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5.8avg / 10

Vista Unified School District

School District · Vista, California

Students: 18,469
Teachers (FTE): 867

Avg Rating

5.8

out of 10

Schools

28

16 elem, 5 mid, 6 high

Enrollment

18,469

Student-Teacher Ratio

21.3:1

How this district compares

California rank

#521 of 713

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

-0.5

below California avg

Per-pupil spending

$17,647

+$0 vs California median

District size

18,469 students

Much larger than California median

The short answer

Vista Unified ranks #521 of 713 California districts by overall school rating. Vista Unified's schools with real test data average 5.8/10 across 27 schools. Its top-rated schools are Monte Vista Elementary (7.7/10), Mission Vista High (7.4/10), and Lake Elementary (7.3/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds
Vista Visions Academy

Rates 7.2/10 despite 70% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.7 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 Vista Unified schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
T.h.e Leadership Academy

STAAR proficiency rose +6.4 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Vista Unified schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Vista Unified

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (27 of 28). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1Monte Vista Elementary7.7 / 10
2Mission Vista High7.4 / 10
3Lake Elementary7.3 / 10
4Vista Visions Academy7.2 / 10
5T.h.e Leadership Academy7.1 / 10
6Rancho Buena Vista High7.0 / 10
7Alamosa Park Elementary7.0 / 10
8Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts6.9 / 10
9Empresa Elementary6.8 / 10
10Madison Middle6.6 / 10

See all 28 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Vista Unified

Vista Unified is a Vista, California school district serving 28 schools.The district educates 18,469 students with a student-teacher ratio of 21.3:1. District-level spending was $17,647 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).

With an average rating of 5.8/10, Vista Unified demonstrates solid academic performance.

The highest-rated school in the district is Monte Vista Elementary, which has a composite score of 7.7/10.

In standardized testing, Vista Unified students show an average math proficiency of 38.1% and ELA proficiency of 44.4%.

The district includes 16 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, and 6 high schools.

District Map

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

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency38.1%
School
State
Not reported
ELA Proficiency44.4%
School
State
Not reported

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

District Details

State
California
City
Vista
Total Enrollment
18,469
Teachers (FTE)
867
District spending per student
$17,647NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
Child poverty rate
10.8%Census SAIPE · 2024
District directory year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Vista Unified?

Vista Unified has 28 schools in total — 16 elementary, 5 middle, and 6 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Vista Unified?

The average composite rating for Vista Unified is 5.8/10. 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 Vista Unified?

Vista Unified's district-level spending was $17,647 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 Vista Unified?

The average student-teacher ratio in Vista Unified is 21.3:1.

What is the top-rated school in Vista Unified?

Monte Vista Elementary is the highest-rated school in Vista Unified with a composite score of 7.7/10.

What are the test scores in Vista Unified?

Across schools in Vista Unified with test data, the average math proficiency is 38.1% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 44.4%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Vista Unified compare to other districts in California?

Vista Unified has an average school rating of 5.8/10 across 28 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
5.8/10
Math Proficiency
38.1%
ELA Proficiency
44.4%

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 Vista 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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