Calavera Hills Middle, Carlsbad CA

Original Research by School Decision on Calavera Hills Middle

Calavera Hills Middle is a grades 6-8 public school in Carlsbad, a coastal city in North County San Diego. The school enrolls a student body of about that size, distributed evenly across the three grades.

The student composition is predominantly white and Hispanic, with smaller Asian, multiracial, and other populations represented. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school did not report data on the number of students with IEPs or English learners, so those figures are not available.

In English language arts, the school shows strength that builds across grades. Sixth-grade proficiency is in the mid-range, seventh grade climbs notably higher, and eighth grade reaches a solid level. The pattern suggests the school has traction in reading and writing instruction, particularly at the upper middle grades. Math performance is lower and flatter across the grades, with sixth and eighth grades just under the lower end of the range and seventh grade notably softer. The disparity between ELA and math is consistent enough that a parent might want to ask the school directly about how math instruction is being supported, what interventions are in place for students struggling with the subject, and whether staffing or curriculum choices factor into the gap.

Science performance, measured at eighth grade only, is solid. Social studies data from an older assessment shows competent performance on that subject as well.

Overall, the school's proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it above the midpoint when compared to the universe of tested public middle schools in San Diego County, a position that reflects strength in ELA and science balanced against the softer math results.

Carlsbad itself is a mixed-use coastal city combining beach-town character, suburban residential spread, and strong commercial anchors in life sciences, communications, and golf-equipment manufacturing. The city has grown substantially over decades through annexation and master-planned communities; Calavera Hills Middle sits in this dispersed suburban landscape rather than near the historic Carlsbad Village downtown. Open space and parks are a civic fixture, anchored by three lagoons with nature preserves and hiking trails. Commuter rail service via NCTD COASTER connects the area to greater San Diego.

The housing market in the Carlsbad zip code is expensive and appreciating rapidly, with values substantially above the California state median and showing strong year-over-year growth. Rents are similarly high, and affordability metrics reflect a market where housing costs consume a large share of household income. The district has faced state-mandated pressures to increase housing supply, particularly lower-income units, after voter growth caps were preempted by state housing law.

Carlsbad Unified, the parent district, has enacted two changes that shape the daily school environment. In August 2024 the district implemented a cell phone restriction policy that prohibits mobile device use during the entire school day at elementary and middle school levels. This reflects a district choice aligned with California's Phone-Free Schools Act and is a lasting feature of the middle school experience. Additionally, the district adopted a three-year strategic plan in 2023 focused on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, called "Forward Together," which has drawn community debate around curriculum transparency and parental rights. Families considering the district may want to review these directions alongside the school's and district's websites to understand the pedagogical and values framework in place.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 648%

School 48% · District 57% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 738%

School 38% · District 50% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 847%

School 47% · District 53% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 655%

School 55% · District 65% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 763%

School 63% · District 63%

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 869%

School 69% · District 63% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Science

Grade 865%

School 65% · District 58% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 39 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 862%

School 62% · District 67% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

This schoolCarlsbad Unified, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income35%Higher-income67%32 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income50%Higher-income69%19 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income49%Higher-income79%30 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income21%Higher-income62%41 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income23%Higher-income45%21 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income30%Higher-income56%26 pp gap