Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District

28751 Cole Grade Rd.
Valley Center, CA 92082-6599
(District boundaries shown in map)
2/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 6 public elementary schools serving 2,543 students in Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 2/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in California.
Public Elementary Schools in Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District have an average math proficiency score of 16% (versus the California public elementary school average of 35%), and reading proficiency score of 29% (versus the 45% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 80% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the California public elementary school average of 79% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
8 Schools
7,700 Schools
# Students
3,700 Students
3,822,920 Students
# Teachers
169 Teachers
174,006 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
22:1
22:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District, which is ranked #1597 of all 1,925 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 94% has increased from 90% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (CA)
#1566 out of 1941 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
16%
33%
29%
47%
19%
29%
94%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.55
0.64
% American Indian
8%
1%
% Asian
1%
12%
% Hispanic
63%
55%
% Black
1%
5%
% White
21%
21%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,677 in this school district is less than the state median of $19,974. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $13,480 is less than the state median of $18,396. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (CA)
Total Revenue
$58 MM
$116,387 MM
Spending
$50 MM
$107,188 MM
Revenue / Student
$15,677
$19,974
Spending / Student
$13,480
$18,396

Best Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Lilac
(Math: 31% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
30109 Lilac Rd.
Valley Center, CA 92082
(760) 751-1042
Grades: K-5
| 456 students
Rank: #22.
Valley Center Elementary School
(Math: 19% | Reading: 25%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
28751 Cole Grade Rd.
Valley Center, CA 92082
(760) 749-1631
Grades: 3-5
| 459 students
Rank: #33.
Valley Center Prep
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 30-39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
28751-u Cole Grade Rd.
Valley Center, CA 92082
(760) 751-0455
Grades: K-12
| 78 students
Rank: #44.
Valley Center Middle School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 27%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
28102 North Lake Wohlford Rd.
Valley Center, CA 92082
(760) 751-4295
Grades: 6-8
| 778 students
Rank: #55.
Pauma Elementary School
(Math: 6-9% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
33158 Cole Grade Rd.
Pauma Valley, CA 92061
(760) 742-3741
Grades: K-8
| 260 students
Rank: n/an/a
Valley Center Primary
14249 Fruitvale Rd.
Valley Center, CA 92082
(760) 749-8282
Grades: K-2
| 512 students

Recent Articles

Texas Schools: The Voucher/School Choice Debate
Texas Schools: The Voucher/School Choice Debate
The issue of school choice and a voucher system is currently being revisited in Houston and across the state of Texas, with strong opinions on both sides of the debate.
Fuel Up to Play 60 Focuses on Integrating Fitness and Wellness into the School Day
Fuel Up to Play 60 Focuses on Integrating Fitness and Wellness into the School Day
What if NFL players came to your school? With the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, sponsored by the National Dairy Council and the NFL, nutrition and exercise are promoted during the school day. NFL players participate in the program by coming to schools and talking to students about fitness. Learn more about the program and some of the schools that are implementing it.
What Parents Need to Know About Lunch Shaming
What Parents Need to Know About Lunch Shaming
Students all over the nation go hungry every day not because their schools don’t offer lunch, but because they refuse them to children with outstanding debts. Read on to learn about the horror that is lunch shaming and what can be done about it.

Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 8 schools
  • Grades: KG-12
  • Enrollment: 3,700 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 22:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 79%
  • : 94% (Top 30% in CA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 16% (Btm 50%)
  • : 29% (Btm 50%)
  • : 19% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), CA Dept. of Education

Quick Links