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Buena Vista Elementary

Public Grades K-5

383^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,804 California Elementary Schools

Better than 93% of California elementary schools

Summary

Located in Carlsbad, California, Buena Vista Elementary serves grades K–5 and enrolls 281 students in the Carlsbad Unified area. Its 2025–2026 proficiency rates were 76% in English language arts (ELA), 77% in mathematics and 65% in science. The most important finding is that results were well above state averages in all three subjects, with the largest advantage in mathematics: 39 percentage points above the state.

Mathematics is also Buena Vista’s clearest strength against nearby schools and its district: its 77% proficiency rate was 23 points above the nearby-school average of 54% and 15 points above the district’s 62%. ELA was 76%, 19 points above the nearby average and 5 points above the district; science was 65%, 19 points above nearby schools and 6 points above the district. Among the 11 schools, Buena Vista ranked third in math and fourth in ELA and science. Results vary by grade: third-grade math reached 87%, the highest among nearby schools, while fifth-grade math was 67%, below the district’s 69%. Fifth-grade ELA was stronger at 74%, though below the district’s 80%.

Scores have risen substantially since 2022–2023: ELA increased 19 percentage points, math 19 points and science 26 points. Even so, the state gaps widened by 17, 15 and 20 points, respectively; scores did not rise every year in every subject. SchoolDigger ranks Buena Vista 383rd of 5,804 schools, at the 93rd percentile with five stars—third among these 11 schools, behind Kelly Elementary and Magnolia Elementary, both at the 96th percentile. In 2024–2025, its student–teacher ratio was 23.4, slightly above the nearby average of 23.1; 40% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible, compared with a nearby average of 53%, using the same measure and school year. These figures provide context, not an explanation for the school’s results.

281

Students ?

23.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$35,099

Per pupil spending ?

39.9%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in California receive free school meals.

1330 Buena Vista Way
Carlsbad, CA 92009-1535

(760) 331-5400

District: Carlsbad Unified

Students who attend Buena Vista Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Valley Middle
High:	Carlsbad High

Racial breakdown:

White:

49.5%

Hispanic:

34.5%

Two or more races:

10.0%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Buena Vista Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 89th percentile in 2015 → 93rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (75% vs 42% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 7% of California elementary schools

Worth a look

!Large classes — about 23 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school75%

District avg65%

California avg42%

383^rd of 5,804

California public elementary schools ?

Top 7%▲ up 12 pts since 2016

From top 19% (2016) to top 7% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 9Elementary Schools in the Carlsbad Unified

95^th of 968Carlsbad Unified among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	94.4	383 of 5804	93.4%	★★★★★
2025	90.4	632 of 5857	89.2%	★★★★☆
2024	91.4	610 of 5869	89.6%	★★★★☆
2023	74.1	1422 of 5859	75.7%	★★★★☆
2022	85.9	897 of 5883	84.8%	★★★★☆
2019	84.2	953 of 5789	83.5%	★★★★☆
2018	85.2	878 of 5662	84.5%	★★★★☆
2017	92.5	486 of 5692	91.5%	★★★★★
2016	81.6	1061 of 5614	81.1%	★★★★☆
2015	89.6	636 of 5611	88.7%	★★★★☆
2013	69.5	1597 of 5530	71.1%	★★★★☆
2012	72.5	1394 of 5390	74.1%	★★★★☆
2011	72.0	1391 of 5377	74.1%	★★★★☆
2010	73.0	1330 of 5314	75.0%	★★★★☆
2009	82.7	845 of 5193	83.7%	★★★★☆
2008	51.0	2319 of 5113	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2007	71.5	1307 of 5113	74.4%	★★★★☆
2006	72.8	1224 of 4818	74.6%	★★★★☆
2005	70.5	1313 of 4822	72.8%	★★★★☆
2004	73.3	1182 of 4809	75.4%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	93.2	374 of 5569	93.3%	★★★★★
2025	86.9	755 of 5597	86.5%	★★★★☆
2024	92.5	458 of 5612	91.8%	★★★★★
2023	77.3	1202 of 5609	78.6%	★★★★☆
2022	84.4	898 of 5635	84.1%	★★★★☆
2019	80.6	1046 of 5492	81.0%	★★★★☆
2018	80.2	1029 of 5413	81.0%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	98.5	48 of 5085	99.1%	★★★★★
2025	93.8	208 of 5107	95.9%	★★★★★
2024	94.2	201 of 5107	96.1%	★★★★★
2023	67.1	1312 of 5087	74.2%	★★★★☆
2022	87.8	444 of 5084	91.3%	★★★★★
2019	87.8	396 of 4963	92.0%	★★★★★
2018	79.4	716 of 4830	85.2%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	94.5	173 of 5412	96.8%	★★★★★
2025	89.2	401 of 5460	92.7%	★★★★★
2024	87.0	553 of 5517	90.0%	★★★★☆
2023	81.3	724 of 5363	86.5%	★★★★☆
2022	80.1	755 of 5264	85.7%	★★★★☆
2019	76.4	873 of 5173	83.1%	★★★★☆
2018	74.3	967 of 5084	81.0%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	93.0	384 of 5590	93.1%	★★★★★
2025	91.4	498 of 5628	91.2%	★★★★★
2024	86.1	812 of 5643	85.6%	★★★★☆
2023	67.2	1631 of 5638	71.1%	★★★★☆
2022	83.8	927 of 5663	83.6%	★★★★☆
2019	85.4	802 of 5510	85.4%	★★★★☆
2018	86.9	747 of 5431	86.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	80.3	388 of 2532	84.7%	★★★★☆
2025	77.1	528 of 2598	79.7%	★★★★☆
2024	82.8	325 of 2651	87.7%	★★★★☆
2023	60.0	1113 of 2661	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	73.3	685 of 2726	74.9%	★★★★☆
2019	72.7	714 of 2834	74.8%	★★★★☆
2018	80.4	438 of 2737	84.0%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Hispanic (2026)99th percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)97th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)93rd percentile~ school

Male (2026)93rd percentile~ school

White (2026)85th percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs California (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics77%+39 vs state

English Language Arts/Literacy76%+27 vs state

Science65%+29 vs state

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Schools Near Buena Vista Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CAST Science (2026)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2026)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)				% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Buena Vista Elementary	Public	K-5	1330 Buena Vista Way	Carlsbad	92009	San Diego County	Carlsbad Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 331-5400	281	12	23.4	39.9%	139 (49.5%)	4 (1.4%)	97 (34.5%)	12 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (10.0%)	94.4	383^rd of 5804 public elementary schools	93.4%		90.4	632^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	89.2%	249	65.1	65.1	76.9	77.1	73.8	76.1	86.5	75.0	67.4	76.9	94.3			94.3			$35,099	$34,658	$441
South Oceanside Elementary	Public	K-5	1806 South Horne St.	Oceanside	92054	San Diego County	Oceanside Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 435-2100	487	18	27.0	65.7%	175 (35.9%)	0 (0.0%)	245 (50.3%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (12.9%)	53.5	2406^th of 5804 public elementary schools	58.5%		43.1	2998^th of 5857 public elementary schools	48.8%	592	26.6	26.6	61.4	57.8	34.6	50.7	51.4	57.8	23.1	43.4	94.7	96.8	96.8		95.7		$21,690	$20,634	$1,056
Magnolia Elementary	Public	K-5	1905 Magnolia Ave.	Carlsbad	92009	San Diego County	Carlsbad Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 331-5600	488	20	24.4	21.1%	344 (70.5%)	0 (0.0%)	86 (17.6%)	10 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (9.8%)	95.9	247^th of 5804 public elementary schools	95.7%		95.2	310^th of 5857 public elementary schools	94.7%	63	69.1	69.1	82.7	76.3	80.0	79.6	81.3	80.4	74.1	78.2	95.7	95.7	95.7	97.1	95.7	97.1	$21,470	$21,032	$438
Jefferson Elementary	Public	K-5	3743 Jefferson St.	Carlsbad	92009	San Diego County	Carlsbad Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 331-5500	471	23	20.2	54.4%	185 (39.3%)	11 (2.3%)	224 (47.6%)	8 (1.7%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (8.1%)	61.8	1998^th of 5804 public elementary schools	65.6%		65.1	1832^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	68.7%	166	38.7	38.7	39.1	61.2	53.2	51.3	51.6	58.2	35.5	48.7	91.7	96.7	95.0	95.0	93.3	95.0	$28,149	$27,150	$999
Palmquist Elementary	Public	K-5	1999 California St.	Oceanside	92054	San Diego County	Oceanside Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 901-8500	512	19	26.3	56.4%	230 (44.9%)	9 (1.8%)	220 (43.0%)	5 (1.0%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	43 (8.4%)	50.6	2570^th of 5804 public elementary schools	55.7%		47.9	2712^th of 5857 public elementary schools	53.7%	142	30.8	30.8	44.3	47.1	46.8	46.2	55.1	39.5	32.5	41.8							$23,640	$22,366	$1,274
Hope Elementary	Public	K-5	3010 Tamarack Ave.	Carlsbad	92009	San Diego County	Carlsbad Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 331-5900	659	30	21.9	27.2%	365 (55.4%)	3 (0.5%)	163 (24.7%)	29 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	96 (14.6%)	91.7	555^th of 5804 public elementary schools	90.4%		90.6	624^th of 5857 public elementary schools	89.3%	69	73.4	73.4	78.6	62.0	83.0	73.7	75.9	68.6	64.9	70.0							$22,859	$22,420	$439
Kelly Elementary	Public	K-5	4885 Kelly Dr.	Carlsbad	92009	San Diego County	Carlsbad Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 331-5800	449	22	19.9	20.9%	270 (60.1%)	8 (1.8%)	72 (16.0%)	32 (7.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (14.5%)	95.8	250^th of 5804 public elementary schools	95.7%		96.4	202^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	96.6%	48	74.0	74.0	73.1	75.7	82.2	76.9	84.6	77.0	79.5	80.4	96.8						$27,973	$27,602	$371
Mission Elementary	Public	K-5	2100 Mission Ave.	Oceanside	92058	San Diego County	Oceanside Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 966-8700	419	17	24.6	90.9%	31 (7.4%)	6 (1.4%)	363 (86.6%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	11 (2.6%)	32.5	3772^nd of 5804 public elementary schools	35.0%		33.2	3707^th of 5857 public elementary schools	36.7%	65	18.0	18.0	26.8	33.3	42.3	35.0	41.1	33.3	30.8	34.5							$24,024	$22,588	$1,436
Christa McAuliffe Elementary	Public	K-5	3701 Kelton Dr.	Oceanside	92056	San Diego County	Oceanside Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 901-8400	461	20	22.9	59.0%	162 (35.1%)	9 (2.0%)	225 (48.8%)	13 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	48 (10.4%)	59	2110^th of 5804 public elementary schools	63.6%		45.3	2870^th of 5857 public elementary schools	51.0%	760	47.0	47.0	36.0	50.0	60.0	49.8	26.5	51.8	42.4	42.4	92.9	95.3		94.1	95.3	95.3	$22,709	$21,926	$783
Calavera Hills Elementary	Public	K-5	4100 Tamarack Ave.	Carlsbad	92009	San Diego County	Carlsbad Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 331-6300	441	20	22.0	45.1%	194 (44.0%)	2 (0.5%)	181 (41.0%)	25 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (8.6%)	86.5	836^th of 5804 public elementary schools	85.6%		81.7	1089^th of 5857 public elementary schools	81.4%	253	60.3	60.3	55.3	68.2	73.4	65.1	67.1	76.9	59.4	67.8							$24,897	$24,040	$857

Frequently Asked Questions about Buena Vista Elementary

Is Buena Vista Elementary a good school?

Yes. Buena Vista Elementary ranks in the top 6.6% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend Buena Vista Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 281 students attended Buena Vista Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Buena Vista Elementary attend?

Students who attend Buena Vista Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Valley Middle
High : Carlsbad High

What is the racial makeup of Buena Vista Elementary?

Students at Buena Vista Elementary are 49% White, 35% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 1% African American.

What district is Buena Vista Elementary in?

Carlsbad Unified

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Latest California data All new data »

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 15, 2026

2025–26 CAST, CSA Spanish & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresNewOct 15, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJul 1, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataMar 13, 2026

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.