Elementary Schools in Oceanside, California: Oceanside schools average near the state. The 40.1-point spread is where the choice actually lives.
Oceanside, California has 24 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 39.5/100 — within 0.6 points of the state average of 38.9. The highest-scoring school is Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary at 63/100, where 38.4% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Oceanside schools average 20.2% exceeded standard (state: 21.4%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. Of 24 schools, 4 Growth Engines stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 18.1% (near the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
Start with your child’s school level
The overview describes elementary schools. The lists below separate elementary, middle and high schools, so each school’s standing stays within its own comparison group. Open a profile to see the underlying results, student support and questions to ask on a visit.
Every school in Oceanside
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP · levels never mixed
Elementary Schools (24)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary Fallbrook Union Elementary | 38.4% | 89th percentile · StrongScope Score 63/100 |
| 2 | Coastal Academy Charter Oceanside Unified | 30.5% | 80th percentile · StrongScope Score 53/100 |
| 3 | Libby Elementary Oceanside Unified | 20.8% | 80th percentile · StrongScope Score 53/100 |
| 4 | Empresa Elementary Vista Unified | 36.8% | 78th percentile · StrongScope Score 51/100 |
| 5 | Bonsall West Elementary Bonsall Unified | 28.6% | 77th percentile · StrongScope Score 51/100 |
| 6 | Alamosa Park Elementary Vista Unified | 26.6% | 77th percentile · StrongScope Score 50/100 |
| 7 | Scholarship Prep - Oceanside San Diego County Office of Education | 31.6% | 70th percentile · SolidScope Score 46/100 |
| 8 | Lake Elementary Vista Unified | 25.2% | 69th percentile · SolidScope Score 45/100 |
| 9 | Santa Margarita Elementary Oceanside Unified | 24.1% | 68th percentile · SolidScope Score 45/100 |
| 10 | North Terrace Elementary Oceanside Unified | 20.5% | 67th percentile · SolidScope Score 44/100 |
| 11 | T.H.E Leadership Academy Vista Unified | 18.6% | 60th percentile · SolidScope Score 40/100 |
| 12 | Ivey Ranch Elementary Oceanside Unified | 29.1% | 59th percentile · SolidScope Score 40/100 |
| 13 | Palmquist Elementary Oceanside Unified | 17.8% | 55th percentile · SolidScope Score 38/100 |
| 14 | Mission Meadows Elementary Vista Unified | 17.9% | 54th percentile · SolidScope Score 37/100 |
| 15 | Del Rio Elementary Oceanside Unified | 15.2% | 50th percentile · SolidScope Score 36/100 |
| 16 | Stuart Mesa Elementary Oceanside Unified | 10.9% | 42nd percentile · DevelopingScope Score 33/100 |
| 17 | Laurel Elementary Oceanside Unified | 9.1% | 41st percentile · DevelopingScope Score 32/100 |
| 18 | South Oceanside Elementary Oceanside Unified | 16.7% | 39th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 32/100 |
| 19 | Christa McAuliffe Elementary Oceanside Unified | 18.5% | 38th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 31/100 |
| 20 | Pablo Tac School of the Arts Oceanside Unified | 8.3% | 35th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 30/100 |
| 21 | Mission Elementary Oceanside Unified | 11.7% | 30th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 28/100 |
| 22 | Surfside Academy Oceanside Unified | 4.5% | 25th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 26/100 |
| 23 | Louise Foussat Elementary Oceanside Unified | 8.6% | 16th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 23/100 |
| 24 | Nichols Elementary Oceanside Unified | 14.0% | 15th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 22/100 |
Middle Schools (7)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cesar Chavez Middle Oceanside Unified | 12.9% | 48th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 35/100 |
| 2 | Lincoln Middle Oceanside Unified | 10.8% | 47th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 35/100 |
| 3 | Martin Luther King Jr. Middle Oceanside Unified | 15.3% | 41st percentile · DevelopingScope Score 32/100 |
| 4 | Pacific View Charter Oceanside Unified alternative school | 4.1% | 55th percentile · SolidWithin its own school classScope Score 23/100 |
| 5 | Roosevelt Middle Vista Unified | 8.1% | 12th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 20/100 |
| 6 | Madison Middle Vista Unified | 9.9% | 10th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 19/100 |
| 7 | Jefferson Middle Oceanside Unified | 3.7% | 6th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 17/100 |
High Schools (5)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mission Vista High Vista Unified | 40.2% | 90th percentile · StrongScope Score 73/100 |
| 2 | El Camino High Oceanside Unified | 20.2% | 62nd percentile · SolidScope Score 57/100 |
| 3 | Oceanside High Oceanside Unified | 11.3% | 38th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 49/100 |
| 4 | SIATech Vista Unified alternative school | 3.5% | 16th percentile · Needs SupportWithin its own school classScope Score 11/100 |
| 5 | Surfside High (Continuation) Oceanside Unified continuation high school | 0.0% | 4th percentile · Needs SupportWithin its own school classScope Score 9/100 |
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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.
Elementary school archetypes in Oceanside
Hidden gems: 14 schools in Oceanside are classified as On the Rise (10) or Growth Engine (4) — 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
Private Schools in Oceanside
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