Colina Middle, Thousand Oaks CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Colina Middle

Colina Middle serves students in grades six through eight in Thousand Oaks, a residential suburb in the Conejo Valley where the planned-community character and car-oriented layout shape daily life. The school itself is a middle-sized public school drawing a diverse population across a range of family backgrounds and housing situations.

Academically, Colina's performance is mixed by subject. English language arts is the stronger area, with roughly six in ten students meeting proficiency on state assessments across the three grade levels. Mathematics is weaker, with proficiency hovering near one in two across grades six through eight. Science proficiency at grade eight lands just under one in two. The school's overall proficiency index positions it in the top quartile among districts in Ventura County, a meaningful distinction, though parents should understand that the underlying numbers show a student body where gaps are substantial and improvement in math is a clear area of need.

The enrollment draws a student population that is somewhat less than half white, with a large Hispanic enrollment, a smaller Asian enrollment, and a small Black population. About one in four students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting mixed economic circumstances in this zip code. The school's grade distribution is fairly even across the three middle-grade levels. Data on English learners and special education enrollment was not available.

Colina is part of Conejo Valley Unified, a district that has faced sustained controversy over curriculum content. Parents filed a lawsuit in 2022 against the district alleging its health and sex education materials were not age-appropriate, and the case was still active through appellate proceedings in 2025. This is an ongoing, contested issue that families considering the district should investigate directly with the school. The district also adopted a one-semester ethnic studies course as a graduation requirement beginning with the class of 2030, a curriculum decision that will affect students' educational path if they remain in the district through high school.

Thousand Oaks itself is a slow-growth community now adding multifamily and mixed-use housing to meet state housing mandates. The housing market is expensive, with median home values well above the state benchmark and median rents tracking similarly high. The city is car-dependent and minimally walkable, though it is pursuing a downtown redevelopment centered on the Civic Arts Plaza that aims to add more connected street life. Parks and open space are extensive, and the biopharmaceutical company Amgen is the dominant employer alongside California Lutheran University and the school district itself.

A parent considering Colina should plan to look deeper into the district's curriculum and instructional materials given the active litigation, understand that the school's math performance lags English language arts, and recognize that housing in this area requires substantial resources. The school sits in a suburban, family-oriented community with significant recreation and open space, though the built environment assumes car ownership.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 649%

School 49% · District 54% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

Grade 745%

School 45% · District 53% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

Grade 850%

School 50% · District 53% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 657%

School 57% · District 64% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 762%

School 62% · District 64% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 859%

School 59% · District 59%

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

Science

Grade 849%

School 49% · District 47% · ▲ 3 pts above district

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

Social studies

Grade 873%

School 73% · District 77% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

This schoolConejo Valley 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-income31%Higher-income69%38 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income34%Higher-income73%38 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income43%Higher-income67%24 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income26%Higher-income60%34 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income16%Higher-income56%40 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income25%Higher-income61%35 pp gap