Elementary Schools in Carlsbad, California: Carlsbad students aren't just reaching proficiency — many go beyond it.
Carlsbad, California has 15 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 64.6/100 — 25.8 points above the state average of 38.9. The highest-scoring school is Pacific Rim Elementary at 76/100, where 60.1% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Carlsbad schools average 46.4% exceeded standard (state: 21.4%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. Of 15 schools, 3 Growth Engines and 5 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 10.7% (below the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
How Carlsbad schools compare
Carlsbad has 15 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 64.6/100 — 25.8 points above the state average of 38.9 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
The top-ranked school is Pacific Rim Elementary with a Scope Score of 76 and 60.1% of students exceeding standard.
Students here are going past the bar, not just to it. Carlsbad schools average 46.4% exceeding standard — well above the statewide average of 21.4%.
Chronic absenteeism in Carlsbad averages 10.7% — below the state average of 17.9%.
How we score · Weighted composite of test performance, growth, and school climate · Full weights on the methodology page
Elementary school archetypes in Carlsbad
Hidden gems: 3 schools in Carlsbad are classified as Growth Engine (3) — 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
Every school in Carlsbad
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP · levels never mixed
Elementary Schools (15)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pacific Rim Elementary Carlsbad Unified | 60.1% | 97th percentile · StrongScope Score 76/100 |
| 2 | Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary Encinitas Union Elementary | 56.5% | 97th percentile · StrongScope Score 75/100 |
| 3 | El Camino Creek Elementary Encinitas Union Elementary | 53.4% | 97th percentile · StrongScope Score 74/100 |
| 4 | Kelly Elementary Carlsbad Unified | 51.0% | 96th percentile · StrongScope Score 74/100 |
| 5 | Aviara Oaks Elementary Carlsbad Unified | 54.1% | 96th percentile · StrongScope Score 73/100 |
| 6 | La Costa Heights Elementary Encinitas Union Elementary | 46.5% | 94th percentile · StrongScope Score 70/100 |
| 7 | Magnolia Elementary Carlsbad Unified | 45.3% | 91st percentile · StrongScope Score 66/100 |
| 8 | La Costa Meadows Elementary San Marcos Unified | 43.4% | 91st percentile · StrongScope Score 65/100 |
| 9 | Poinsettia Elementary Carlsbad Unified | 56.2% | 90th percentile · StrongScope Score 64/100 |
| 10 | Buena Vista Elementary Carlsbad Unified | 38.1% | 89th percentile · StrongScope Score 62/100 |
| 11 | Carrillo Elementary San Marcos Unified | 44.2% | 87th percentile · StrongScope Score 60/100 |
| 12 | Mission Estancia Elementary Encinitas Union Elementary | 44.5% | 86th percentile · StrongScope Score 59/100 |
| 13 | Calavera Hills Elementary Carlsbad Unified | 37.8% | 84th percentile · StrongScope Score 57/100 |
| 14 | Hope Elementary Carlsbad Unified | 39.6% | 80th percentile · StrongScope Score 53/100 |
| 15 | Jefferson Elementary Carlsbad Unified | 25.1% | 62nd percentile · SolidScope Score 41/100 |
Middle Schools (3)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aviara Oaks Middle Carlsbad Unified | 38.3% | 86th percentile · StrongScope Score 57/100 |
| 2 | Calavera Hills Middle Carlsbad Unified | 22.5% | 77th percentile · StrongScope Score 50/100 |
| 3 | Valley Middle Carlsbad Unified | 21.8% | 52nd percentile · SolidScope Score 37/100 |
High Schools (4)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sage Creek High Carlsbad Unified | 37.9% | 93rd percentile · StrongScope Score 76/100 |
| 2 | Carlsbad High Carlsbad Unified | 34.9% | 87th percentile · StrongScope Score 70/100 |
| 3 | La Costa Canyon High San Dieguito Union High | 32.8% | 86th percentile · StrongScope Score 69/100 |
| 4 | Carlsbad Village Academy Carlsbad Unified continuation high school | 11.1% | 93rd percentile · StrongWithin its own school classScope Score 34/100 |
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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.
Private Schools in Carlsbad
Private schools don't participate in California's standardized testing (CAASPP) and cannot be scored or ranked. Showing enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and affiliation where available.
Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access. Full methodology