San Marcos Unified
San Marcos Unified has 18 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 55.0/100 — 11.2 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Discovery Elementary at 74/100, where 54.4% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,048 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 3 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 16.2%, near the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Solid 57.1/100 | 12 | 33.7% | 12.7% |
| Middle | Developing 45.4/100 | 3 | 21.3% | 15.0% |
| High | Solid 56.0/100 | 3 | 12.3% | 31.6% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in San Marcos Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: San Marcos Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 57.1.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages +0.9pp (state avg: -3.0pp), suggesting schools are making incremental gains.
Consistency: Score range of 46.4 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 16.2%, 1.9pp near the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 1.8%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Discovery Elementary leads the district at 74 with 54.4% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in San Marcos Unified
Hidden gems: 4 schools in San Marcos Unified are classified as Growth Engine (3) or On the Rise — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Student demographics
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
San Marcos Unified spends $13,048 per student in current expenditures — $1,766 below the state average of $14,815.
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Elementary Schools (12)
San Marcos Unified has 12 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 57.1 — 13.4 points above the state average of 43.8. 4 of 12 elementary schools score above 70.
District-wide growth averages +0.9pp, suggesting schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Discovery Elementary with a Scope Score of 74 and 54.4% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discovery Elementary San Marcos Unified High Ceiling | 54.4% | Strong 74/100 |
| 2 | La Costa Meadows Elementary San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 43.4% | Strong 71/100 |
| 3 | Paloma Elementary San Marcos Unified Strong All-Around | 45.5% | Strong 70/100 |
| 4 | Double Peak San Marcos Unified Growth Engine | 46.6% | Strong 70/100 |
| 5 | San Elijo Elementary San Marcos Unified Strong All-Around | 42.2% | Solid 67/100 |
| 6 | Carrillo Elementary San Marcos Unified Solid Base | 44.2% | Solid 64/100 |
| 7 | Richland Elementary San Marcos Unified Solid Base | 38.5% | Solid 60/100 |
| 8 | Knob Hill Elementary San Marcos Unified Growth Engine | 31.7% | Solid 57/100 |
| 9 | Twin Oaks Elementary San Marcos Unified Growth Engine | 19.1% | Developing 47/100 |
| 10 | Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 21.7% | Developing 41/100 |
| 11 | La Mirada Academy San Marcos Unified On the Rise | 8.6% | Developing 36/100 |
| 12 | San Marcos Elementary San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 8.7% | Needs Support 28/100 |
Middle Schools (3)
San Marcos Unified has 3 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 45.4 — 5.0 points above the state average of 40.5.
Growth averages -4.9pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring middle school is San Elijo Middle with a Scope Score of 55 and 29.0% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Elijo Middle San Marcos Unified Culture First | 29.0% | Solid 55/100 |
| 2 | Woodland Park Middle San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 19.7% | Developing 43/100 |
| 3 | San Marcos Middle San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 15.3% | Developing 38/100 |
High Schools (3)
San Marcos Unified has 3 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 56.0 — 8.5 points above the state average of 47.5.
The highest-scoring high school is San Marcos High with a Scope Score of 61 and 18.1% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Marcos High San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 18.1% | Solid 61/100 |
| 2 | Mission Hills High San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 18.1% | Solid 61/100 |
| 3 | Twin Oaks High San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 0.7% | Developing 46/100 |
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
What Scope Scores can't tell you about San Marcos Unified
- Class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality
- Quality of arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs
- Teacher experience, turnover, and professional development
- Campus safety, bullying climate, and social-emotional support
- Parent and community engagement levels
- Quality of special education and gifted programs
- How resources are distributed across schools within the district
Scope Scores measure academic performance and school climate using public data. They are one lens among many. Full methodology