Students currently progress to the three high schools from four 7-8 middle schools in the district. Middle school students at Earl Warren, located in Solana Beach, and Carmel Valley, located in the Carmel Valley portion of the city of San Diego, attend Torrey Pines High School. Oak Crest and Diegueno Middle Schools serve 7th and 8th grade students from Encinitas and South Carlsbad and are in the La Costa Canyon High School attendance area. Students in grades 9-12 from throughout the district are eligible to apply to attend the San Dieguito High School Academy in Encinitas. The district also maintains alternative education programs for 16 to 18 year olds at the Sunset Continuation High School campus in Encinitas.
All comprehensive schools offer comparable academic programs at all grade levels.
The programs are designed to meet all State requirements as well as to prepare students for admission to institutions of higher learning or the world of work. There is a strong emphasis on acquiring a firm foundation in the basic skills that begins at the elementary level. Students who demonstrate proficiency in basic subject areas may select from a range of elective classes as they progress toward graduation. Elective programs include music, speech, drama, foreign language and art as well as vocational classes. All three high schools have interscholastic athletic programs, while the middle schools offer recreational opportunities through city and club-sponsored programs.