South San Francisco Unified
South San Francisco Unified has 15 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 43.5/100 — 0.3 points near the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Monte Verde Elementary at 75/100, where 51.3% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $14,807 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 3 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 17.0%, near the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Developing 44.5/100 | 9 | 22.7% | 14.7% |
| Middle | Developing 39.8/100 | 3 | 18.0% | 13.4% |
| High | Developing 44.3/100 | 3 | 17.1% | 27.6% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in South San Francisco Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: South San Francisco Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 44.5.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages +0.8pp (state avg: -3.0pp), suggesting schools are making incremental gains.
Consistency: Score range of 58.5 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 17.0%, 1.1pp near the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 2.1%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Monte Verde Elementary leads the district at 75 with 51.3% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in South San Francisco Unified
Hidden gems: 5 schools in South San Francisco Unified are classified as Growth Engine (3) or On the Rise (2) — 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
South San Francisco Unified spends $14,807 per student in current expenditures — $7 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 (9)
South San Francisco Unified has 9 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 44.5 — 0.7 points near the state average of 43.8. 1 of 9 elementary schools score above 70.
District-wide growth averages +0.8pp, suggesting schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Monte Verde Elementary with a Scope Score of 75 and 51.3% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monte Verde Elementary South San Francisco Unified High Ceiling | 51.3% | Strong 75/100 |
| 2 | Buri Buri Elementary South San Francisco Unified Solid Base | 37.5% | Solid 61/100 |
| 3 | Skyline Elementary South San Francisco Unified Growth Engine | 33.1% | Solid 58/100 |
| 4 | Junipero Serra Elementary South San Francisco Unified Growth Engine | 34.2% | Solid 55/100 |
| 5 | Ponderosa Elementary South San Francisco Unified Culture First | 20.6% | Developing 47/100 |
| 6 | Sunshine Gardens Elementary South San Francisco Unified On the Rise | 13.3% | Developing 40/100 |
| 7 | Spruce Elementary South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 6.6% | Needs Support 27/100 |
| 8 | Martin Elementary South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 3.9% | Needs Support 20/100 |
| 9 | Los Cerritos Elementary South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 3.7% | Needs Support 17/100 |
Middle Schools (3)
South San Francisco Unified has 3 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 39.8 — 0.6 points near the state average of 40.5.
District-wide growth averages +3.3pp, suggesting schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring middle school is Westborough Middle with a Scope Score of 48 and 24.1% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westborough Middle South San Francisco Unified Growth Engine | 24.1% | Developing 48/100 |
| 2 | Alta Loma Middle South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 21.2% | Developing 44/100 |
| 3 | Parkway Heights Middle South San Francisco Unified On the Rise | 8.7% | Needs Support 28/100 |
High Schools (3)
South San Francisco Unified has 3 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 44.3 — 3.1 points below the state average of 47.5.
The highest-scoring high school is El Camino High with a Scope Score of 65 and 30.4% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Camino High South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 30.4% | Solid 65/100 |
| 2 | South San Francisco High South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 20.0% | Solid 51/100 |
| 3 | Baden High (Continuation) South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 1.1% | Needs Support 18/100 |
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 South San Francisco 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