Choosing a School: Why VCS Academics Measure Up

August 17, 2026

Choosing a School: Why VCS Academics Measure Up

When families are choosing a school in Vacaville, academics should be one of the clearest parts of the conversation. Most schools will say they care about academics, but families deserve more than general statements, good intentions, or a reputation that may or may not match current reality. Parents should be able to ask clear questions: Are students being challenged? Are they being supported? Are they growing? How does the school measure academic success? How do its results compare with surrounding options? And just as importantly, what is the school doing with the data it collects?

At Vacaville Christian School, we believe academic excellence should be both measurable and meaningful. It should show up in standardized testing, Advanced Placement results, curriculum alignment, classroom expectations, student growth, and the daily habits students are building. At the same time, we do not believe a test score is the full measure of a child. A truly excellent Christian education prepares students to think clearly, communicate effectively, work diligently, reason biblically, lead humbly, and engage the world with wisdom. That means we care about both measurable academic outcomes and the deeper formation of the whole student.

Compare the Actual Results

One of the most helpful things families can do when comparing schools is review each school’s School Accountability Report Card, often called a SARC. Public schools in California publish this information annually, and it includes academic performance data, school conditions, teacher information, demographics, and other important indicators. It is not the full story of a school, but it gives families a better starting point than assumptions, neighborhood reputation, or word of mouth.

For this comparison, we are using the 2024 results because California has not yet produced the newest School Accountability Report Cards for the most recent term. Using the same reporting year helps keep the comparison more consistent. Here are a few local examples families may want to review directly: Browns Valley Elementary, Willis Jepson Middle School, Vaca Pena Middle School, Kairos Public School, and Vacaville High School. Families can look up other schools as well, but these examples give a helpful local starting point.

Why the VCS Benchmark Is More Rigorous 

Public schools in California typically report CAASPP results as the percentage of students who met or exceeded California’s standard. That can be useful information, but it is not the same as a nationally normed comparison. At VCS, we use the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, which reports a National Percentile Rank. A score of 50 represents the national average, so when VCS students score above 60, they are not simply clearing a state-defined proficiency threshold. They are performing above the national norm group.

That distinction matters because the VCS standard is more rigorous. A California proficiency score answers the question, “Did students meet California’s standard?” A national percentile rank asks a stronger comparative question: “How do our students perform compared with students nationally?” Families comparing schools should pay close attention to the difference between meeting a state standard and performing above national norms.

How VCS Compares Academically 

The comparison below is not a perfect apples-to-apples comparison because VCS uses ITBS National Percentile Rank and public schools use CAASPP percent met or exceeded. Still, it gives families important context when comparing VCS with surrounding public-school options. The key is to understand what each measure represents and then ask whether the school’s results align with the kind of academic program you want for your child.

Families should look closely at what a school is actually measuring and what the results show. A school can say students are “meeting standard,” but that does not necessarily mean they are performing above average compared to students nationally. VCS uses a more rigorous nationally normed assessment, and our students are performing above national norms overall. For families, that matters. It means VCS is not simply asking whether students clear a state-defined minimum; we are asking how our students compare more broadly, how they are growing, and whether our academic program is preparing them well for what comes next. 

Advanced Placement (AP) Program That Stands Apart 

VCS also provides meaningful academic opportunities through Advanced Placement (AP) courses. AP matters because it shows whether students have access to rigorous, college-level coursework and whether they are being prepared to perform on nationally recognized exams. In 2024-2025, VCS students completed 247 AP exams across 22 subject areas, with 163 exams earning a score of 3 or higher.

VCS’s AP program has earned significant national recognition from the College Board. In 2024, Vacaville Christian High School earned Platinum with Access recognition on the AP School Honor Roll. Platinum is the highest level of distinction, and in 2024 only 7% of eligible schools in the United States and Canada earned Platinum recognition. In California, only 10% of qualifying schools earned Platinum that year. The Access distinction is also meaningful because the College Board uses it to recognize schools that are expanding access to rigorous AP coursework, not merely serving a narrow group of already-advanced students.

Most recently, VCS earned Gold recognition on the 2025 AP School Honor Roll. That is a major distinction because only 7% of eligible schools in the United States and Canada earned Gold recognition in 2025, according to the College Board’s national AP School Honor Roll report. The same report explains that the AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools that welcome students into AP courses and support them on the path to college success, which is exactly the kind of balance families should want: access, rigor, and results.

Locally, that recognition helps separate VCS from surrounding options. The 2025 California AP School Honor Roll lists Vacaville Christian High School as Gold and Vacaville High School as Bronze. Several other nearby high school options families commonly compare are not listed on the 2025 California Honor Roll at all. Gold recognition places VCS in a stronger AP recognition tier than the local public high school listed, while also showing that VCS is not only offering AP classes, but building an AP program with nationally recognized access, participation, and performance. This matters because students should not have to choose between a deeply Christian school environment and meaningful academic challenge. At VCS, our goal is to offer both: strong academic pathways, nationally recognized AP opportunity, and a school culture where truth, wisdom, character, and biblical worldview are not treated as separate from learning, but as essential to it.

The Academic Value of VCS 

When families choose VCS, they are choosing more than a private school experience. They are choosing a Christian educational partnership that is academically serious, spiritually grounded, relationally intentional, and focused on preparing students for what comes next. Our academic results are strong, but our goal is not complacency. Our goal is to keep improving with clarity, honesty, and purpose.

Families should expect a school to be able to explain how it measures learning, how its students are performing, how it compares with surrounding options, and how it is improving. At VCS, we welcome those questions because we believe academic excellence should be visible, measurable, and connected to a much larger mission: forming students who love truth, pursue wisdom, work hard, and live faithfully.

If you are choosing a school in Vacaville, we encourage you to look closely at the data, compare your options carefully, and come see the VCS difference for yourself.

Ben Davis
Vacaville Christian Head of School