Vista Unified: Vista Unified schools score 5.1 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 5.8 points.
Vista Unified has 29 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 39.7/100 — 5.1 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Mission Vista High at 66/100, where 40.2% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,817 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 1 school shows positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 22.4%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Developing 42.7/100 | 18 | 18.5% | 17.6% |
| Middle | Developing 34.6/100 | 4 | 13.5% | 20.8% |
| High | Developing 35.1/100 | 7 | 11.5% | 35.5% |
Vista Unified's elementary schools average 42.7/100 — 2.2 points below the state average with a −5.8pp declining trajectory.
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Vista Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Vista Unified has 29 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 39.7/100 — 5.1 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Strongest level: Vista Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 42.7.
District-wide elementary growth averages -5.8pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.
Score range of 56.3 points — showing significant variation between schools.
District chronic absenteeism averages 22.4%, 4.5pp above the state average of 17.9%.
District suspension rate averages 3.1%, near the state average of 1.6%.
Mission Vista High leads the district at 66 with 40.2% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Vista Unified
Hidden gems: 3 schools in Vista Unified are classified as On the Rise (2) or Growth Engine — 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
Vista Unified spends $13,817 per student in current expenditures — $997 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 Vista Unified
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP
Elementary Schools (18)
Vista Unified has 18 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 42.7 — 2.2 points below the state average of 44.8.
Growth averages -5.8pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Casita Center for Science/Math/Technology with a Scope Score of 58 and 39.2% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Casita Center for Science/Math/Technology Vista Unified Strong All-Around | 39.2% | Solid 58/100 |
| 2 | Bella Mente Montessori Academy Vista Unified Culture First | 25.8% | Solid 57/100 |
| 3 | Alamosa Park Elementary Vista Unified Culture First | 26.6% | Solid 57/100 |
| 4 | Empresa Elementary Vista Unified Solid Base | 36.8% | Solid 56/100 |
| 5 | Lake Elementary Vista Unified Culture First | 25.2% | Solid 50/100 |
| 6 | Guajome Park Academy Charter Vista Unified Building Momentum | 27.3% | Developing 50/100 |
| 7 | Guajome Learning Center Vista Unified Building Momentum | 18.8% | Developing 48/100 |
| 8 | T.H.E Leadership Academy Vista Unified On the Rise | 18.6% | Developing 46/100 |
| 9 | Mission Meadows Elementary Vista Unified Growth Engine | 17.9% | Developing 44/100 |
| 10 | Breeze Hill Elementary Vista Unified Building Momentum | 23.7% | Developing 42/100 |
| 11 | Vista Visions Academy Vista Unified Building Momentum | 7.4% | Developing 41/100 |
| 12 | Monte Vista Elementary Vista Unified Building Momentum | 16.2% | Developing 40/100 |
| 13 | Hannalei Elementary Vista Unified Building Momentum | 9.4% | Developing 33/100 |
| 14 | Grapevine Elementary Vista Unified Building Momentum | 10.0% | Developing 33/100 |
| 15 | Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts Vista Unified Building Momentum | 11.3% | Developing 31/100 |
| 16 | Bobier Elementary Vista Unified On the Rise | 5.0% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 17 | Foothill Oak Elementary Vista Unified Building Momentum | 5.6% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 18 | Maryland Elementary Vista Unified Building Momentum | 7.3% | Needs Support 25/100 |
Middle Schools (4)
Vista Unified has 4 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 34.6 — 8.0 points below the state average of 42.6.
Growth averages -3.2pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring middle school is Vista Magnet Middle School of Technology, Science, with a Scope Score of 45 and 21.4% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vista Magnet Middle School of Technology, Science, Vista Unified Building Momentum | 21.4% | Developing 45/100 |
| 2 | Vista Innovation and Design Academy Vista Unified Building Momentum | 14.4% | Developing 39/100 |
| 3 | Roosevelt Middle Vista Unified Building Momentum | 8.1% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 4 | Madison Middle Vista Unified Building Momentum | 9.9% | Needs Support 27/100 |
High Schools (7)
Vista Unified has 7 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 35.1 — 8.6 points below the state average of 43.7.
The highest-scoring high school is Mission Vista High with a Scope Score of 66 and 40.2% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mission Vista High Vista Unified Strong All-Around | 40.2% | Solid 66/100 |
| 2 | Rancho Buena Vista High Vista Unified Building Momentum | 23.9% | Solid 56/100 |
| 3 | Vista High Vista Unified Building Momentum | 6.6% | Developing 44/100 |
| 4 | North County Trade Tech High Vista Unified Building Momentum | 5.9% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 5 | SIATech Vista Unified Building Momentum | 3.5% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 6 | Alta Vista High (Continuation) Vista Unified Building Momentum | 0.0% | Needs Support 12/100 |
| 7 | Major General Raymond Murray High Vista Unified Building Momentum | 0.0% | Needs Support 10/100 |
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