Valley Center Prep

Q: Is Valley Center Prep a good school?

Valley Center Prep ranks 1419 th of 2323 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Valley Center Prep is an alternative public school located in Valley Center, California, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 84 students. The school is part of the Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District, which is ranked 1288 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Valley Center Prep has seen a significant improvement in its four-year graduation rates, increasing from 40.9% in 2018-2019 to 80.8% in the 2022-2023 school year, outperforming the district's average. Correspondingly, the school's dropout rates have decreased from a high of 36.4% in 2018-2019 to 15.4% in the 2022-2023 school year, though this is still higher than the state average. Valley Center Prep also outperforms the district and the state in several key test score metrics, particularly in English Language Arts/Literacy, with 61.54% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in Smarter Balanced Assessments/ELA/Literacy, compared to 45.67% for the district and 55.73% for the state.

When compared to nearby alternative schools, Valley Center Prep's performance is mixed. While it outperforms some schools, such as Audeo Charter II and Guajome Learning Centers, in areas like graduation rates and test scores, it lags behind high-performing charter schools like Coastal Academy Charter and Dimensions Collaborative. Additionally, Valley Center Prep has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 43.78% to 64.29% over the past few years, and a student-teacher ratio that has improved from a high of 33.2 in 2020-2021 to 23 in the 2022-2023 school year, which is still higher than the ratios of many nearby schools.

Detail:

Public, Alternative K-12

28751-U Cole Grade Rd.
Valley Center, CA 92082

(760) 751-0455

District: Valley Center-Pauma Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1419^th of 2,323 California Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,966

Student/teacher ratio: 21.3

Number of students: 78

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

60.3%

American Indian:

21.8%

White:

14.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 64.1%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Valley Center Prep to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Valley Center Prep ranks worse than 61.1% of high schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.07. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Valley Center Prep who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Valley Center Prep is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (60.3%), American Indian (21.8%), White (14.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 64.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Valley Center Prep is 21.3. (See more...)

Compare Valley Center Prep employs 3.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Valley Center Prep is $12,966.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Valley Center Prep:

SchoolDigger ranks Valley Center Prep 1419^th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Valley Center Prep in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Hispanic students:

Valley Center-Pauma Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Valley Center-Pauma Unified 1288^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Valley Center Prep

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Rank History for all students at Valley Center Prep

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	26.09	1038^th	1653	37.2%
2005	25.87	1175^th	1901	38.2%
2006	12.73	1719^th	1968	12.7%
2007	14.59	1735^th	2063	15.9%
2008	28.82	1207^th	2117	43.0%
2009	33.42	1248^th	2238	44.2%
2010	30.92	1257^th	2281	44.9%
2011	41.12	1026^th	2367	56.7%
2012	42.17	1001^st	2354	57.5%
2013	42.31	1005^th	2426	58.6%
2018	33.46	1330^th	2017	34.1%
2019	28.03	1467^th	2133	31.2%
2022	16.80	1743^rd	2123	17.9%
2023	28.26	1466^th	2348	37.6%
2024	30.07	1419^th	2323	38.9%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Valley Center Prep

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	29.35	1370^th	1943	29.5%
2023	26.32	1514^th	2247	32.6%
2024	24.33	1554^th	2235	30.5%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Valley Center Prep

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	31.83	1300^th	2118	38.6%
2024	31.41	1315^th	2098	37.3%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Valley Center Prep

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	14.08	1768^th	2207	19.9%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Valley Center Prep

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	12.98	1656^th	1861	11.0%
2023	26.87	1447^th	2142	32.4%
2024	30.20	1368^th	2125	35.6%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Valley Center Prep

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2002	22	0	0	9	13	n/a	n/a	44
2003	22	0	0	9	13	n/a	n/a	44
2004	51	0	0	10	19	n/a	n/a	80
2005	39	0	0	17	17	n/a	n/a	73
2006	30	0	0	10	17	n/a	n/a	57
2007	29	0	1	15	6	n/a	n/a	51
2008	32	1	n/a	13	10	n/a	n/a	56
2009	35	3	0	18	9	0	0	65
2010	39	0	0	25	11	0	0	75
2011	38	0	0	14	13	0	1	66
2012	30	0	0	18	9	0	1	58
2013	38	0	0	18	15	1	1	73
2014	32	0	1	27	14	0	0	74
2015	39	0	1	22	12	0	9	83
2016	27	1	1	27	6	0	6	68
2017	20	1	0	23	10	0	6	60
2018	10	0	1	17	18	1	5	52
2019	13	1	1	20	13	0	2	50
2020	14	1	2	22	15	0	3	57
2021	51	0	1	86	30	0	17	185
2022	31	1	2	56	17	0	11	118
2023	20	0	0	39	24	0	1	84
2024	11	1	0	47	17	0	2	78

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Valley Center Prep

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	44	3.0	14.7	0
2003	44	3.0	14.7	0
2004	80	3.0	26.7	22.5
2005	73	2.0	36.5	26
2006	57	2.0	28.5	3.5
2007	51	1.8	28.3	15.7
2008	56	1.8	31.1	23.2
2009	65	1.7	36.1	23.1
2010	75	4.0	18.7	24
2011	66	n/a	n/a	0
2012	58	3.0	19.3	n/a
2013	73	3.0	24.3	38.4
2014	74	3.0	24.6	66.2
2015	83	4.0	20.7	49.4
2016	68	3.0	22.6	51.5
2017	60	2.0	30.0	40
2018	52	2.4	21.6	61.5
2019	50	2.0	25.0	50
2020	57	n/a	n/a	47.4
2021	185	5.5	33.2	43.8
2022	118	4.0	29.5	44.9
2023	84	3.6	23.0	64.3
2024	78	3.6	21.3	64.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Valley Center Prep

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	44	3.0	14.7	0
2003	44	3.0	14.7	0
2004	80	3.0	26.7	22.5
2005	73	2.0	36.5	26
2006	57	2.0	28.5	3.5
2007	51	1.8	28.3	15.7
2008	56	1.8	31.1	23.2
2009	65	1.7	36.1	23.1
2010	75	4.0	18.7	24
2011	66	n/a	n/a	0
2012	58	3.0	19.3	n/a
2013	73	3.0	24.3	38.4
2014	74	3.0	24.6	66.2
2015	83	4.0	20.7	49.4
2016	68	3.0	22.6	51.5
2017	60	2.0	30.0	40
2018	52	2.4	21.6	61.5
2019	50	2.0	25.0	50
2020	57	n/a	n/a	47.4
2021	185	5.5	33.2	43.8
2022	118	4.0	29.5	44.9
2023	84	3.6	23.0	64.3
2024	78	3.6	21.3	64.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Valley Center Prep

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$12,966

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Valley Center Prep

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1467^th of 2133 High schools	Ranks 1466^th of 2348 High schools	6.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Center Prep)	53.9	36.4	17.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)	52.9	47	5.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	57.3	55.4	1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Valley Center Prep)	7.7	0	7.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)	19.5	16.7	2.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (California)	32.2	27.4	4.9%
12th Grade Science (Valley Center Prep)	0	0
12th Grade Science (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)	25.1	17	8.1%
12th Grade Science (California)	25.6	26.8	1.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	50	84	68%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	13	24	84.6%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	20	39	95%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	13	20	53.8%
Two or More Races	2	1	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	50%	64.3%	14.3%

Schools Near Valley Center Prep

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				CAST Science (2024)					Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)								Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)								% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	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 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	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 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Total
Valley Center Prep	Public, Alternative	K-12	28751-U Cole Grade Rd.	Valley Center	92082	San Diego County	Valley Center-Pauma Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 751-0455	78	4	21.3	64.1%	11 (14.1%)	1 (1.3%)	47 (60.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (21.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.6%)								(n/a)		9.1		13.3	10.7							61.5	41.9							0.0	6.5							$12,966
Dimensions Collaborative	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	1441 Montiel Rd. Ste. 143	Escondido	92026	San Diego County	Dimensions Collaborative District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 743-7880	497	25	20.2	49.5%	200 (40.2%)	49 (9.9%)	167 (33.6%)	10 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	62 (12.5%)								(n/a)	30.8	42.5	45.0		39.5	35.3	50.0	31.6	29.3	53.3	52.5	63.3	44.7	35.3	38.2	23.1	29.3	34.0	37.5	33.3	32.8	63.0	65.2	80.4	65.2	65.2	65.2
Motivated Youth Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	500 La Terraza Blvd. #150	Escondido	92025	San Diego County	Motivated Youth Academy District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(619) 343-2048	212	13	16.5	72.6%	49 (23.1%)	12 (5.7%)	115 (54.2%)	3 (1.4%)	15 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (8.5%)								(n/a)		6.1	16.0	25.0	13.5					28.6	14.7	24.4	22.6					10.5	3.0	11.6	7.9
North Coastal Consortium Schools	Public, Alternative	K-12	255 Pico Ave. Rm. 220	San Marcos	92069	San Diego County	San Diego County Office of Education	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 761-5110	50	7	7.0	36.0%	17 (34.0%)	2 (4.0%)	28 (56.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (6.0%)								(n/a)													25.0								11.8							$45,181
Vista Visions Academy	Public, Alternative	K-12	1575 Bonair Dr.	Vista	92084	San Diego County	Vista Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 724-4785	82	5	15.3	69.5%	20 (24.4%)	2 (2.4%)	52 (63.4%)	3 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)	4 (4.9%)								(n/a)			8.3		15.6							16.7	41.0							9.1	20.5							$36,777
Vista Springs Charter	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	700 East Bobier Ave.	Vista	92084	San Diego County	Vista Springs Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(951) 252-8800	247	13	19.1	72.1%	48 (19.4%)	7 (2.8%)	172 (69.6%)	4 (1.6%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.7%)								(n/a)	20.0	14.3			18.4	42.9	31.0	45.0	33.3	22.2	28.6		34.6	57.1	20.7	25.0	16.7	11.1	14.3		23.9
Guajome Park Academy Charter	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	2000 North Santa Fe Ave.	Vista	92083	San Diego County	Guajome Park Academy Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 631-8500	1,353	72	18.7	73.2%	217 (16.0%)	16 (1.2%)	977 (72.2%)	32 (2.4%)	6 (0.4%)	3 (0.2%)	96 (7.1%)								(n/a)	49.1	19.8	33.9		29.2	76.1	64.7	67.3	29.0	44.1	28.7	64.2	45.2	66.7	56.9	52.7	13.0	23.7	10.8	20.2	24.7
Guajome Learning Centers	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	2000 North Santa Fe Ave.	Vista	92083	San Diego County	Guajome Learning Centers District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 631-8500	75	4	19.1	45.3%	15 (20.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (70.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (8.0%)								(n/a)		9.1	18.8		17.9						36.4	50.0	32.6						0.0	0.0	4.4
Pivot Charter School - San Diego II	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	1030 La Bonita Dr.	San Marcos	92078	San Diego County	Pivot Charter School - San Diego II District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(760) 591-0217	82	5	15.7	48.8%	27 (32.9%)	3 (3.7%)	40 (48.8%)	1 (1.2%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (12.2%)								(n/a)			18.8		16.1							55.6	44.0							11.1	12.0
Coastal Academy Charter	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	4096 Calle Platino	Oceanside	92056	San Diego County	Coastal Academy Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 631-4020	1,876	78	24.1	30.3%	1,025 (54.6%)	31 (1.7%)	500 (26.7%)	57 (3.0%)	3 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	254 (13.5%)								(n/a)	46.0	50.0	35.6		43.0	64.4	55.3	54.8	64.5	53.1	70.3	61.4	60.3	58.6	56.1	39.5	61.3	39.4	54.4	33.9	47.7	78.5	85.3	83.4	81.0	82.8	81.6

Frequently Asked Questions about Valley Center Prep

How many students attend Valley Center Prep?

In the 2023-24 school year, 78 students attended Valley Center Prep.

What is the racial makeup of Valley Center Prep?

Students at Valley Center Prep are 60% Hispanic, 22% American Indian, 14% White, 3% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What district is Valley Center Prep in?

Valley Center-Pauma Unified

Is Valley Center Prep a good school?

Valley Center Prep ranks 1419^th of 2323 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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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.