By NCI
Getting a good education, and making sure your children get a good education, is one of the most important goals to set for yourself.
In California, everyone between 6 and 18 is required by law to attend school unless they have graduated from high school before the age of 18 or have passed the California High School Proficiency Exam.
Although kindergarten is not mandatory in California, teachers recommend it to help your kids be ready for first grade. Children are admitted to kindergarten if they turn 5 on or before September 1.
Children are assigned a public school based on where they live. You can request another school in your district (intra-district transfer) or in another district (inter-district transfer).
North County has two community colleges—MiraCosta and Palomar—and one university—California State University San Marcos.
Get involved with your local schools
Vote for your local school board, supervisor, etc.
Attend school board meetings (posted online).
Read minutes from school board meetings.
Go to parent–teacher conferences.
Ask about academic opportunities, such as scholarships, mentoring, and more.
Find out about dual language, arts, sports, STEM, and other programs and the schools that offer them.
California School Grades
Transitional Kindergarten (TK, 4-year-olds), new program
Kindergarten (K, five-year-olds), not required
Elementary (1–5 grades)
Middle School (6–8 grades)
Junior High (7–8 grades)
High School (9–12 grades)
Charter School: Charter status frees the school from many of the state statutes and regulations that apply to school districts.
Continuation School: A high school for students who are behind or have other difficulties.
Magnet school: A school with a focus, such as STEM or art.
English Learners
According to the California Department of Education, in Fall 2022, 19.01% of California public school students were English learners. Of these, 81.90% speak Spanish.
Parents receive notification of the reasons the student is identified as an English Learner within 30 days of student enrollment, and exams determine children’s language level.
Special Education
If your child struggles in school, he or she may have exceptional needs or learning disabilities. According to California Education Code, schools are required to assist these students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP). You can request services with a letter to the school, and there are bilingual school liaisons available to help you.
North County School District Information, 2023–2024 School Year
This chart is a guide. Please check with your school district for complete, updated information.
Note: Not all the schools in a district marked as dual language; science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM); or art have these programs.
| School District / Distrito escolar | First Day of School / Primer día de clases | Last Day of School / Último día de clases | Number of schools No. de escuelas | Dual Language Program / Programa bilingüe | Art Program / Arte | STEM Program | Busing / Transporte escolar | Notes | Notas |
| Bonsall Unified | August 16 | June 7, 2024 | -2 elementary -1 middle school -1 high school -1 charter school | Yes | Charter school for Pala Mission students only | Escuela charter solo para estudiantes de la Misión Pala | |||
| Cardiff | August 15 | May 31, 2024 | -2 elementary (split by grade) | Feeds to San Dieguito Union High | La high school es San Dieguito | ||||
| Carlsbad Unified | August 23 | June 6, 2024 | -10 elementary -3 middle schools -2 high schools | -Calavera Hills Youth Theater | |||||
| Del Mar Union | August 14 | May 31, 2024 | -8 elementary | -Art weekly | Yes | Feeds to San Dieguito Union High | La high school es San Dieguito | ||
| Encinitas Union | August 15 | June 12, 2024 | -9 elementary | -Capri Elementary -Paul Ecke Central Elementary | Yes | Some schools | Feeds to San Dieguito Union High | La high school es San Dieguito | |
| Escondido Union Elementary | August 15 | June 5, 2024 | -17 elementary -1 intermediate -5 middle schools | -Glen View -Farr Avenue -Lincoln -Pioneer -Epiphany Prep -Mission Middle School | Yes | ||||
| Escondido Union High School | August 15 | June 5, 2024 | -3 high schools -1 specialty school -1 continuation high school -1 adult school | ||||||
| Fallbrook Union Elementary | August 14 | -4 elementary -1 junior high (7–8 grade) -1 elementary STEM magnet -1 hybrid homeschool -1 7–8 leadership academy -2 schools on Camp Pendleton | -Maie Ellis Elementary School | -K–6 STEM magnet school only for in-district students | |||||
| Fallbrook Union High School | August 14 | -1 comprehensive high school -1 independent study/ homeschool high school -1 continuation high school | Yes | ||||||
| Oceanside Unified | August 15 | June 6, 2024 | -12 elementary -3 K–8 schools -4 middle schools -2 high schools -1 adult transition (ages 18–22) | -Reynold’s Elementary -Garrison Elementary | Yes | ||||
| Poway Unified | -25 elementary schools -1 K–8 lab school -6 middle schools -5 high schools -1 continuation high school -1 adult school -1 independent study/homeschool program | -Valley Elementary (Spanish) -Adobe Bluffs Elementary (Mandarin Chinese) | |||||||
| Ramona Unified | August 21 | June 6, 2024 | -5 elementary -1 middle school -1 high school -1 continuation high school -1 adult school -1 TK–6 Montessori -1 Independent study/homeschool program | Yes | |||||
| Rancho Santa Fe | August 14 | June 2, 2024 | -1 K–8 | -Weekly | Feeds to San Dieguito Union High | La high school es San Dieguito | |||
| San Dieguito Union High | August 15 | May 31, 2024 | -5 middle schools -4 high schools | Canyon Crest Academy is ranked among the best public high schools | Canyon Crest Academy rankeado entre mejores escuelas públicas | ||||
| San Marcos Unified | August 15 | June 5, 2024 | -Twin Oaks Valley Elementary | -Music and art taught | |||||
| San Pasqual Union | August 23 | -1 school K–8 | Feeds to Escondido Union High | La high school es Escondido | |||||
| Solana Beach Elementary | -7 K–6 | -Skyline School | -Art, music Every other week | -STREAM program | Feeds to San Dieguito Union High | La high school es San Dieguito | |||
| Vallecitos in Rainbow | -1 preschool to grade 8 | ||||||||
| Valley Center-Pauma Unified | August 24 | June 13, 2024 | -3 elementary (split by grade) -1 TK–grade 8 -1 middle school -1 high school -1 continuation high school -1 independent study program | -Lilac Primary -Valley Center Elementary -Valley Center Middle School | Yes | ||||
| Vista Unified | August 16 | June 5, 2024 | -16 elementary -5 middle schools -3 high schools -1 6–12 hybrid independent study -2 continuation schools | -Grapevine -Alamosa Park Elementary -Hannalei -La Fuente | -Art -Magnet Visual & Performing Arts -Empresa Elementary Performing Arts | -Magnet STEM | Some | ||
| Cal State San Marcos (Fall) | August 28 | December 9 | -California State University | ||||||
| MiraCosta College (Fall) | August 21 | December 16 | -Community College | Palomar and MiraCosta College offer FREE classes in English, Technology, Internet use, other subjects. | Palomar y MiraCosta College ofrecen clases GRATIS de inglés, tecnología, Internet y otras materias. | ||||
| Palomar College (Fall, 2 tracks) | August 21 / October 16 | October 14 / December 16 | -Community College | ||||||
