San Mateo-Foster City
San Mateo-Foster City has 21 ranked schools across elementary and middle levels with an average Scope Score of 49.9/100 — 6.1 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is College Park Elementary at 87/100, where 61.2% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $15,293 per student (above the state average of $14,815). 6 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 16.6%, near the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Developing 49.6/100 | 18 | 29.1% | 16.6% |
| Middle | Solid 51.6/100 | 3 | 29.2% | 16.4% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in San Mateo-Foster City, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: San Mateo-Foster City's middle schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 51.6.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages +5.5pp (state avg: -3.0pp), suggesting schools are adding meaningful value.
Consistency: Score range of 68.0 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 16.6%, 1.6pp near the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 1.6%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: College Park Elementary leads the district at 87 with 61.2% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in San Mateo-Foster City
Hidden gems: 10 schools in San Mateo-Foster City are classified as Growth Engine (6) or On the Rise (4) — 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 Mateo-Foster City spends $15,293 per student in current expenditures — $479 above 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 (18)
San Mateo-Foster City has 18 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 49.6 — 5.8 points above the state average of 43.8. 3 of 18 elementary schools score above 70.
District-wide growth averages +5.5pp, suggesting schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring elementary school is College Park Elementary with a Scope Score of 87 and 61.2% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College Park Elementary San Mateo-Foster City High Ceiling | 61.2% | Strong 87/100 |
| 2 | Beach Park Elementary San Mateo-Foster City High Ceiling | 53.1% | Strong 73/100 |
| 3 | Foster City Elementary San Mateo-Foster City Growth Engine | 49.3% | Strong 72/100 |
| 4 | Brewer Island Elementary San Mateo-Foster City Growth Engine | 47.3% | Solid 69/100 |
| 5 | North Shoreview Montessori San Mateo-Foster City Growth Engine | 43.6% | Solid 63/100 |
| 6 | George Hall Elementary San Mateo-Foster City Solid Base | 42.6% | Solid 62/100 |
| 7 | Highlands Elementary San Mateo-Foster City Strong All-Around | 35.3% | Solid 59/100 |
| 8 | Audubon Elementary San Mateo-Foster City Growth Engine | 37.9% | Solid 58/100 |
| 9 | Baywood Elementary San Mateo-Foster City Culture First | 37.0% | Solid 56/100 |
| 10 | Parkside Montessori San Mateo-Foster City Growth Engine | 25.7% | Solid 53/100 |
| 11 | Meadow Heights Elementary San Mateo-Foster City Building Momentum | 22.0% | Developing 44/100 |
| 12 | Bayside Academy San Mateo-Foster City On the Rise | 16.0% | Developing 38/100 |
| 13 | Fiesta Gardens International Elementary San Mateo-Foster City On the Rise | 11.8% | Developing 37/100 |
| 14 | Beresford Elementary San Mateo-Foster City Building Momentum | 16.8% | Developing 33/100 |
| 15 | Laurel Elementary San Mateo-Foster City On the Rise | 10.3% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 16 | LEAD Elementary San Mateo-Foster City Building Momentum | 4.4% | Needs Support 20/100 |
| 17 | Sunnybrae Elementary San Mateo-Foster City Building Momentum | 4.7% | Needs Support 20/100 |
| 18 | San Mateo Park Elementary San Mateo-Foster City On the Rise | 3.8% | Needs Support 19/100 |
Middle Schools (3)
San Mateo-Foster City has 3 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 51.6 — 11.2 points above the state average of 40.5. 1 of 3 middle schools score above 70.
District-wide growth averages +4.3pp, suggesting schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring middle school is Bowditch Middle with a Scope Score of 71 and 47.4% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bowditch Middle San Mateo-Foster City Strong All-Around | 47.4% | Strong 71/100 |
| 2 | Borel Middle San Mateo-Foster City Growth Engine | 23.3% | Developing 45/100 |
| 3 | Abbott Middle San Mateo-Foster City Building Momentum | 16.9% | Developing 39/100 |
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 Mateo-Foster City
- 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