 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $219,903 (−⁠$63,589)

Largest funded actions

  1. Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathways$87,273action 5.3 · p. 163 ↗
  2. Expanded Career Exploration and Vocational Pathway Development -$52,952action 5.5 · p. 164 ↗
  3. AP Examination Supports$15,000action 5.2 · p. 163 ↗
  4. Implementation of California College Guidance Initiative (CCGI)$1,089action 5.1 · p. 163 ↗

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Implementation of California College Guidance Initiative (CCGI)−⁠$58,911$60,000 → $1,089 · p. 163 ↗
  2. Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathways+⁠$12,271$75,002 → $87,273 · p. 163 ↗
  3. AP Examination Supports−⁠$128$15,128 → $15,000 · p. 163 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Expanded Career Exploration and Vocational Pathway Development - · $52,952 · p. 164 ↗new or renamed

A reworded title counts as new.

How the plan measures it · 10 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 96 ↗.

Goal 6 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalBy the end of the 2026-2027 school year, Oak Glen High School and Valley Center Prep school will, as…$402,3363% of action budgets

“By the end of the 2026-2027 school year, Oak Glen High School and Valley Center Prep school will, as applicable, improve academic performance (Math and ELA CAASPP scores, college and career indicator), school climate (suspension rate), and student engagement (graduation rate) for all students, with additional focus on student group American Indian, Hispanic, English Learner, and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged as indicated on the CA School Dashboard” p. 107 ↗

8 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $272,082 (+⁠$130,254)

Largest funded actions

  1. Reading and Literacy Interventions$159,824action 6.7 · p. 165 ↗
  2. Social Worker (New Action) - Learning Recovery$125,164action 6.8 · p. 165 ↗
  3. Academic Interventions$69,113action 6.6 · p. 164 ↗
  4. Career Technical Education (CTE) Expansion and Exploration$21,834action 6.3 · p. 164 ↗
  5. Community Engagement$17,903action 6.2 · p. 164 ↗

3 more funded actions in this goal

  • Professional Learning and Training · action 6.5 · p. 164 ↗$4,998
  • Chronic Absenteeism Interventions · action 6.1 · p. 164 ↗$2,500
  • Behavior Interventions · action 6.4 · p. 164 ↗$1,000

Changes from last year’s plan, same title

  1. Reading and Literacy Interventions+⁠$39,911$119,913 → $159,824 · p. 165 ↗
  2. Community Engagement−⁠$16,657$34,560 → $17,903 · p. 164 ↗
  3. Career Technical Education (CTE) Expansion and Exploration−⁠$8,166$30,000 → $21,834 · p. 164 ↗

Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan

  • Social Worker (New Action) - Learning Recovery · $125,164 · p. 165 ↗new or renamed
  • Academic Interventions · $71,565 → $69,113 · p. 164 ↗−⁠$2,452
  • Professional Learning and Training · $6,048 → $4,998 · p. 164 ↗−⁠$1,050
  • Chronic Absenteeism Interventions · $5,256 → $2,500 · p. 164 ↗−⁠$2,756
  • Behavior Interventions · $4,740 → $1,000 · p. 164 ↗−⁠$3,740

A reworded title counts as new.

How the plan measures it · 7 measures

None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 107 ↗.

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, 3,636 students
1. Hispanic or Latino: 64%2. White: 19%3. American Indian or Alaska Native: 8%4. Two or more races: 6%5. Asian: <1%6. Filipino: <1%7. Black or African American: <1%8. Pacific Islander: <1%Student mix2024–25
  1. Hispanic or Latino64%
  2. White19%
  3. American Indian or Alaska Native8%
  4. Two or more races6%
  5. Asian<1%
  6. Filipino<1%
  7. Black or African American<1%
  8. Pacific Islander<1%
  9. Not reported0%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.

Free or reduced-price meals

64%

Across California, 63% of students qualify.

2024–25 · 1,998 of 3,134 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 Valley Center-Pauma 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, 47% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (283 of 600 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.

1 school getting state support, 2025–26

Oak Glen High (Targeted support)

This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.

Sources: District help (CDE) ↗ · English learner progress (CDE) ↗ · School support (CDE) ↗. State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard.

Which places nearby can you look at next?

Cities in the district

More places (4)

Districts nearby

Common questions

Which public schools in Valley Center-Pauma Unified rank highest?

Elementary: Valley Center Elementary, 42nd percentile (Developing). Middle: Pauma Elementary, 8th percentile (Needs Support). High: Valley Center High, 27th 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 Valley Center-Pauma 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 Valley Center-Pauma Unified good?

Valley Center-Pauma Unified’s 3 public elementary schools run from the 18th to the 42nd percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 2 Developing and 1 Needs Support. Valley Center-Pauma Unified’s 2 public middle schools run from the 6th to the 8th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 2 Needs Support. Valley Center-Pauma Unified has one public high school we score, Valley Center High, at the 27th 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 Valley Center-Pauma Unified compare with California?

The average elementary school in Valley Center-Pauma Unified had 28 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. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.

How much does Valley Center-Pauma Unified spend per student?

Valley Center-Pauma Unified spent $19,399 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 54 cents of every Valley Center-Pauma 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 Valley Center-Pauma Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?

The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $15.1 million into 56 funded actions in 6 goals, 21% of its $70.4 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $7.0 million, 47% 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 Valley Center-Pauma 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.

View CDE data ↗ (opens in a new tab)How Scope Scores work →

Download these schools (CSV)Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.