ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in
Santa Margarita Elementary · Santa Margarita

Santa Margarita Elementary: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.

Santa Margarita posts 54% meeting the standard, and 25.0% going well past it. Most kids here keep up. Fewer get pushed further. Ask the school what it does for a child who already finds the work easy.

22070 H Street, 93453 (opens in new tab)·Atascadero Unified·Santa Margarita·Grades TK-5·297 students·34% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(805) 438-5633·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5045
% Exceeded25%21%
% Met+54%43%
Growth-8.4-2.9
Absence9.5%17.9%
Suspension0.4%1.6%
Scope Score
50
🤝 Culture First · Developing
ranked #1,901 statewide · #3 of 6 in Atascadero Unified

Santa Margarita Elementary scores 50 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 67th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

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

🤝 Culture First — Ask whether the low absenteeism and suspension numbers come from what the school does or from the community it serves — both can produce the same numbers, and only a visit tells you which.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “54% proficient” and call it done. Santa Margarita deserves a closer read. The school sits in Santa Margarita, where one in three students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Santa Margarita's low-income kids hit 52.4% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Slipped from the 77th to the 67th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined Significantly)MathOrange(Declined Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 54% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 357%35%54%65%52%
Grade 456%77%45%50%67%
Grade 566%72%58%42%52%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 351%51%63%63%55%
Grade 456%87%47%57%62%
Grade 549%59%65%32%39%

The story this school is actually telling

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

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

23%
29%
48%
Grade 3 · 52% proficient
31%
36%
33%
Grade 4 · 67% proficient
26%
26%
48%
Grade 5 · 52% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 2.9pp across grades; the proficiency floor barely moves. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Kids here gain ground the longer they stay — the pattern you want to see. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

52.4%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Santa Margarita's most underrated number

52.4% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide. That's the strongest kind of signal a school can post: it holds across income lines.

Santa Margarita low-income: 52.4%State low-income: 38.2%

The 5 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
25.0%
State 21.3%
3.7pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-8.4pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
54.4%
State 42.7%
11.7pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
9.5%
State 17.9%
8.5pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.4%
State 1.6%
1.2pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • Ask what changes between grade 3 and grade 5 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • 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 Santa Margarita Elementary in Santa Margarita, 52.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Santa Margarita Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 12.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (46.5% Math proficient); White students (58.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 4.0 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 42 students tested.

All students at this school: 55% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 55%, district —, state 43%55%
WhiteWhite: this school 56%, district 53%, state 56%56% · +1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 52%, district 46%, state 42%52% · −3 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 49%, district 35%, state 32%49% · −6 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 60%, district 46%, state 44%60% · +5 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 56%, district 29%, state 32%56% · +0 vs school

8 of 14 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.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 9.5%, district 24.4%, state 17.9%9.5% · −8.5pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.4%, district —, state 1.6%0.4% · −1.2pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–66.8%
TK/K8.6%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Santa Margarita Elementary
50/100
This school
▼
High School

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

Planning ahead? 2 licensed preschools near this school →

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 27:1, district 23:127:1
Teaching staff15 teachers
Avg. experience14.7 years
Fully credentialed86%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$56,546 – $106,428
Principal salary$136,922 – $154,077
Superintendent salary$241,349

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $15,420, CA average $14,815$15,420 · spent at this school
District current expense · FY 2024–25$17,137 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
Instruction59%
Instruction support9%
Student services12%
Administration8%
Buildings & maintenance11%
Other2%

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$11,955 per pupil
2019$11,333 per pupil
2018$11,288 per pupil
2017$10,597 per pupil
2016$10,747 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White68.7%
District 58.4% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic19.2%
District 30.6% · CA 56.1%
Other11.8%
District 8.8% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.3%
District 1.0% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 33.7% (30pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$78K · CA $85K
Median home value$710K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+36% · CA 35%
ZIP population2,344
Median age55 years

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

Worth Knowing

Transitional kindergarten is offered here — confirmed by actual Census Day enrollment, not just the listed grade span.

On the state's science test (CAST), 42% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Santa Margarita Elementary a good elementary school?

Santa Margarita Elementary has a Scope Score of 50 out of 100, placing it in the 67th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #1,901 statewide. 25.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 3.7 percentage points above the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 3-to-5 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 Santa Margarita Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 54.4% of students at Santa Margarita Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 25.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 29.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 25.0% 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. 243 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Santa Margarita Elementary rank in California?

Santa Margarita Elementary ranks #1,901 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 67th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 3 to grade 5 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 Santa Margarita Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Santa Margarita Elementary decreases by 8.4 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 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 elementary 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 Santa Margarita Elementary?

9.5% of students at Santa Margarita Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.4%, indicating a low-discipline-incident environment. 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 Santa Margarita Elementary compare to other schools in Santa Margarita?

Santa Margarita Elementary scores 50/100 (67th percentile) among California elementary 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 297 students. Use the schools in Santa Margarita page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Santa Margarita Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Santa Margarita Elementary in Santa Margarita, 52.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Santa Margarita Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 12.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (46.5% Math proficient); White students (58.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 4.0 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 42 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

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%
25.0%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 54th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-8.4pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 47th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
54.4%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 59th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
9.5%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 64th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.4%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 60th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 34823%29%25%23%52%+9
Grade 44231%36%17%17%67%+22
Grade 53126%26%19%29%52%+4
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 34922%33%18%27%55%+9
Grade 44229%33%24%14%62%+20
Grade 53119%19%29%32%39%+3
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/113129%13%52%6%

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 Disadvantaged4252.4%+12+14
White8158.0%−1−4
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Santa Margarita Elementary ←—5025.0%54.4%−8.40.4%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195777#128831.2%55.8%7.9%3.3%+3.4pp
20226189#65233.1%63.4%34.9%1.2%+22.5pp
20236286#78827.2%55.3%21.0%2.2%+2.7pp
20244967#191329.4%51.5%12.6%0.2%-26.9pp
20255067#190125.0%54.4%9.5%0.4%-8.4pp
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
Female6.9%5.1%-1.8pp
Male8.7%11.1%+2.4pp
Hispanic/Latino7.7%15.0%+7.3pp
Students with Disabilities12.2%17.8%+5.6pp
English Learners9.1%——
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged13.2%16.5%+3.3pp
All Students7.8%8.4%+0.6pp
Filipino—0.0%—
Two or More Races—0.0%—
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary 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

← Browse all schools