[3][4] Prior to 1936, students who lived in coastal North County attended high school in Oceanside.

In January 1936, the communities of Encinitas, Cardiff, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Green Valley, and Olivenhain voted in favor to form a new high school district.

[8] The district includes Encinitas, Del Mar, Solana Beach, portions of Carlsbad and San Diego, the Fairbanks Ranch and Rancho Santa Fe census-designated places, and most of the Elfin Forest CDP.

[11] The current board trustees include Rimga Viskanta, Jodie Williams, Jane Lea Smith, Michael Allman, and Phan Anderson.

[17] Allman was former chairman, president, and CEO of Southern California Gas Company at Sempra Energy.

Williams previously was a member of the Encinitas Union School District board of trustees from 2016 to 2020.

[20] On May 10, 2023, the district announced in a press release that Anne Staffieri would serve as superintendent pending board approval of her contract beginning July 2023.

Cheryl James-Ward, professor at San Diego State University and former CEO of E3 Civic High School, was hired in November 2021.

[22] James-Ward was placed on administrative leave in April 2022 after controversial comments she made about Asian Americans during a board workshop.

The board subsequently voted unanimously to terminate her contract on June 26, 2022, effective August 15, 2022, without cause.

[30] Torrey Pines High School (TPHS) was established in 1974, located in the Del Mar Highlands area of San Diego.

La Costa Canyon is best known for its athletic programs, producing numerous professional sports players.

Canyon Crest Academy (CCA) opened in 2004 in the Carmel Valley area of San Diego.