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6.3avg / 10

Carlsbad Unified School District

School District · Carlsbad, California

Students: 10,832
Teachers (FTE): 483

Avg Rating

6.3

out of 10

Schools

16

9 elem, 3 mid, 3 high

Enrollment

10,832

Student-Teacher Ratio

22.4:1

How this district compares

California rank

#343 of 713

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

+0.0

above California avg

Per-pupil spending

$15,076

$2,571 vs California median

District size

10,832 students

Much larger than California median

The short answer

Carlsbad Unified ranks #343 of 713 California districts by overall school rating. Carlsbad Unified's schools with real test data average 6.3/10 across 16 schools. Its top-rated schools are Kelly Elementary (8.0/10), Calavera Hills Elementary (7.9/10), and Carlsbad High (7.8/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds
Kelly Elementary

Rates 8.0/10 despite 12% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.8 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Carlsbad Unified schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Poinsettia Elementary

STAAR proficiency rose +7.5 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Carlsbad Unified schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Carlsbad Unified

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (16 of 16). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1Kelly Elementary8.0 / 10
2Calavera Hills Elementary7.9 / 10
3Carlsbad High7.8 / 10
4Carlsbad Village Academy7.2 / 10
5Sage Creek High6.7 / 10
6Pacific Rim Elementary6.7 / 10
7Aviara Oaks Middle6.6 / 10
8Carlsbad Seaside Academy6.0 / 10
9Valley Middle5.9 / 10
10Hope Elementary5.9 / 10

See all 16 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Carlsbad Unified

Carlsbad Unified is a Carlsbad, California school district serving 16 schools.The district educates 10,832 students with a student-teacher ratio of 22.4:1. District-level spending was $15,076 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).

With an average rating of 6.3/10, Carlsbad Unified demonstrates solid academic performance.

The highest-rated school in the district is Kelly Elementary, which has a composite score of 8.0/10.

In standardized testing, Carlsbad Unified students show an average math proficiency of 65.5% and ELA proficiency of 72.6%.

The district includes 9 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 3 high schools.

District Map

Schools in Carlsbad Unified, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency65.5%
School
State
Not reported
ELA Proficiency72.6%
School
State
Not reported

Average proficiency across all schools in Carlsbad Unified with test data.

District Details

State
California
City
Carlsbad
Total Enrollment
10,832
Teachers (FTE)
483
District spending per student
$15,076NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
Child poverty rate
5.4%Census SAIPE · 2024
District directory year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Carlsbad Unified?

Carlsbad Unified has 16 schools in total — 9 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Carlsbad Unified?

The average composite rating for Carlsbad Unified is 6.3/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the district spending per student in Carlsbad Unified?

Carlsbad Unified's district-level spending was $15,076 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Carlsbad Unified?

The average student-teacher ratio in Carlsbad Unified is 22.4:1.

What is the top-rated school in Carlsbad Unified?

Kelly Elementary is the highest-rated school in Carlsbad Unified with a composite score of 8.0/10.

What are the test scores in Carlsbad Unified?

Across schools in Carlsbad Unified with test data, the average math proficiency is 65.5% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 72.6%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Carlsbad Unified compare to other districts in California?

Carlsbad Unified has an average school rating of 6.3/10 across 16 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in California by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools?

MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.

District Averages

Overall Rating
6.3/10
Math Proficiency
65.5%
ELA Proficiency
72.6%

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Other School Districts in CA

Compare Carlsbad Unified with neighboring districts in the state.

See all districts in CA →

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.

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