Bonsall Unified, CA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Bonsall Unified

Bonsall Unified is a kindergarten-through-12 district serving a small-to-mid-sized population in San Diego County. The district enrolls students across five schools: two elementary campuses, one charter elementary, one middle school, and one high school. The student body is roughly balanced between white and Hispanic students, with smaller populations of students identifying as two or more races, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and other groups. Free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility data was not available.

Test proficiency across the district sits above the midpoint among San Diego County's districts when averaged across subjects and grades. In English language arts, students show a range of performance. Third grade and sixth grade proficiency rates are near or below 50 percent; fourth and fifth grades hover at roughly the low-to-mid 50s. Seventh grade is an outlier with noticeably higher proficiency. Eighth grade lands at around 50 percent. Mathematics proficiency is consistently lower. Third grade is above 50 percent, but fourth and fifth grades drop to the high 30s. Sixth and seventh grades recover slightly to the high 30s and low 40s. Eighth grade shows the lowest mathematics result. Science data covers only fifth and eighth grades and is limited; both grades show proficiency below 40 percent. The district has only one year of proficiency results available, so trends cannot be assessed.

Chronic absenteeism in the district runs above the county median. Housing values in the district's service area span a wide range depending on location; median home values across contributing zip codes are substantial, with some neighborhoods significantly more expensive than others. Rental prices vary similarly by geography. The affordability index suggests housing is challenging relative to income across much of the service area.

The district has implemented curriculum changes beginning in 2022, adopting new English language arts materials for early elementary through eighth grade and a new mathematics curriculum for high school. An updated science curriculum was also adopted for elementary and middle grades. The Bonsall Forward Initiative, launched in 2023, pairs STEM scholarships and hands-on programs such as animal science internships with Bonsall High School's career-focused academies and early college pathways. The district now offers full-day transitional kindergarten aligned with the state expansion.

A significant constraint facing the district is recurring failure to pass local school bonds. In November 2024, voters rejected Measure V, which would have funded classroom upgrades, facility repairs, safety system improvements, and space to reduce overcrowding. This marks the third consecutive bond failure in recent years. The district's student enrollment is growing, and the lack of local capital funding means aging facilities and overcrowding remain unresolved challenges that may affect learning environments and parent considerations about classroom conditions and school capacity.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

2,231

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 37%

Black 1%

White 40%

Asian 4%

Two+ 12%

Am. Indian / AK Native 5%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 1%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

42%

—

Gr 3

37%

55%

Gr 4

38%

63%

Gr 5

40%

68%

Gr 6

32%

66%

Gr 7

54%

70%

Gr 8

47%

59%

Gr 11

48%

—

Math

Gr ALL

28%

—

Gr 3

43%

63%

Gr 4

24%

54%

Gr 5

23%

49%

Gr 6

28%

48%

Gr 7

29%

54%

Gr 8

28%

38%

Gr 11

15%

—

Science

Gr ALL

26%

—

Gr 5

28%

46%

Gr 8

44%

54%

Gr 11

18%

—

Gr HS

33%

—

Gr UG_SEC

18%

—

Schools in this District

5 schools are officially reported under this district.

Bonsall Elementary

Vivian Banks Charter

Norman L. Sullivan Middle

Bonsall West Elementary

Bonsall High

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

55%

Grade 3

41%

Grade 4

36%

Grade 5

38%

Grade 6

42%

Grade 7

32%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

48%

Grade 3

52%

Grade 4

54%

Grade 5

49%

Grade 6

63%

Grade 7

52%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

37%

Grade 5

48%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$945,633

Year-over-year change-0.3%

Range across 8 ZIP codes$818K to $1.1M

vs. state typical1.22x

vs. national typical2.57x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (8 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
92028	Fallbrook	$891K	-0.3%	21.8%
92003	Bonsall	$1.0M	-0.4%	21.4%
92082	Valley Center	$935K	-1.2%	16.7%
92084	Vista	$914K	-0.1%	13.7%
92059	Pala	$1.1M	+2.6%	12.1%
92057	Oceanside	$818K	-1.1%	7.5%
92026	Escondido	$836K	-1.9%	6.5%
92069	San Marcos	$908K	-1.0%	0.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,124/mo

Year-over-year change+3.0%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$2,626 to $3,700/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
92028	Fallbrook	$3,101	+4.3%	21.8%
92082	Valley Center	$3,700	—	16.7%
92084	Vista	$2,720	+0.4%	13.7%
92057	Oceanside	$3,082	+3.8%	7.5%
92026	Escondido	$2,626	+3.7%	6.5%
92069	San Marcos	$2,937	+2.0%	0.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$4,772/mo

Home price / national median income11.3x

Annual rent / national median income44.8%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$1,648/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.