How does C L Smith Elementary compare to other elementary schools in San Luis Obispo?

C L Smith Elementary has a SchoolScope composite score of 54.8/100, placing it at the 76th percentile statewide. 36% of students exceed standard, with a total of 1,076 students tested across grades and subjects.

What percentage of students exceed standards at C L Smith Elementary?

35.8% of students at C L Smith Elementary exceed the state standard on CAASPP assessments, while 59.0% meet or exceed it. The gap between these two numbers reveals whether the school pushes students beyond basic proficiency.

Is C L Smith Elementary improving or declining?

C L Smith Elementary's proficiency rate decreases by 5.6 percentage points from grade 3 to grade 5, suggesting the school is not sustaining early academic gains.

What is the chronic absenteeism rate at C L Smith Elementary?

19.6% of students at C L Smith Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days). This metric reflects school culture and family engagement, and is weighted at 15% in our composite score.

C L Smith Elementary

San Luis Coastal Unified San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo County 93405

Composite Score

out of 100

State Percentile

of elementary schools

State Rank

1,076 students tested

School overview

Enrollment

484 students

Student-Teacher Ratio

22:1

Free/Reduced Lunch

56%

Teachers

22 full-time

Student demographics

Hispanic 38.6%

White 46.7%

Asian 3.9%

Black 2.1%

Other 8.7%

Performance breakdown

Performance breakdown for C L Smith Elementary
Category	Percentage
Exceeded Standard	35.8%
Met Standard	23.2%
Below Standard	41.0%

Exceeded

35.8%

Met

23.2%

Below

41.0%

What other rankings don't show you

Most rating sites report "59% proficient" for C L Smith Elementary and stop there. Here's what that number hides:

35.8% of students exceeded standard while 23.2% merely met it. That exceeded rate is 14.9 points above the state average of 21.0%. That's near the San Luis Coastal Unified district average of 34.0%. Compared to the 3 nearby schools within ~3 miles, this exceeded rate is 2.5 points higher (vs 33.4% average). The gap between "met" and "exceeded" is the difference between a school that clears the bar and one that raises it.

Proficiency drops by 5.6 percentage points from grade 3 to grade 5 — a signal that the school may not be sustaining early gains.

Chronic absenteeism is 19.6%, above the state average of 18.7%.