Summary:
ZIP code 93304 has 15 schools—11 elementary, two middle and two high—and reported 2025–2026 schoolwide proficiency varies widely. The school averages were 29% in English language arts (ELA), 16% in math and 18% in science, compared with California results of 49%, 38% and 36%, respectively; math had the largest average gap, at 23 percentage points. The clearest exception—and the most important finding for families—is W. A. Kendrick Elementary, the strongest school in all three subjects.
Kendrick scored 68% in ELA, 54% in math and 42% in science, leading the list in each and exceeding state results by 19, 16 and 6 points. At the other end, Rafer Johnson had the lowest reported results: 9% in ELA, 4% in math and 0% in science; its enrollment is 32. Shared-grade comparisons also show differences: in grade 11, South High scored 50% in ELA and 13% in math, versus 10% and 5% at Vista Continuation High. South’s graduation rate was 93%, compared with Vista’s 70%.
Recent changes are mixed: the average ELA gap to the state narrowed slightly, math’s widened by about 1 point, and science’s was nearly unchanged. Sequoia Junior High improved in all three subjects, by 8 points in ELA, 4 in math and 5 in science. SchoolDigger ranks Kendrick in the state’s 79th percentile; other reported schools range from the 7th to the 42nd percentile. Context measures do not form a simple guide to results: Kendrick’s 2024–2025 student-teacher ratio was 22.4, compared with 18.3 at Frank West Elementary. Thirteen schools report free/reduced lunch eligible figures for 2024–2025, ranging from 90% to 98%; Kendrick was at 93%. These are contrasts, not explanations for achievement. Schools serve different grade spans, so area-wide comparisons are broad; shared-grade results are more directly comparable.
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