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Marian A. Peterson Middle · Sunnyvale

Marian A. Peterson Middle: Two in five kids exceed the standard. But math slips between grade 6 and grade 8.

Marian A. Peterson is one of the strongest middle schools in Sunnyvale by raw achievement. The catch worth understanding: the cohort doesn't gain ground year-over-year.

1380 Rosalia Avenue, 94087 (opens in new tab)·Santa Clara Unified·Sunnyvale·Grades 6-8·759 students·22% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(408) 423-2800·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5943
% Exceeded40%17%
% Met+63%39%
Growth-4.7+1.5
Absence7.2%18.5%
Suspension3.6%3.7%
Scope Score
59
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #340 statewide · #1 of 5 in Santa Clara Unified

Marian A. Peterson Middle scores 59 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 85th percentile of 2,238 California middle schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

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

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “63% proficient” and call it done. Marian A. Peterson deserves a closer read. It sits at the 85th percentile of 2,238 California middle schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The headline number: 40.2% of students scored in the top band on the state test. The California average is 16.8%.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

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

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 63% meet the standard today, versus 66% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 670%66%71%65%66%
Grade 771%73%67%68%70%
Grade 871%63%74%68%66%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 666%60%61%58%64%
Grade 762%61%57%56%60%
Grade 858%46%52%53%53%

The story this school is actually telling

The ceiling · exceeded standard
40.2%

of students scored in the top band on the state test. The California average is 16.8%.

↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The trajectory · grade 6→8
−4.7pp

math proficiency runs 64% in grade 6 against 53% in grade 8, while reading holds (66% to 66%). The state average falls by −0.5pp over the same span.

↓ the part no ranking site shows you

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

44%
22%
34%
Grade 6 · 66% proficient
37%
33%
30%
Grade 7 · 70% proficient
34%
32%
34%
Grade 8 · 66% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 9.3pp across grades; the proficiency floor barely moves. The state average falls 0.5pp over the same span. The school's 8th graders aren't posting a wider lead than its 6th graders. One question worth asking on a tour: are the strongest students being pushed, or coasting? A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
40.2%
State 16.8%
23.3pp above state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
-4.7pp
State +1.5pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
63.1%
State 39.3%
23.8pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
7.2%
State 18.5%
11.3pp below state avg
Suspension rate
3.6%
State 3.7%
0.1pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
28.7%
State 18.0%
10.7pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask the principal what changes between grade 6 and grade 8. Ask who teaches the older grades, and what the school does when a child starts falling behind.

  • Ask what changes between grade 6 and grade 8 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • 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 Marian A. Peterson Middle in Sunnyvale, 34.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 37.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Marian A. Peterson Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 2.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (25.2% Math proficient); Asian students (82.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 60.8 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 196 students tested.

All students at this school: 63% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 63%, district —, state 39%63%
MaleMale: this school 59%, district 53%, state 42%59% · −4 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 67%, district 57%, state 44%67% · +4 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 80%, district 77%, state 72%80% · +17 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 28%, district 30%, state 32%28% · −35 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 30%, district 31%, state 32%30% · −33 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 82%, district 69%, state 56%82% · +19 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 9%, district 13%, state 11%9% · −54 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 13%, district 20%, state 15%13% · −50 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 80%, district 69%, state 56%80% · +17 vs school

6 of 16 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group
Subgroup growth by grade

Change in proficiency from the lowest tested grade — which groups gain ground the longer they stay. Groups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Low-income student ELA proficiency rises by 4.8pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: +0.9pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 7.2%, district 17.3%, state 18.5%7.2% · −11.3pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 3.6%, district —, state 3.7%3.6% · −0.1pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–65.9%
Grades 7–87.6%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path

Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 22:1, district 20:122:1
Teaching staff40 teachers
Avg. experience12.5 years
Fully credentialed88%
First-year teachers3%
Intern / emergency permit1.3%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$95,734 – $171,568
Principal salary$219,111 – $234,952
Superintendent salary$338,130

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $29,620, CA average $14,815$29,620 · spent at this school
District current expense · FY 2024–25$32,023 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
Instruction62%
Instruction support14%
Student services7%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance9%

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$20,344 per pupil
2019$18,925 per pupil
2018$19,279 per pupil
2017$17,223 per pupil
2016$15,125 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Asian43.1%
District 31.1% · CA 10.2%
Hispanic30.2%
District 38.1% · CA 56.1%
White16.2%
District 15.9% · CA 19.9%
Other9.5%
District 12.4% · CA 9.0%
Black1.1%
District 2.4% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 22.0% (42pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$208K · CA $85K
Median home value$2.00M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+78% · CA 35%
ZIP population57,767
Median age38 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 55% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Marian A. Peterson Middle a good middle school?

Marian A. Peterson Middle has a Scope Score of 59 out of 100, placing it in the 85th percentile of California middle schools and ranked #340 statewide. 40.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 23.3 percentage points above the California average of 16.8%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for middle schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 6-to-8 growth (27%), met or exceeded (proficient) (20%), 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 Marian A. Peterson Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 63.1% of students at Marian A. Peterson Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 40.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 22.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 40.2% 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. 1,458 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Marian A. Peterson Middle rank in California?

Marian A. Peterson Middle ranks #340 among California middle 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), grade-level growth (Grade 6 to grade 8 growth), 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.

Is Marian A. Peterson Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Marian A. Peterson Middle decreases by 4.7 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth. This downward pattern doesn't necessarily mean the school is failing — it can reflect cohort differences, demographic shifts, or curriculum changes. A campus visit and conversation with teachers can reveal what the numbers can't. Growth trajectory is weighted at 15% in the middle Scope Score because it measures what the school does, not just who walks in the door.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Marian A. Peterson Middle?

7.2% of students at Marian A. Peterson Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 3.6%. 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 Marian A. Peterson Middle compare to other schools in Sunnyvale?

Marian A. Peterson Middle scores 59/100 (85th percentile) among California middle 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 759 students. Use the schools in Sunnyvale page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Marian A. Peterson Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Marian A. Peterson Middle in Sunnyvale, 34.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 37.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Marian A. Peterson Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 2.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (25.2% Math proficient); Asian students (82.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 60.8 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 196 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 Sunnyvale →

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
Exceeded standard · 38%
40.2%
↑ vs CA 16.8% · 76th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
-4.7pp
↓ vs CA +1.5pp · 38th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
63.1%
↑ vs CA 39.3% · 69th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
7.2%
↑ vs CA 18.5% · 66th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
3.6%
↑ vs CA 3.7% · 50th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
28.7%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 60th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 623844%22%15%20%66%+19
Grade 724337%33%10%20%70%+22
Grade 824434%32%16%18%66%+20
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 623947%17%15%22%64%+29
Grade 724540%20%16%24%60%+26
Grade 824939%14%17%29%53%+21
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1124929%27%36%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 Disadvantaged19634.9%−2−3
Asian31182.0%+3+8
Hispanic/Latino21737.1%−0−2
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Marian A. Peterson Middle ←—5940.2%63.1%−4.73.6%
Sam H. Lawson Middle1.8 mi9164.4%87.7%+6.00.4%
Warren E. Hyde Middle2.7 mi8159.9%81.0%−4.52.0%
Juan Cabrillo Middle2.2 mi5831.7%52.8%+6.28.6%
California average—4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195987#26838.7%66.2%4.1%3.6%-3.8pp
20226088#25736.1%61.5%9.8%4.2%-8.9pp
20236287#28034.9%63.5%8.3%2.8%-3.3pp
20246188#26538.6%61.2%7.3%2.6%-0.9pp
20255985#34040.2%63.1%7.2%3.6%-4.7pp
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
Female4.1%6.6%+2.5pp
Male4.0%7.4%+3.4pp
Asian0.8%2.4%+1.6pp
Black/African American6.7%——
White15.6%8.3%-7.3pp
Hispanic/Latino8.9%13.1%+4.2pp
Two or More Races4.2%0.0%-4.2pp
Students with Disabilities10.8%18.4%+7.6pp
English Learners5.9%12.4%+6.5pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged7.7%14.0%+6.3pp
All Students4.1%7.0%+2.9pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,238 middle 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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