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Vista High

Summary:

Vista High is a public high school located in Vista, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,030 students. It is part of the Vista Unified School District, which is ranked 877 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. Vista High has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking over the past decade, ranging from 788 to 1,132 out of California high schools, with a current ranking of 1,110 and a 3-star rating.

The data reveals several areas of concern at Vista High. The school has seen a decline in its 4-year graduation rate, dropping from 90.9% in 2019-2020 to 87.4% in 2022-2023, which is lower than the state average and the graduation rates of nearby schools like Rancho Buena Vista High (87.1%) and Mission Vista High (96.6%). Vista High also has a higher dropout rate compared to nearby schools, ranging from 6.8% to 10.7% over the past 5 years, which is higher than the state average and the dropout rates of Rancho Buena Vista High (7.2%) and Mission Vista High (3.2%).

Additionally, Vista High has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 14.8% in 2018-2019 to 45.2% in 2021-2022, which is much higher than the state average and the chronic absenteeism rates of nearby schools like Rancho Buena Vista High (22.6%) and Mission Vista High (10.6%). The school's performance on standardized tests, such as the Smarter Balanced Assessments and the California Science Test (CAST), is also consistently lower than the state average and the scores of nearby schools. These performance gaps are particularly concerning for certain student subgroups, such as African American, Hispanic, English Language Learner, Special Education, and Homeless students, who struggle to achieve at the same levels as their peers.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1 Panther Dr.
       Vista, CA  92084-3101

(760) 726-5611

District: Vista Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1110th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,889 Help


Feeder schools for Vista High:

Elementary:    Alamosa Park Elementary
    Beaumont Elementary
    Bobier Elementary
    Empresa Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Roosevelt Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  18.8 Help
Number of students:  1,896

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
83.2%
White:
10.1%
Two or more races:
2.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  72.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Vista High ranks better than 52.2% of high schools in California. It also ranks 3rd among 5 ranked high schools in the Vista Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.87. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Vista High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (83.2%), White (10.1%), two or more races (2.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 72.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Vista High is 18.8. 3 high schools in the Vista Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Vista High employs 100.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Vista High is $9,889. 3 high schools in the Vista Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Vista High:

SchoolDigger ranks Vista High 1110th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Vista High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Migrant students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Vista Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Vista Unified 877th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Vista High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 55.78 410th 1653 75.2%
2005 57.15 461st 1901 75.7%
2006 61.52 444th 1968 77.4%
2007 63.54 381st 2063 81.5%
2008 60.00 472nd 2117 77.7%
2009 61.95 411th 2238 81.6%
2010 56.80 581st 2281 74.5%
2011 61.11 484th 2367 79.6%
2012 51.84 745th 2354 68.4%
2013 45.06 923rd 2426 62.0%
2015 55.04 873rd 1994 56.2%
2016 44.43 1115th 2039 45.3%
2017 54.31 923rd 2021 54.3%
2018 51.54 983rd 2017 51.3%
2019 48.40 1019th 2133 52.2%
2021 38.37 788th 1290 38.9%
2022 41.87 1132nd 2123 46.7%
2023 50.67 850th 2348 63.8%
2024 40.87 1110th 2323 52.2%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.23 255th 366 30.3%
2019 51.38 225th 422 46.7%
2022 38.43 328th 515 36.3%
2023 45.02 377th 786 52.0%
2024 47.23 357th 804 55.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.35 890th 938 5.1%
2019 34.26 624th 941 33.7%
2021 53.22 160th 467 65.7%
2022 38.48 568th 1044 45.6%
2023 22.92 1207th 1323 8.8%
2024 39.64 480th 1350 64.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 39.66 700th 1547 54.8%
2024 20.34 1338th 1534 12.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.43 976th 1862 47.6%
2019 47.29 1002nd 1937 48.3%
2021 42.46 668th 1126 40.7%
2022 47.50 907th 1943 53.3%
2023 55.12 742nd 2247 67.0%
2024 42.82 1053rd 2235 52.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 59.15 36th 89 59.6%
2024 42.16 62nd 100 38.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 44.33 153rd 290 47.2%
2023 64.57 110th 417 73.6%
2024 27.75 334th 451 25.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.40 870th 1760 50.6%
2019 43.51 1002nd 1833 45.3%
2021 32.48 739th 1054 29.9%
2022 38.46 1091st 1858 41.3%
2023 44.80 954th 2118 55.0%
2024 35.99 1194th 2098 43.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.41 673rd 1052 36.0%
2019 41.03 536th 1117 52.0%
2021 21.30 498th 555 10.3%
2022 36.11 659th 1161 43.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 7.79 162nd 168 3.6%
2023 23.23 185th 233 20.6%
2024 12.48 224th 234 4.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.83 1008th 1834 45.0%
2019 47.64 919th 1880 51.1%
2021 35.71 717th 1122 36.1%
2022 41.34 1012th 1916 47.2%
2023 53.28 739th 2207 66.5%
2024 42.30 991st 2172 54.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 32.34 473rd 721 34.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.04 936th 1742 46.3%
2019 47.85 934th 1814 48.5%
2022 42.89 1017th 1861 45.4%
2023 53.55 754th 2142 64.8%
2024 43.33 1018th 2125 52.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Vista High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.38 454th 1173 61.3%
2019 47.85 649th 1222 46.9%
2022 42.73 683rd 1204 43.3%
2023 61.40 422nd 1434 70.6%
2024 45.30 672nd 1406 52.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White 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.

Vista High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Vista High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1569 51 125 455 15 n/a n/a 0 2215
1989 1244 60 102 485 8 n/a n/a 0 1899
1990 1198 61 91 539 14 n/a n/a 0 1903
1991 1218 57 94 642 14 n/a n/a 0 2025
1992 1274 83 107 755 14 n/a n/a 0 2233
1993 1291 83 140 818 18 n/a n/a 0 2350
1994 1276 113 167 895 19 n/a n/a 0 2470
1995 1340 130 173 1015 21 n/a n/a 0 2679
1996 1340 130 173 1015 21 n/a n/a 0 2679
1997 1386 153 182 1081 24 n/a n/a 0 2826
1998 1529 160 205 1107 23 n/a n/a 0 3024
1999 1565 161 215 1156 22 n/a n/a 0 3119
2000 1682 191 251 1334 28 n/a n/a 3 3489
2001 1661 185 256 1339 24 n/a n/a 7 3472
2002 1587 198 259 1441 20 n/a n/a 14 3519
2003 1587 198 259 1441 20 n/a n/a 14 3519
2004 1504 180 249 1406 19 n/a n/a 27 3385
2005 1474 165 240 1445 22 n/a n/a 42 3388
2006 1363 135 216 1532 21 n/a n/a 43 3310
2007 1270 98 193 1535 26 n/a n/a 52 3174
2008 1136 109 181 1583 22 n/a n/a 0 3031
2009 1055 111 118 1648 20 46 29 0 3027
2010 968 114 109 1598 15 37 11 0 2852
2011 864 104 104 1607 16 34 26 0 2755
2012 792 102 109 1582 4 42 33 0 2664
2013 704 80 99 1584 4 37 38 0 2546
2014 618 69 85 1659 5 38 51 0 2525
2015 547 69 85 1775 3 35 53 0 2567
2016 476 56 72 1830 7 31 52 0 2524
2017 422 58 68 1916 10 35 63 0 2572
2018 401 49 59 1896 12 29 69 0 2515
2019 367 43 41 1808 13 18 70 0 2360
2020 336 34 45 1734 9 10 72 0 2240
2021 319 42 54 1819 8 11 62 0 2315
2022 275 45 42 1778 11 9 65 6 2231
2023 217 28 43 1669 5 7 53 8 2030
2024 192 22 30 1578 4 6 55 9 1896

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 Vista High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2215 92.8 23.8 n/a
1989 1899 84.4 22.5 n/a
1990 1903 85.1 22.3 n/a
1991 2025 86.1 23.5 n/a
1992 2233 87.5 25.5 17.1
1993 2350 100.5 23.4 33.4
1994 2470 103.2 23.9 38.7
1995 2679 109.4 24.5 41.7
1996 2679 109.4 24.5 41.7
1997 2826 116.5 24.3 33.1
1998 3024 118.6 25.5 30.8
1999 3119 125.2 24.9 31.8
2000 3489 140.1 24.9 31
2001 3472 145.8 23.8 30.5
2002 3519 147.3 23.9 31.9
2003 3519 147.3 23.9 31.9
2004 3385 137.5 24.6 32
2005 3388 140.8 24.1 33
2006 3310 142.6 23.2 33.7
2007 3174 133.6 23.8 34.1
2008 3031 149.5 20.3 36.7
2009 3027 136.9 20.3 45.9
2010 2852 126.6 22.5 46.5
2011 2755 n/a n/a 49.8
2012 2664 118.2 22.5 n/a
2013 2546 109.7 23.2 55.2
2014 2525 109.2 23.1 61.7
2015 2567 121.0 21.2 63.3
2016 2524 128.0 19.7 62.4
2017 2572 129.1 19.9 64.2
2018 2515 128.6 19.5 68
2019 2360 127.6 18.4 65.9
2020 2240 n/a n/a 66.7
2021 2315 112.6 20.5 74.3
2022 2231 109.6 20.3 71.6
2023 2030 105.1 19.3 72
2024 1896 100.4 18.8 72.9

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 Vista High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2215 92.8 23.8 n/a
1989 1899 84.4 22.5 n/a
1990 1903 85.1 22.3 n/a
1991 2025 86.1 23.5 n/a
1992 2233 87.5 25.5 17.1
1993 2350 100.5 23.4 33.4
1994 2470 103.2 23.9 38.7
1995 2679 109.4 24.5 41.7
1996 2679 109.4 24.5 41.7
1997 2826 116.5 24.3 33.1
1998 3024 118.6 25.5 30.8
1999 3119 125.2 24.9 31.8
2000 3489 140.1 24.9 31
2001 3472 145.8 23.8 30.5
2002 3519 147.3 23.9 31.9
2003 3519 147.3 23.9 31.9
2004 3385 137.5 24.6 32
2005 3388 140.8 24.1 33
2006 3310 142.6 23.2 33.7
2007 3174 133.6 23.8 34.1
2008 3031 149.5 20.3 36.7
2009 3027 136.9 20.3 45.9
2010 2852 126.6 22.5 46.5
2011 2755 n/a n/a 49.8
2012 2664 118.2 22.5 n/a
2013 2546 109.7 23.2 55.2
2014 2525 109.2 23.1 61.7
2015 2567 121.0 21.2 63.3
2016 2524 128.0 19.7 62.4
2017 2572 129.1 19.9 64.2
2018 2515 128.6 19.5 68
2019 2360 127.6 18.4 65.9
2020 2240 n/a n/a 66.7
2021 2315 112.6 20.5 74.3
2022 2231 109.6 20.3 71.6
2023 2030 105.1 19.3 72
2024 1896 100.4 18.8 72.9

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 Vista High

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $9,889

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Vista High

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 1019th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 850th of 2348 High schools
 11.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Vista High)56.955.6
 1.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Vista Unified)64.362.9
 1.5%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Vista High)17.321.8
 4.5%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Vista Unified)34.129.3
 4.8%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Vista High)15.118.9
 3.8%
   12th Grade Science (Vista Unified)22.733.4
 10.6%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students23602030
 14%
African American4328
 34.9%
American Indian135
 61.5%
Asian4143
 4.9%
Hispanic18081669
 7.7%
Pacific Islander187
 61.1%
White367217
 40.9%
Two or More Races7053
 24.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients65.9%72%
 6.1%

Schools Near Vista High








Frequently Asked Questions about Vista High

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,896 students attended Vista High.

Vista High ranks 1110th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Vista High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Alamosa Park Elementary
Elementary : Beaumont Elementary
Elementary : Bobier Elementary
Elementary : Empresa Elementary
Elementary : Foothill Oak Elementary
Elementary : Maryland Elementary
Elementary : Mission Meadows Elementary
Elementary : T.H.E Leadership Academy
Middle : Roosevelt Middle

Students at Vista High are 83% Hispanic, 10% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 1% African American.


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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.




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