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Hillsdale High · San Mateo

Hillsdale High: High scores, healthy climate, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.

Hillsdale posts 32.6% exceeding the standard — versus 15.8% statewide — with climate numbers better than most. That doesn't make it perfect. It makes it worth a visit to find what numbers can't measure.

3115 Del Monte Street, 94403 (opens in new tab)·San Mateo Union High·San Mateo·Grades 9-12·1,585 students·25% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(650) 558-2699·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6044
% Exceeded33%16%
% Met+57%36%
Grad rate90.8%87.6%
College readiness75.6%35.4%
Absence13.4%30.2%
Suspension2.5%3.6%
Scope Score
60
💪 Strong All-Around · Solid
ranked #326 statewide · #5 of 8 in San Mateo Union High

Hillsdale High scores 60 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 85th percentile of 2,160 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

💪 Strong All-Around — Ask about what we don't score — class size, electives, the feel of a classroom — strong numbers everywhere on paper don't mean every classroom feels the same.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “57% proficient” and call it done. Hillsdale deserves a closer read. The school sits in San Mateo, where one in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: 75.6% of students leave measurably college-ready, versus 35.4% statewide.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has held the 85th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathBlue(Increased Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 57% meet the standard today, versus 60% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1171%71%67%65%72%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1150%44%40%37%42%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
57%
State 36%
Graduate
91%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
76%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 57 are proficient by 11th grade → 91 graduate → 76 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
90.8%
State 87.6%
3.2pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
32.6%
State 15.8%
16.8pp above state avg
College readiness
75.6%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
57.0%
State 35.7%
21.3pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
13.4%
State 30.2%
16.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
2.5%
State 3.6%
1.1pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
10.6%
State 18.0%
7.4pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Hillsdale High in San Mateo, 45.1% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 50.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Hillsdale High trails its district average for low-income students by 5.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (19.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 66.2 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 91 students tested.

All students at this school: 57% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 57%, district —, state 36%57%
MaleMale: this school 55%, district 58%, state 42%55% · −2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 59%, district 66%, state 44%59% · +2 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 34%, district 34%, state 32%34% · −22 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 63%, district 71%, state 56%63% · +6 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 32%, district 37%, state 32%32% · −25 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 87%, district 85%, state 72%87% · +30 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 6%, district 4%, state 11%6% · −51 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 75%, district 76%, state 56%75% · +18 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 23%, district 17%, state 15%23% · −34 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 63%, district 73%, state 65%63% · +6 vs school
Pacific IslanderPacific Islander: too few students to report‹11
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: too few students to report‹11
HomelessHomeless: too few students to report‹11
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: too few students to report‹11
this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 13.4%, district 20.4%, state 30.2%13.4% · −16.8pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.5%, district —, state 3.6%2.5% · −1.1pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1212.6%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 20:1, district 20:120:1
Teaching staff102 teachers
Avg. experience15.9 years
Fully credentialed89%
First-year teachers11%
Intern / emergency permit0.9%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$82,756 – $157,234
Principal salary$0 – $240,516
Superintendent salary$362,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered49
AP exam qualifiers223 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $28,494, CA average $14,815$28,494 · spent at this school
Federal share$333 per student

$333 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$28,924 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction51%
Instruction support12%
Student services14%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance11%
Other4%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$19,450 per pupil
2019$19,203 per pupil
2018$19,357 per pupil
2017$17,001 per pupil
2016$16,893 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic37.7%
District 33.8% · CA 56.1%
White31.0%
District 25.3% · CA 19.9%
Asian15.5%
District 24.1% · CA 10.2%
Other14.8%
District 16.1% · CA 9.0%
Black1.0%
District 0.7% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 25.2% (39pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$175K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.75M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+61% · CA 35%
ZIP population43,276
Median age39 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 39% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hillsdale High a good high school?

Hillsdale High has a Scope Score of 60 out of 100, placing it in the 85th percentile of California high schools and ranked #326 statewide. 32.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 16.8 percentage points above the California average of 15.8%. The Scope Score weights 7 dimensions for high schools: graduation rate (25%), exceeded standard (22%), college/career readiness (20%), met or exceeded (proficient) (18%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Hillsdale High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 57.0% of students at Hillsdale High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 32.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 24.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 32.6% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 712 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Hillsdale High rank in California?

Hillsdale High ranks #326 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 85th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Hillsdale High?

13.4% of students at Hillsdale High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 2.5%. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.

How does Hillsdale High compare to other schools in San Mateo?

Hillsdale High scores 60/100 (85th percentile) among California high schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 1,585 students. Use the schools in San Mateo page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Hillsdale High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Hillsdale High in San Mateo, 45.1% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 50.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Hillsdale High trails its district average for low-income students by 5.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (19.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 66.2 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 91 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

All schools in San Mateo →

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.

For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Graduation rate · 25%
90.8%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 54th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
32.6%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 68th pctile
College readiness · 20%
75.6%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 73th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
57.0%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 65th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
13.4%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 64th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.5%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 55th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
10.6%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 41th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1135440%32%15%13%72%+25
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1135825%16%22%37%42%+19
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1135815%25%51%9%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged9145.1%−6+7
Hispanic/Latino13350.0%+0+11
White10780.4%−3+19
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Hillsdale High ←—6032.6%57.0%—2.5%
Carlmont High2.2 mi7552.3%78.7%—2.0%
Aragon High1.5 mi7144.7%70.5%—2.4%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
90.8%
AP Exam Prepared
75.6%
A-G Completion
74.9%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
85.3%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20196486#29329.8%60.3%8.8%4.2%—
20226288#26130.0%57.8%10.3%3.1%—
20236085#31528.6%53.5%15.8%2.9%—
20245984#34327.2%51.1%14.8%2.7%—
20256085#32632.6%57.0%13.4%2.5%—
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female8.7%13.8%+5.1pp
Male7.3%11.6%+4.3pp
Asian1.7%5.3%+3.6pp
Black/African American26.7%37.5%+10.8pp
Filipino4.1%——
White1.3%10.3%+9.0pp
Hispanic/Latino15.2%18.6%+3.4pp
Pacific Islander18.2%38.9%+20.7pp
Two or More Races5.2%9.3%+4.1pp
Students with Disabilities22.4%19.4%-3.0pp
English Learners20.3%26.5%+6.2pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged17.7%20.5%+2.8pp
All Students8.0%12.6%+4.6pp
Homeless—75.0%—
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction

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