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Deer Canyon Elementary

Public Grades K-5

208^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Elementary Schools

Better than 96% of California elementary schools

Summary

Deer Canyon Elementary is a high-performing K-5 public school with 354 students in the affluent 92129 area, operating within the highly-ranked Poway Unified School District in San Diego.

The school consistently ranks among the top 4% of all California elementary schools, a distinction it has held for a decade, thanks to exceptional academic results. Its students excel, particularly in science, where over 80% are proficient—a rate that outpaces nearby high-flyers like Park Village Elementary and Willow Grove Elementary. Deer Canyon also boasts one of the lowest chronic absenteeism rates in the region at just 5.6%, which is strongly linked to high achievement. The school receives the highest per-student funding among compared Poway Unified schools, supporting a slightly smaller class size.

Deer Canyon stands out for its effective support of all students, having ranked in the 99th percentile statewide for its economically disadvantaged subgroup. While other local schools like Pacific Sky (in the Del Mar Union Elementary district) show similar elite performance, Deer Canyon's strength in science and remarkable consistency make it a standout. Its performance is part of a cluster of excellent schools in the area, all benefiting from the strong foundation of the Poway Unified district.

354

Students ?

21.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$31,930

Per pupil spending ?

10.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

13455 Russet Leaf Ln.
San Diego, CA 92129-4411

(858) 484-6064

District: Poway Unified

Students who attend Deer Canyon Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Mesa Verde Middle
High:	Westview High

Racial breakdown:

Asian:

50.0%

White:

27.4%

Two or more races:

11.6%

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Compare Deer Canyon Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 99th percentile in 2013 → 96th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (81% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 4% of California elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Poway Unified

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school81%

District avg68%

California avg41%

208^th of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Top 4%▼ down 2 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 26Elementary Schools in the Poway Unified

106^th of 1,543Poway 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
2025	96.4	208 of 5857	96.4%	★★★★★
2024	96.4	223 of 5869	96.2%	★★★★★
2023	98.2	75 of 5859	98.7%	★★★★★
2022	98.1	92 of 5883	98.4%	★★★★★
2019	97.0	148 of 5789	97.4%	★★★★★
2018	97.9	78 of 5662	98.6%	★★★★★
2017	98.2	65 of 5692	98.9%	★★★★★
2016	98.5	29 of 5614	99.5%	★★★★★
2015	98.0	104 of 5611	98.1%	★★★★★
2013	95.6	80 of 5530	98.6%	★★★★★
2012	93.9	158 of 5390	97.1%	★★★★★
2011	94.0	187 of 5377	96.5%	★★★★★
2010	94.6	155 of 5314	97.1%	★★★★★
2009	96.0	107 of 5193	97.9%	★★★★★
2008	96.5	102 of 5113	98.0%	★★★★★
2007	97.1	96 of 5113	98.1%	★★★★★
2006	97.0	108 of 4818	97.8%	★★★★★
2005	95.9	166 of 4822	96.6%	★★★★★
2004	93.1	330 of 4809	93.1%	★★★★★

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	78.8	194 of 1203	83.9%	★★★★☆
2024	81.4	130 of 1205	89.2%	★★★★☆
2023	83.4	76 of 1190	93.6%	★★★★★
2022	81.1	119 of 1154	89.7%	★★★★☆
2019	80.1	135 of 1149	88.3%	★★★★☆
2018	81.7	87 of 1071	91.9%	★★★★★

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	99.7	13 of 2227	99.4%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	96.2	167 of 5597	97.0%	★★★★★
2024	96.6	147 of 5612	97.4%	★★★★★
2023	97.1	124 of 5609	97.8%	★★★★★
2022	97.7	79 of 5635	98.6%	★★★★★
2019	96.1	152 of 5492	97.2%	★★★★★
2018	96.9	92 of 5413	98.3%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	99.0	56 of 5517	99.0%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	94.9	271 of 5628	95.2%	★★★★★
2024	94.9	291 of 5643	94.8%	★★★★★
2023	98.2	52 of 5638	99.1%	★★★★★
2022	97.2	135 of 5663	97.6%	★★★★★
2019	95.9	183 of 5510	96.7%	★★★★★
2018	97.9	65 of 5431	98.8%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2023	72.3	187 of 669	72.0%	★★★★☆
2019	77.1	81 of 445	81.8%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2023	55.4	765 of 2420	68.4%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	80.5	400 of 2598	84.6%	★★★★☆
2024	69.5	819 of 2651	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	84.9	250 of 2661	90.6%	★★★★★
2022	90.6	89 of 2726	96.7%	★★★★★
2019	83.8	309 of 2834	89.1%	★★★★☆
2018	88.8	125 of 2737	95.4%	★★★★★

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)

Disabled (2022)99th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)99th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)97th percentile~ school

Male (2025)95th percentile~ school

White (2025)85th percentile-12 vs school

Asian (2025)84th percentile-13 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)72nd percentile-27 vs school

Special Education (2023)68th percentile-30 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics82%+45 vs state

Science81%+48 vs state

English Language Arts/Literacy80%+31 vs state

★

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Schools Near Deer Canyon 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 (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)					Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)					% 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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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 6th 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 6th 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
Deer Canyon Elementary	Public	K-5	13455 Russet Leaf Ln.	San Diego	92129	San Diego County	Poway Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(858) 484-6064	354	17	21.1	10.2%	97 (27.4%)	6 (1.7%)	33 (9.3%)	177 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (11.6%)	96.4	208^th of 5857 public elementary schools	96.4%		96.4	223^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	96.2%	15	80.9	80.9	80.0	74.3	87.2		79.7	85.3	76.1	87.2		82.1							$31,930	$31,170	$760
Sundance Elementary	Public	K-5	8944 Twin Trails Dr.	San Diego	92129	San Diego County	Poway Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(858) 484-2950	428	20	21.1	14.5%	148 (34.6%)	4 (0.9%)	62 (14.5%)	156 (36.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	56 (13.1%)	91.7	565^th of 5857 public elementary schools	90.4%		93.4	484^th of 5869 public elementary schools	91.8%	81	60.5	60.5	69.0	77.5	77.6		75.1	70.7	78.9	59.2		69.3							$28,935	$28,696	$239
Adobe Bluffs Elementary	Public	K-5	8707 Adobe Bluffs Dr.	San Diego	92129	San Diego County	Poway Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(858) 538-8403	586	28	20.7	13.8%	133 (22.7%)	5 (0.9%)	49 (8.4%)	289 (49.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	105 (17.9%)	97.2	134^th of 5857 public elementary schools	97.7%		96.5	215^th of 5869 public elementary schools	96.3%	81	68.4	68.4	92.9	91.9	78.5		88.0	92.9	89.5	68.4		84.0							$25,196	$24,762	$434
Sunset Hills Elementary	Public	K-5	9291 Oviedo St.	San Diego	92129	San Diego County	Poway Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(858) 484-1600	381	15	25.0	10.0%	164 (43.0%)	6 (1.6%)	68 (17.8%)	99 (26.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (11.0%)	93.6	432^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	92.6%		89.5	724^th of 5869 public elementary schools	87.7%	292	63.5	63.5	71.8	75.0	79.7		75.5	73.1	75.0	75.3		74.4	96.8	96.8		96.8	96.8	96.8	$25,580	$25,104	$476
Canyon View Elementary	Public	K-5	9225 Adolphia St.	San Diego	92129	San Diego County	Poway Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(858) 484-0981	505	25	20.4	15.6%	155 (30.7%)	8 (1.6%)	66 (13.1%)	193 (38.2%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	79 (15.6%)	93.4	447^th of 5857 public elementary schools	92.4%		93.2	499^th of 5869 public elementary schools	91.5%	52	64.1	64.1	75.0	70.4	74.0		73.2	81.6	81.7	65.4		76.0	96.5			96.5			$27,842	$27,118	$724
Park Village Elementary	Public	K-5	7930 Park Village Rd.	San Diego	92129	San Diego County	Poway Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(858) 484-5621	671	30	22.5	8.8%	176 (26.2%)	5 (0.7%)	63 (9.4%)	357 (53.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	66 (9.8%)	96.6	185^th of 5857 public elementary schools	96.8%		96.4	227^th of 5869 public elementary schools	96.1%	42	78.3	78.3	78.0	80.7	81.0		79.9	79.1	86.0	78.3		81.2	94.6	95.5	97.3	95.5	94.6	94.6	$27,433	$27,022	$411
Pacific Sky	Public	K-6	6631 Solterra Vista Pkwy.	San Diego	92130	San Diego County	Del Mar Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(858) 755-9301	368	17	21.6	11.1%	106 (28.8%)	3 (0.8%)	31 (8.4%)	186 (50.5%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	39 (10.6%)	96.8	167^th of 5857 public elementary schools	97.1%		94.5	389^th of 5869 public elementary schools	93.4%	222	78.2	78.2	75.0	73.6	88.5	84.3	81.2	82.7	77.4	80.8	80.4	80.3							$25,953	$25,226	$727
Willow Grove Elementary	Public	K-5	14727 Via Azul	San Diego	92127	San Diego County	Poway Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(858) 674-6300	701	33	21.4	14.1%	256 (36.5%)	9 (1.3%)	104 (14.8%)	239 (34.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	92 (13.1%)	96.8	171^st of 5857 public elementary schools	97.1%		96.1	251^st of 5869 public elementary schools	95.7%	80	75.8	75.8	80.6	72.6	87.6		80.8	83.3	80.4	83.7		82.6	97.3			97.3	98.0	97.3	$27,340	$27,084	$256
Ericson Elementary	Public	K-5	11174 Westonhill Dr.	San Diego	92126	San Diego County	San Diego Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(858) 271-0505	650	27	24.0	39.7%	83 (12.8%)	21 (3.2%)	124 (19.1%)	345 (53.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	77 (11.8%)	91.5	580^th of 5857 public elementary schools	90.1%		92.6	525^th of 5869 public elementary schools	91.1%	55	61.5	61.5	77.0	64.4	81.7		74.5	75.6	62.5	73.2		70.6	97.0			97.8			$28,636	$27,558	$1,078
Sandburg Elementary	Public	K-5	11230 Avenida del Gato	San Diego	92126	San Diego County	San Diego Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(858) 566-0510	570	24	23.3	43.5%	97 (17.0%)	5 (0.9%)	102 (17.9%)	263 (46.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	103 (18.1%)	85.3	911^th of 5857 public elementary schools	84.4%		90.4	677^th of 5869 public elementary schools	88.5%	234	54.6	54.6	59.2	65.2	67.7		63.8	72.4	60.6	65.2		66.4							$27,487	$26,130	$1,357

Frequently Asked Questions about Deer Canyon Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Deer Canyon Elementary?

Students at Deer Canyon Elementary are 50% Asian, 27% White, 12% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic, 2% African American.

Is Deer Canyon Elementary a good school?

Yes! Deer Canyon Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 208^th of 5857 California elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Deer Canyon Elementary attend?

Students who attend Deer Canyon Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Mesa Verde Middle
High : Westview High

How many students attend Deer Canyon Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 354 students attended Deer Canyon Elementary.

What district is Deer Canyon Elementary in?

Poway Unified

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Latest California data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataJul 1, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataMar 13, 2026

2024–25 CSA Spanish test scoresDec 22, 2025

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 14, 2025

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.