The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in Social studies. The lowest is 40% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Castaic Middle
Castaic Middle serves seventh and eighth graders in Castaic, an unincorporated residential community in northwestern Los Angeles County where the Santa Clarita Valley meets Interstate 5. The school sits within the Castaic Union district, a compact K-8 system that feeds into Castaic High School just up the hill in the same canyon neighborhoods.
On California's CAASPP assessments, Castaic Middle's English language arts results are a clear strength. Seventh and eighth graders both score well above the majority of students at comparable schools statewide, with eighth graders performing somewhat stronger than seventh. Math is a different story. Proficiency rates in both grade levels sit in roughly the two-fifths range, meaning most students are not yet meeting state standards. This is worth a candid conversation with the school, both about what supports are in place and whether particular course sequences -- accelerated math, intervention, or grade-level options -- match a given student's needs. The eighth-grade California Science Test results fall in a similar range to math, above the floor but short of a majority reaching proficiency. The most recent social studies data available is more than a decade old and reflects a different assessment system entirely, so it carries little weight for current planning. Across all tested subjects and grades combined, Castaic Middle's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint relative to districts in Los Angeles County, which is a meaningful benchmark given how many schools that county contains. Trend data is limited to a single year at this point, so direction of travel cannot be assessed.
The school's student body is mid-sized for a two-grade middle school. Hispanic students make up the largest single group, followed by white students, with smaller Asian, multiracial, and Black populations. About half of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, placing the school in a mixed-income range rather than at either extreme. IEP and English learner counts were not available in the data provided.
Two district-level developments are directly relevant to families weighing a move. As of the 2025-26 school year, Castaic Union publicly announced it will no longer provide home-to-school busing for general education students, a service it had offered previously. Only students whose IEPs specifically require transportation will continue to receive it. For a car-dependent community with no walkable commercial core and residential development spread across canyon neighborhoods, this is a logistical factor that deserves real weight. The district also recently completed a Measure QS bond issuance to fund facility upgrades; locker room improvements at Castaic Middle were among completed projects, though the bond's property tax rate was raised closer to the Proposition 39 maximum than originally projected, affecting what homeowners within district boundaries pay.
Castaic itself is largely residential, oriented around Castaic Lake and the hills rather than any downtown. Daily errands run along Castaic Road near the freeway exits, and major shopping and dining require a drive into Valencia or the Santa Clarita area. The community is growing actively, with a large master-planned development now partially complete and a much larger proposed project that would add a substantial number of additional homes. School enrollment pressures tied to that growth are worth monitoring. Bus transit is limited; the nearest Metrolink station is a meaningful distance east.
Housing near the school runs well above California's statewide median and substantially above the national median, and values have edged slightly downward year over year. Estimated monthly carrying costs on a median-priced home here are high relative to national income benchmarks, a reality that shapes who can afford to buy into the attendance area.
Program offerings beyond core academics were not available in the data provided, so families interested in electives, arts, athletics, or intervention programs should ask the school directly.
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