Poway High

Summary:

Poway High is a public high school serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,233 students, located in Poway, California, which is part of the highly-ranked Poway Unified School District. Poway High has consistently been ranked among the top high schools in California, with a statewide ranking between 215 and 364 over the past several years, and a 4- or 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Poway High's students demonstrate strong academic performance, with a higher percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy (62.65% vs. 55.73% state average) and Mathematics (44.33% vs. 27.9% state average) compared to the state. The school's performance in Science is also impressive, with 48.18% of 12th-grade students proficient or better, compared to the state average of 26.73%. Poway High maintains a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 94.2% to 96.3% over the past five years, and a low dropout rate, well below the state average. However, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 9.4% in 2017-2018 to 22.4% in 2021-2022, which is higher than the state average.

Compared to nearby schools, Poway High's academic performance is generally on par with or slightly lower than its counterparts within the Poway Unified School District, such as Westview High and Del Norte High, which have consistently higher test scores and graduation rates. However, Poway High outperforms schools outside the district, such as Scripps Ranch High and San Pasqual High, in both academic achievement and graduation rates. Additionally, Poway High has a relatively low percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with only 22.39% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023, which suggests the school may not be as socioeconomically diverse as some of its nearby counterparts.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 15500 Espola Rd.
       Poway, CA  92064-2299


(858) 748-0245

District: Poway Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
294th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,705 Help


Feeder schools for Poway High:

Elementary:    Garden Road Elementary
    Midland Elementary
    Painted Rock Elementary
    Pomerado Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Twin Peaks Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  22.7 Help
Number of students:  2,161

Racial breakdown:

White:
49.4%
Hispanic:
31.4%
Two or more races:
10.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  23.1% Help


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 Compare Poway High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Poway High ranks better than 87.3% of high schools in California. It also ranks 5th among 6 ranked high schools in the Poway Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 82.04. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Poway High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (49.4%), Hispanic (31.4%), two or more races (10.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 23.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Poway High is 22.7, which is the 2nd best among 6 high schools in the Poway Unified School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Poway High employs 95.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Poway High is $7,705, which is the 3rd highest among 6 high schools in the Poway Unified School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Poway High:

SchoolDigger ranks Poway High 294th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Poway 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:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Poway Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Poway Unified 125th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Poway High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 69.39 201st 1653 87.8%
2005 74.17 184th 1901 90.3%
2006 83.98 74th 1968 96.2%
2007 85.95 58th 2063 97.2%
2008 89.30 24th 2117 98.9%
2009 87.27 29th 2238 98.7%
2010 88.29 48th 2281 97.9%
2011 87.25 55th 2367 97.7%
2012 85.22 75th 2354 96.8%
2013 84.39 81st 2426 96.7%
2015 87.85 219th 1994 89.0%
2016 88.76 215th 2039 89.5%
2017 82.32 364th 2021 82.0%
2018 83.83 331st 2017 83.6%
2019 88.14 215th 2133 89.9%
2022 86.50 256th 2123 87.9%
2023 85.72 231st 2348 90.2%
2024 82.04 294th 2323 87.3%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.91 56th 366 84.7%
2019 66.92 133rd 422 68.5%
2022 56.20 226th 515 56.1%
2023 67.20 196th 786 75.1%
2024 57.93 272nd 804 66.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.40 739th 938 21.2%
2019 39.63 465th 941 50.6%
2022 39.04 545th 1044 47.8%
2023 24.66 1054th 1323 20.3%
2024 22.95 1188th 1350 12.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 58.44 345th 1547 77.7%
2024 44.21 610th 1534 60.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.27 512th 1862 72.5%
2019 71.36 448th 1937 76.9%
2022 73.18 377th 1943 80.6%
2023 72.22 396th 2247 82.4%
2024 54.28 750th 2235 66.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 54.61 118th 290 59.3%
2023 41.48 221st 417 47.0%
2024 46.93 241st 451 46.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.77 290th 1760 83.5%
2019 89.32 167th 1833 90.9%
2022 85.67 239th 1858 87.1%
2023 85.03 216th 2118 89.8%
2024 80.75 297th 2098 85.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.61 286th 1052 72.8%
2019 78.11 156th 1117 86.0%
2022 82.24 122nd 1161 89.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 57.05 74th 168 56.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.52 331st 1834 82.0%
2019 82.88 282nd 1880 85.0%
2022 85.08 243rd 1916 87.3%
2023 84.17 242nd 2207 89.0%
2024 80.59 294th 2172 86.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.53 99th 581 83.0%
2019 84.92 66th 582 88.7%
2022 81.93 89th 581 84.7%
2023 73.30 193rd 731 73.6%
2024 58.26 330th 712 53.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 90.71 33rd 592 94.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.71 302nd 1742 82.7%
2019 76.25 322nd 1814 82.2%
2022 80.06 268th 1861 85.6%
2023 81.54 230th 2142 89.3%
2024 72.96 349th 2125 83.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Poway High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.96 426th 1173 63.7%
2019 75.67 245th 1222 80.0%
2022 75.98 259th 1204 78.5%
2023 70.58 298th 1434 79.2%
2024 69.67 319th 1406 77.3%
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.

Poway 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 Poway High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 2603 39 142 119 4 n/a n/a 0 2907
1989 2674 44 169 137 7 n/a n/a 0 3031
1990 2705 49 223 146 6 n/a n/a 0 3129
1991 2349 38 178 136 5 n/a n/a 0 2706
1992 2266 31 188 152 2 n/a n/a 0 2639
1993 2202 39 202 174 9 n/a n/a 0 2626
1994 2198 49 219 199 13 n/a n/a 0 2678
1995 2423 60 276 248 18 n/a n/a 0 3025
1996 2423 60 276 248 18 n/a n/a 0 3025
1997 2510 59 292 278 19 n/a n/a 0 3158
1998 2655 63 314 278 21 n/a n/a 0 3331
1999 2728 66 294 273 18 n/a n/a 0 3379
2000 2758 57 291 276 16 n/a n/a 14 3412
2001 2702 56 299 290 20 n/a n/a 17 3384
2002 2428 63 262 327 14 n/a n/a 30 3124
2003 2428 63 262 327 14 n/a n/a 30 3124
2004 2416 62 242 326 17 n/a n/a 58 3121
2005 2412 66 241 374 16 n/a n/a 84 3193
2006 2311 61 238 339 13 n/a n/a 99 3061
2007 2248 49 261 371 7 n/a n/a 109 3045
2008 2191 45 285 395 5 n/a n/a 0 2921
2009 2046 50 246 410 11 22 94 0 2879
2010 1947 46 210 408 9 21 58 0 2699
2011 1786 45 224 463 10 17 60 0 2605
2012 1655 34 222 437 12 10 69 0 2439
2013 1567 42 208 467 9 12 73 0 2378
2014 1533 36 210 480 9 13 78 0 2359
2015 1447 33 217 446 10 13 86 0 2252
2016 1396 30 218 475 12 10 109 0 2250
2017 1349 31 219 496 7 10 116 0 2228
2018 1320 42 215 538 4 8 135 0 2262
2019 1278 46 201 566 5 11 146 0 2253
2020 1136 31 183 674 4 8 255 2 2293
2021 1118 24 177 708 3 7 213 1 2251
2022 1112 31 176 709 2 4 240 1 2275
2023 1092 20 175 699 3 5 235 4 2233
2024 1068 23 154 678 2 2 233 1 2161

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 Poway High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2907 120.2 24.1 n/a
1989 3031 126.6 23.9 n/a
1990 3129 131.4 23.8 n/a
1991 2706 115.4 23.4 n/a
1992 2639 117.3 22.4 3.1
1993 2626 107.5 24.4 3.2
1994 2678 112.2 23.9 3.6
1995 3025 121.7 24.9 8.1
1996 3025 121.7 24.9 8.1
1997 3158 121.6 26.0 7.7
1998 3331 131.2 25.4 8.1
1999 3379 129.2 26.2 7.8
2000 3412 136.3 25.0 7.2
2001 3384 140.4 24.1 8.9
2002 3124 126.7 24.7 6.8
2003 3124 126.7 24.7 6.8
2004 3121 126.1 24.8 8.6
2005 3193 126.6 25.2 8.5
2006 3061 123.7 24.7 8.1
2007 3045 125.7 24.2 7.5
2008 2921 136.2 21.4 10.2
2009 2879 117.4 22.2 10.6
2010 2699 98.2 27.4 13.3
2011 2605 n/a n/a 14.1
2012 2439 85.6 28.4 n/a
2013 2378 81.9 29.0 14.8
2014 2359 80.1 29.4 18.6
2015 2252 83.0 27.1 20.3
2016 2250 86.0 26.1 20.8
2017 2228 89.1 24.9 17.6
2018 2262 87.9 25.7 24.5
2019 2253 85.1 26.4 25.7
2020 2293 n/a n/a 23.7
2021 2251 90.3 24.9 22.2
2022 2275 91.1 24.9 21.9
2023 2233 91.4 24.4 22.4
2024 2161 95.1 22.7 23.1

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 Poway High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2907 120.2 24.1 n/a
1989 3031 126.6 23.9 n/a
1990 3129 131.4 23.8 n/a
1991 2706 115.4 23.4 n/a
1992 2639 117.3 22.4 3.1
1993 2626 107.5 24.4 3.2
1994 2678 112.2 23.9 3.6
1995 3025 121.7 24.9 8.1
1996 3025 121.7 24.9 8.1
1997 3158 121.6 26.0 7.7
1998 3331 131.2 25.4 8.1
1999 3379 129.2 26.2 7.8
2000 3412 136.3 25.0 7.2
2001 3384 140.4 24.1 8.9
2002 3124 126.7 24.7 6.8
2003 3124 126.7 24.7 6.8
2004 3121 126.1 24.8 8.6
2005 3193 126.6 25.2 8.5
2006 3061 123.7 24.7 8.1
2007 3045 125.7 24.2 7.5
2008 2921 136.2 21.4 10.2
2009 2879 117.4 22.2 10.6
2010 2699 98.2 27.4 13.3
2011 2605 n/a n/a 14.1
2012 2439 85.6 28.4 n/a
2013 2378 81.9 29.0 14.8
2014 2359 80.1 29.4 18.6
2015 2252 83.0 27.1 20.3
2016 2250 86.0 26.1 20.8
2017 2228 89.1 24.9 17.6
2018 2262 87.9 25.7 24.5
2019 2253 85.1 26.4 25.7
2020 2293 n/a n/a 23.7
2021 2251 90.3 24.9 22.2
2022 2275 91.1 24.9 21.9
2023 2233 91.4 24.4 22.4
2024 2161 95.1 22.7 23.1

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 Poway High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $7,705

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Poway 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 215th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 231st of 2348 High schools
 0.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Poway High)67.166.9
 0.2%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Poway Unified)77.780.8
 3.2%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Poway High)55.749.9
 5.8%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Poway Unified)69.465.2
 4.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Poway High)42.345.5
 3.2%
   12th Grade Science (Poway Unified)47.157.8
 10.6%
   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 Students22532233
 0.9%
African American4620
 56.5%
American Indian53
 40%
Asian201175
 12.9%
Hispanic566699
 23.5%
Pacific Islander115
 54.5%
White12781092
 14.6%
Two or More Races146235
 61%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients25.7%22.4%
 3.4%


Schools Near Poway High









Frequently Asked Questions about Poway High

Students at Poway High are 49% White, 31% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races, 7% Asian, 1% African American.

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,161 students attended Poway High.

Poway High ranks 294th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Poway High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Garden Road Elementary
Elementary : Midland Elementary
Elementary : Painted Rock Elementary
Elementary : Pomerado Elementary
Elementary : Tierra Bonita Elementary
Elementary : Valley Elementary
Middle : Twin Peaks Middle


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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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