Skip to main content

Public high school · Vista Unified · Vista, California

Vista High

Vista High rates 5.7, right at the middle of Vista Unified's high schools, whose rated median is 5.6.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.7this school

5.7 on a one-to-ten scale; the Vista Unified median is 5.6.

#6,428 of 9,557 schools in California · Vista Unified: 6 high schools rated, median 5.6

The brief

A Vista Unified high school where students score 8 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 6,428 of 9,557 schools in California and 16 of 27 in Vista Unified.

Vista High is listed in Vista Unified, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math12%22 points below the California average of 34%2025 CAASPP
Reading41%12 points below the California average of 53%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency has fallen 6 points since 2020, to 27% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).2025 CAASPP; 34 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
4.3
25% of the rating
Academics
4.6
25% of the rating
College Readiness
6.6
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
7.3
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 27% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 92084; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Vista High and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$97,410
Median home value
$745,800
Median rent
$1,936/mo
College educated
27.1%
Homeownership
57.6%
Poverty rate
9.5%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92084; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
64
Somewhat Walkable
Transit Score
33
Some Transit
Bike Score
47
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
749/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Vista. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Vista), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
3 AP courses · IB Programme
16.6% participation · state average 2.6 AP courses · 110 IB enrolled · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
21 sports
10 boys' · 11 girls' · 45 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
72.9%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 7.5Compare →
  2. 7.2Compare →
  3. Guajome Learning Centers0.7 mi · charter
    6.3Compare →
  4. Vista Springs Charter0.4 mi · charter
    5.9Compare →
  5. Vista Highthis school
    5.7
  6. 5.4Compare →
  7. 5.0Compare →
  8. 4.5Compare →
  9. 3.2Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and four rate higher than Vista High.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Vista High serve?

Vista High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Vista High?

Vista High has an enrollment of approximately 1,896 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista High?

The student-teacher ratio at Vista High is 19:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Vista High rank in CA?

Vista High ranks #6,428 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is Vista High's MySchoolScout rating?

Vista High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Vista High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Vista High has 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Vista High a charter school?

No, Vista High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Vista High a Title I school?

No, Vista High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Vista High?

72.9% of students at Vista High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,896
Student-teacher ratio
19:1
Teachers (FTE)
100
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large Suburb
County
San Diego County
4-year graduation
87.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#16 of 27
Schools in district
28
District spending per student
$17,647
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.8%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 92084)
49,533
Area average commute
28.1 min
Area median age
34.9

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.