How to read California School Dashboard results
California does not grade schools with letters or stars. The California School Dashboard, published by the California Department of Education (CDE), gives each indicator one of five colors, from lowest to highest: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green and Blue. The color blends this year's result with the change from last year, so a school with high scores that slipped can show Green rather than Blue.
- English and math appear as distance from standard: how many points, on average, students scored above (+) or below (-) the grade-level standard on state tests in grades 3 to 8 and 11.
- Graduation rate is the four-year cohort rate for high schools.
- Chronic absenteeism is the share of K-8 students who missed 10% or more of the school year. Lower is better.
Every figure below is from the CDE's 2025 Dashboard data files for all students, covering the 2024-25 school year. The next Dashboard normally comes out in December, so check the live site for later results.
Encinitas school districts compared
Elementary students in most of Encinitas attend Encinitas Union School District (EUSD) schools, which run kindergarten to grade 6. Cardiff-by-the-Sea has its own elementary district, Cardiff School District. Students in grades 7 to 12 from both attend San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD), which is headquartered at 710 Encinitas Boulevard.
| District | Grades | English | Math | Graduation rate | Chronic absenteeism |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Encinitas Union Elementary | K-6 | +46.9 (Blue) | +31.9 (Green) | n/a | 8.5% (Green) |
| Cardiff Elementary | K-6 | +54.2 (Blue) | +40.4 (Blue) | n/a | 6.6% (Green) |
| San Dieguito Union High | 7-12 | +80.1 (Blue) | +56.8 (Blue) | 97.7% (Blue) | 8.2% (Green) |
| State of California | All | -8.1 | -42.4 | 87.8% | 17.1% |
Source: CDE 2025 Dashboard data files, all students. SDUHSD also runs schools in Solana Beach, Carmel Valley and Carlsbad, so its district average includes schools outside Encinitas.
High schools serving Encinitas
SDUHSD's enrollment page tells families to enroll in their boundary high school, La Costa Canyon or Torrey Pines, and runs a separate High School Selection process each year for its two academies. The 2026 selection window has closed, so check the district's dates for the next cycle.
San Dieguito High School Academy, 800 Santa Fe Drive, Encinitas
The academy is the high school inside Encinitas. In 2025 it scored 60.9 points above the English standard (Blue), 0.1 below in math (Green) and graduated 98.4% of its cohort (Blue). English rose 47.6 points on the year before. Students enroll through the district's selection process rather than by address.
La Costa Canyon High School, 1 Maverick Way, Carlsbad
La Costa Canyon is one of the district's two boundary high schools named on its enrollment page. It scored 62.3 above standard in English (Green), 9.8 below in math (Green), and graduated 93.7% (Green). Math improved 25.2 points from 2024.
Canyon Crest Academy and Torrey Pines High, Carmel Valley
Both are in San Diego's 92130 ZIP. Canyon Crest Academy, also filled through High School Selection, had the district's highest results: 141.7 points above standard in English, 128.7 in math, and a 99.8% graduation rate, all Blue. Torrey Pines, the other boundary school, scored 87.1 in English (Blue), 22.1 in math (Green) and graduated 98.0% (Blue).
Sunset High School (continuation), 684 Requeza Street, Encinitas
Sunset is the district's small continuation high school. Its 2025 graduation rate was 97.3% (Blue) on a cohort of 37 students; test groups were too small for a color.
Encinitas middle schools
Diegueño Middle School, 2150 Village Park Way
Diegueño had the larger gain of the two Encinitas middle schools: 61.6 above standard in English (Blue), up 24.4 points, and 47.5 above in math (Blue). Chronic absenteeism was 9.5% (Green).
Oak Crest Middle School, 675 Balour Drive
Oak Crest scored 51.1 above the English standard (Blue) and 13.2 above in math (Green), with math up 13.5 points. Its chronic absenteeism of 12.5% earned an Orange, the weakest color among Encinitas middle-school indicators.
Earl Warren Middle School, Solana Beach
Earl Warren, at 155 Stevens Street in Solana Beach, is another SDUHSD middle school. It scored 61.8 in English (Green) and 66.4 in math (Blue). Use the district locator to see which middle school an address feeds.
Encinitas elementary schools
EUSD runs nine K-6 schools. Five have Encinitas addresses and four, in the Rancho La Costa area, have Carlsbad mailing addresses but are EUSD schools.
| School | Address | English | Math | Chronic absenteeism |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Camino Creek | 7885 Paseo Aliso, Carlsbad | +76.3 (Blue) | +65.6 (Blue) | 5.3% (Yellow) |
| Olivenhain Pioneer | 8000 Calle Acervo, Carlsbad | +70.1 (Blue) | +56.5 (Blue) | 6.4% (Green) |
| La Costa Heights | 3035 Levante Street, Carlsbad | +59.3 (Blue) | +56.1 (Blue) | 8.9% (Green) |
| Mission Estancia | 3330 Calle Barcelona, Carlsbad | +49.7 (Blue) | +22.0 (Green) | 10.0% (Green) |
| Flora Vista | 1690 Wandering Road, Encinitas | +43.4 (Green) | +22.8 (Green) | 5.7% (Yellow) |
| Capri | 941 Capri Road, Encinitas | +39.2 (Green) | +25.4 (Green) | 8.6% (Green) |
| Park Dale Lane | 2050 Park Dale Lane, Encinitas | +32.5 (Green) | +5.1 (Green) | 10.4% (Yellow) |
| Paul Ecke-Central | 185 Union Street, Encinitas | +30.4 (Green) | +23.6 (Green) | 9.6% (Green) |
| Ocean Knoll | 910 Melba Road, Encinitas | +23.2 (Green) | +3.9 (Green) | 11.2% (Orange) |
EUSD schools with the biggest changes
Paul Ecke-Central improved most, up 12.2 points in English and 14.5 in math. Flora Vista fell 10.1 points in English and 17.0 in math, though both results remain above standard. Every EUSD school scored above the state average in both subjects.
Cardiff School District: Cardiff Elementary and Ada W. Harris
Cardiff splits its grades. Cardiff Elementary, at 1888 Montgomery Avenue, teaches kindergarten to grade 2, and Ada W. Harris Elementary, at 1508 Windsor Road, teaches grades 3 to 6. Ada Harris scored 54.5 above standard in English and 40.7 in math, both Blue. Chronic absenteeism was 5.2% at Ada Harris (Green) and 8.2% at Cardiff Elementary (Yellow).
School choice in Encinitas: academies, charters and transfers
SDUHSD academies through High School Selection
San Dieguito High School Academy and Canyon Crest Academy do not have attendance boundaries. Families apply through the district's annual High School Selection, which closed for 2026. Each academy has its own enrollment contact on the SDUHSD enrollment page.
Charter schools with Encinitas sites
The CDE school directory lists two charter sites in Encinitas run under the Julian Union Elementary district: JCS - Mountain Oaks at 539 Encinitas Boulevard (K-8) and JCS - Cedar Cove at 1221 Encinitas Boulevard (K-12). Check their Dashboard pages separately, since charter results are reported on their own.
EUSD programs and transfers
EUSD's website lists a Dual Language Immersion program, its Farm Lab, and a page on intra- and inter-district transfers. Transfer space is not guaranteed, so apply in the district's window and ask how long the waiting list is.
How to check which schools serve an Encinitas address
- Elementary, most of Encinitas: enter the address in EUSD's school site locator.
- Elementary, Cardiff: use Cardiff School District's school site locator.
- Grades 7 to 12: follow the School Locator and Boundaries link on the SDUHSD enrollment page.
- Confirm with the district office before you buy. Boundaries change, and a listing that names a school is not a guarantee.
School results are one input among many. Home prices in Encinitas vary more by distance to the coast and lot size than by school; see our Encinitas homes guide and ZIP code guide.