Summary
Major General Raymond Murray High is a 146-student high school serving grades 10–12 in Vista, within Vista Unified. In 2025–26, just 7% of students were proficient in English language arts (ELA), 2% in math and 0% in science; graduation was 40%, while chronic absenteeism was 87%. The most serious concern is the combination of very low proficiency and graduation with exceptionally high reported chronic absenteeism.
Results are low against the state, district and nearby schools, although math is the most consistent relative bright spot—not a strong result in absolute terms. ELA proficiency was 42 percentage points below the state and 38 below the district; math was 36 and 32 points lower, respectively; science was 36 and 34 points lower. Compared with the eight nearby schools with results, proficiency averaged 61% in ELA, 38% in math and 41% in science, leaving this school 54, 36 and 41 points behind. It ranked second-lowest of the nine schools in ELA, ahead of Alta Vista High (Continuation), and lowest in math and science. Graduation was 40%, versus 75% in the district and 88% statewide. Its 4% dropout rate, however, was below the district’s 20% and the state’s 8%.
The longer-term picture is concerning: ELA proficiency fell from 18% in 2022–23 to 7% in 2025–26 as the state’s rate rose from 47% to 49%, widening the state gap from 29 to 42 points. Math and ELA improved from their 2024–25 results, but the school’s SchoolDigger statewide standing declined from the 12th percentile in 2023–24 to the 6th in 2024–25 and the 2nd in 2025–26; its current rating is 0 stars, the lowest among nearby schools with rankings. Resources differ from these outcomes: the 2024–25 student–teacher ratio was 10.3, and spending was $48,252 per student, compared with a nearby-school average of $29,165. In 2024–25, 90% were free/reduced lunch eligible. SchoolDigger’s Special Education Students ranking also changed sharply, from 872nd of 1,216 schools (28th percentile, 1 star) in 2023–24 to 1,226th of 1,235 (1st percentile, 0 stars) in 2025–26, indicating a much lower relative ranking for this group.
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