Valley Center High

Summary:

Valley Center High is a public high school located in Valley Center, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,181 students. The school is part of the Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District, which is ranked 1288 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Valley Center High has shown consistent academic performance, with its statewide ranking ranging from 324 to 1261 out of over 2,000 California high schools over the past decade. The school's performance on standardized tests, such as the Smarter Balanced Assessments and CAST, is generally higher than the district and state averages, particularly in English Language Arts/Literacy. However, the school faces challenges in addressing the performance gaps for certain student subgroups, particularly Hispanic, Native American, English Language Learner, Special Education, and Homeless students. In comparison, nearby Classical Academy High and Escondido Charter High outperform Valley Center High in academic achievement and have lower chronic absenteeism rates.

Valley Center High has maintained a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 93.3% to 98.5% over the past five years, which is significantly higher than the district and state averages. The school's dropout rate has also been relatively low, ranging from 0.4% to 3.0% during the same period. However, the school has experienced an increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.9% in 2017-2018 to 34.9% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average. The comparison to nearby schools, such as Oak Glen High, which has significantly lower academic performance and higher chronic absenteeism, suggests that Valley Center High could potentially learn from the best practices of higher-performing schools to further improve its overall academic outcomes and support for all student populations.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 31322 Cole Grade Rd.
       Valley Center, CA  92082-3867


(760) 751-5500

District: Valley Center-Pauma Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
882nd of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,522 Help


Feeder schools for Valley Center High:

Elementary:    Lilac
    Pauma Elementary
    Valley Center Elementary
    Valley Center Primary
Middle:    Valley Center Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  21.4 Help
Number of students:  1,094

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
61.7%
White:
22.4%
American Indian:
7.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  61.7% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Valley Center High ranks better than 62% of high schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.21. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Valley Center High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (61.7%), White (22.4%), American Indian (7.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 61.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Valley Center High is 21.4. (See more...)
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Compare Valley Center High employs 51 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Valley Center High is $12,522.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Valley Center High:

SchoolDigger ranks Valley Center High 882nd of 2323 California public high schools. (See Valley Center High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Migrant students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
Native American students:
White students:


Valley Center-Pauma Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Valley Center-Pauma Unified 1288th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Valley Center High

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Rank History for all students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 64.54 274th 1653 83.4%
2005 67.30 289th 1901 84.8%
2006 62.04 426th 1968 78.4%
2007 68.20 295th 2063 85.7%
2008 66.98 324th 2117 84.7%
2009 65.34 331st 2238 85.2%
2010 62.99 444th 2281 80.5%
2011 64.54 409th 2367 82.7%
2012 66.47 383rd 2354 83.7%
2013 68.86 324th 2426 86.6%
2015 73.61 478th 1994 76.0%
2016 70.58 548th 2039 73.1%
2017 70.47 590th 2021 70.8%
2018 68.01 631st 2017 68.7%
2019 62.56 684th 2133 67.9%
2021 57.82 492nd 1290 61.9%
2022 36.95 1261st 2123 40.6%
2023 45.95 973rd 2348 58.6%
2024 49.21 882nd 2323 62.0%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 49.93 335th 804 58.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.04 539th 938 42.5%
2019 28.82 790th 941 16.0%
2021 56.19 138th 467 70.4%
2022 42.68 459th 1044 56.0%
2023 26.21 978th 1323 26.1%
2024 22.47 1224th 1350 9.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 26.23 1130th 1547 27.0%
2024 24.81 1175th 1534 23.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.06 571st 1862 69.3%
2019 54.40 798th 1937 58.8%
2021 62.15 370th 1126 67.1%
2022 35.17 1245th 1943 35.9%
2023 32.47 1345th 2247 40.1%
2024 43.06 1043rd 2235 53.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 52.57 50th 100 50.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 30.36 210th 290 27.6%
2023 48.54 174th 417 58.3%
2024 13.13 410th 451 9.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.03 666th 1760 62.2%
2019 61.91 603rd 1833 67.1%
2021 53.15 477th 1054 54.7%
2022 36.15 1149th 1858 38.2%
2023 49.47 844th 2118 60.2%
2024 48.42 860th 2098 59.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.90 329th 1052 68.7%
2019 58.49 302nd 1117 73.0%
2021 29.07 406th 555 26.8%
2022 28.95 851st 1161 26.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.57 577th 1834 68.5%
2019 56.72 722nd 1880 61.6%
2021 55.63 445th 1122 60.3%
2022 35.07 1167th 1916 39.1%
2023 39.38 1067th 2207 51.7%
2024 45.95 905th 2172 58.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.84 661st 1742 62.1%
2019 51.26 831st 1814 54.2%
2022 29.93 1313th 1861 29.4%
2023 41.52 1075th 2142 49.8%
2024 48.36 873rd 2125 58.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.63 3rd 21 85.7%
2019 42.50 8th 16 50.0%
2022 37.48 8th 11 27.3%
2023 31.34 27th 33 18.2%
2024 54.06 15th 35 57.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Valley Center High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.21 375th 1173 68.0%
2019 63.19 442nd 1222 63.8%
2022 39.66 722nd 1204 40.0%
2023 54.37 531st 1434 63.0%
2024 44.52 684th 1406 51.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Valley Center High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Valley Center High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2001 879 8 21 377 139 n/a n/a 0 1424
2002 931 7 25 412 126 n/a n/a 1 1502
2003 931 7 25 412 126 n/a n/a 1 1502
2004 970 2 21 398 110 n/a n/a 1 1502
2005 942 3 22 441 108 n/a n/a 2 1518
2006 948 5 26 461 109 n/a n/a 1 1550
2007 888 4 30 455 95 n/a n/a 5 1477
2008 843 7 29 483 84 n/a n/a 0 1446
2009 771 6 19 511 102 1 1 0 1411
2010 710 10 19 517 99 2 2 0 1359
2011 652 10 24 552 92 2 3 0 1335
2012 601 12 32 518 95 4 4 0 1266
2013 572 11 32 491 87 4 10 0 1207
2014 513 10 35 487 105 5 11 0 1166
2015 463 9 44 518 90 5 25 0 1154
2016 454 9 35 553 103 4 25 0 1183
2017 439 5 29 542 110 4 25 0 1154
2018 423 9 29 533 109 3 34 0 1140
2019 410 7 20 578 120 3 29 0 1167
2020 378 5 13 621 109 1 43 0 1170
2021 333 7 11 686 103 1 33 0 1174
2022 329 9 14 731 94 1 50 0 1228
2023 286 8 14 731 89 0 53 0 1181
2024 245 7 13 675 81 0 73 0 1094

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Valley Center High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 1424 59.4 24.0 26
2002 1502 63.3 23.7 25.6
2003 1502 63.3 23.7 25.6
2004 1502 63.3 23.7 25.2
2005 1518 67.3 22.6 29
2006 1550 65.3 23.7 27
2007 1477 63.7 23.2 23.7
2008 1446 71.4 20.3 29.5
2009 1411 56.6 20.6 31.5
2010 1359 62.0 21.9 36.5
2011 1335 n/a n/a 32.4
2012 1266 55.9 22.6 n/a
2013 1207 55.2 21.8 44.2
2014 1166 52.4 22.2 46.7
2015 1154 51.0 22.6 42.5
2016 1183 52.0 22.7 43
2017 1154 49.5 23.2 44.9
2018 1140 47.7 23.8 46.8
2019 1167 43.5 26.8 43.4
2020 1170 n/a n/a 48.7
2021 1174 49.7 23.5 42.8
2022 1228 50.6 24.2 54.7
2023 1181 51.5 22.9 38.5
2024 1094 51.0 21.4 61.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Valley Center High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 1424 59.4 24.0 26
2002 1502 63.3 23.7 25.6
2003 1502 63.3 23.7 25.6
2004 1502 63.3 23.7 25.2
2005 1518 67.3 22.6 29
2006 1550 65.3 23.7 27
2007 1477 63.7 23.2 23.7
2008 1446 71.4 20.3 29.5
2009 1411 56.6 20.6 31.5
2010 1359 62.0 21.9 36.5
2011 1335 n/a n/a 32.4
2012 1266 55.9 22.6 n/a
2013 1207 55.2 21.8 44.2
2014 1166 52.4 22.2 46.7
2015 1154 51.0 22.6 42.5
2016 1183 52.0 22.7 43
2017 1154 49.5 23.2 44.9
2018 1140 47.7 23.8 46.8
2019 1167 43.5 26.8 43.4
2020 1170 n/a n/a 48.7
2021 1174 49.7 23.5 42.8
2022 1228 50.6 24.2 54.7
2023 1181 51.5 22.9 38.5
2024 1094 51.0 21.4 61.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Valley Center High

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $12,522

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Valley Center High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 684th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 973rd of 2348 High schools
 9.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Center High)56.752
 4.7%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)52.947
 5.9%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Valley Center High)22.520.2
 2.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)19.516.7
 2.9%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Valley Center High)28.717.3
 11.5%
   12th Grade Science (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)25.115.9
 9.2%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11671181
 1.2%
African American78
 14.3%
American Indian12089
 25.8%
Asian2014
 30%
Hispanic578731
 26.5%
Pacific Islander30
 100%
White410286
 30.2%
Two or More Races2953
 82.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients43.4%38.5%
 4.8%


Schools Near Valley Center High









Frequently Asked Questions about Valley Center High

Valley Center High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Lilac
Elementary : Pauma Elementary
Elementary : Valley Center Elementary
Elementary : Valley Center Primary
Middle : Valley Center Middle

Students at Valley Center High are 62% Hispanic, 22% White, 7% American Indian, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Valley Center High ranks 882nd of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,094 students attended Valley Center High.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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