Elementary Schools in San Diego, California: San Diego schools average 5.1 points above the state — but the range is 37.4 points wide.

Above Average2024–25 data176 schools · avg 43.9/100

San Diego, California has 176 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 43.9/100 — 5.1 points above the state average of 38.8. The highest-scoring school is Sage Canyon at 90/100, where 66.0% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. San Diego schools average 27.0% exceeded standard (state: 21.3%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Of 176 schools, 8 Growth Engines and 17 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 18.7% (near the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score

43.9

State avg: 38.8

SchoolScope composite

Score Range

37.4

52.3 – 89.7

Avg Exceeded %

27.0%

State avg: 21.3%

CDE CAASPP 2025

Chronic Absenteeism

18.7%

State avg: 17.9%

CDE Attendance 2025

Schools Ranked

176

With Scope Scores

Level	Schools	Avg Score	Exceeded	vs State
Elementary	176	Developing 43.9/100	27.0%	+5.1
High	44	Solid 54.5/100	23.0%	+8.0
Middle	38	Developing 40.9/100	20.7%	+2.9

How San Diego schools compare

San Diego has 176 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 43.9/100 — 5.1 points above the state average of 38.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

The top-ranked school is Sage Canyon with a Scope Score of 90 and 66.0% of students exceeding standard.

Chronic absenteeism in San Diego averages 18.7% — near the state average of 17.9%.

How we score · Weighted composite of test performance, growth, and school climate · Full weights on the methodology page

School archetypes in San Diego

17 High Ceiling17 Solid Base10 Strong All-Around8 Growth Engine8 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 8 schools in San Diego are classified as Growth Engine (8) \u2014 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

For the data nerds

Every school in San Diego

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

#	School	Exceeded	Score
1	Canyon Crest Academy San Dieguito Union High High Ceiling	69.1%	Strong 94/100
2	Sage Canyon Del Mar Union Elementary High Ceiling	66.0%	Strong 90/100
3	Carmel Del Mar Elementary Del Mar Union Elementary High Ceiling	66.8%	Strong 89/100
4	Del Norte High Poway Unified High Ceiling	51.8%	Strong 86/100
5	Solana Ranch Elementary Solana Beach Elementary High Ceiling	65.8%	Strong 85/100
6	Ocean Air Del Mar Union Elementary High Ceiling	67.5%	Strong 85/100
7	Scripps Ranch High San Diego Unified High Ceiling	53.0%	Strong 84/100
8	Westview High Poway Unified High Ceiling	50.1%	Strong 84/100
9	Mt. Everest Academy San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	46.5%	Strong 82/100
10	Willow Grove Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling	56.8%	Strong 82/100
11	Design 39 Campus Poway Unified High Ceiling	55.2%	Strong 81/100
12	Stone Ranch Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling	56.5%	Strong 81/100
13	Dingeman Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling	68.8%	Strong 80/100
14	Torrey Pines High San Dieguito Union High Strong All-Around	42.2%	Strong 79/100
15	Mesa Verde Middle Poway Unified High Ceiling	50.5%	Strong 78/100
16	Rolling Hills Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling	58.4%	Strong 78/100
17	Scripps Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling	62.0%	Strong 78/100
18	Oak Valley Middle Poway Unified Strong All-Around	49.0%	Strong 76/100
19	Monterey Ridge Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling	61.9%	Strong 76/100
20	Solana Highlands Elementary Solana Beach Elementary High Ceiling	59.2%	Strong 75/100
21	Marshall Middle San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	50.0%	Strong 75/100
22	Pacific Sky Del Mar Union Elementary High Ceiling	50.3%	Strong 75/100
23	Deer Canyon Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling	61.1%	Strong 74/100
24	Adobe Bluffs Elementary Poway Unified High Ceiling	59.6%	Strong 74/100
25	University City High San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	36.1%	Strong 74/100
26	McKinley Elementary San Diego Unified High Ceiling	52.0%	Strong 73/100
27	Torrey Hills Del Mar Union Elementary Growth Engine	49.0%	Strong 71/100
28	Henry High San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	32.7%	Strong 71/100
29	Ashley Falls Elementary Del Mar Union Elementary High Ceiling	55.3%	Strong 70/100
30	Mt. Carmel High Poway Unified Strong All-Around	35.3%	Strong 70/100
31	Point Loma High San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	29.2%	Strong 70/100
32	Curie Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum	60.1%	Solid 70/100
33	Rancho Bernardo High Poway Unified Strong All-Around	34.7%	Solid 70/100
34	Park Village Elementary Poway Unified Building Momentum	57.8%	Solid 70/100
35	Birney Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine	45.7%	Solid 69/100
36	Dailard Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine	47.1%	Solid 69/100
37	Hearst Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	48.1%	Solid 68/100
38	Sundance Elementary Poway Unified Growth Engine	41.4%	Solid 68/100
39	Mission Bay High San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	39.0%	Solid 68/100
40	Green Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	49.0%	Solid 68/100
41	Creekside Elementary Poway Unified Building Momentum	52.3%	Solid 67/100
42	Jerabek Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum	56.8%	Solid 67/100
43	Mira Mesa High San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	31.5%	Solid 67/100
44	Del Sur Elementary Poway Unified Building Momentum	53.1%	Solid 67/100
45	Holmes Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum	57.5%	Solid 66/100
46	Magnolia Science Academy San Diego San Diego Unified Growth Engine	36.6%	Solid 65/100
47	Ericson Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	49.7%	Solid 65/100
48	Miramar Ranch Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base	48.2%	Solid 64/100
49	Marvin Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base	48.7%	Solid 64/100
50	High Tech High Mesa SBC - High Tech High Strong All-Around	42.4%	Solid 64/100
51	Canyon View Elementary Poway Unified Solid Base	49.0%	Solid 64/100
52	Challenger Middle San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	39.0%	Solid 64/100
53	Kumeyaay Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	43.1%	Solid 64/100
54	Los Penasquitos Elementary Poway Unified Strong All-Around	47.0%	Solid 64/100
55	Highland Ranch Elementary Poway Unified Growth Engine	39.5%	Solid 64/100
56	Westwood Elementary Poway Unified Solid Base	49.0%	Solid 64/100
57	Sycamore Ridge Del Mar Union Elementary Solid Base	49.4%	Solid 64/100
58	Barnard Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base	46.2%	Solid 63/100
59	Sunset Hills Elementary Poway Unified Strong All-Around	41.7%	Solid 63/100
60	Benchley/Weinberger Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	45.2%	Solid 63/100
61	School for Entrepreneurship and Technology San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	38.8%	Solid 62/100
62	Black Mountain Middle Poway Unified Strong All-Around	33.7%	Solid 61/100
63	Canyon Hills High San Diego Unified Building Momentum	20.1%	Solid 61/100
64	Hardy Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine	38.8%	Solid 61/100
65	Sandburg Elementary San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	39.4%	Solid 61/100
66	Jonas Salk Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base	48.1%	Solid 61/100
67	Hickman Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base	51.5%	Solid 61/100
68	De Portola Middle San Diego Unified Strong All-Around	36.5%	Solid 60/100
69	Standley Middle San Diego Unified Solid Base	40.6%	Solid 59/100
70	Pacific Beach Middle San Diego Unified Solid Base	43.7%	Solid 59/100
71	Grant K-8 San Diego Unified Solid Base	45.6%	Solid 59/100
72	Bernardo Heights Middle Poway Unified Solid Base	35.1%	Solid 58/100
73	Shoal Creek Elementary Poway Unified Strong All-Around	40.9%	Solid 58/100
74	Poway to Palomar Middle College High Poway Unified Building Momentum	22.2%	Solid 58/100
75	Nye Elementary San Diego Unified Growth Engine	35.2%	Solid 58/100
76	Chesterton Elementary San Diego Unified Culture First	37.9%	Solid 57/100
77	Montgomery Senior High Sweetwater Union High Building Momentum	14.3%	Solid 57/100
78	High Tech High International San Diego Unified Building Momentum	26.9%	Solid 56/100
79	Kearny College Connections San Diego Unified Building Momentum	31.8%	Solid 56/100
80	Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology San Diego Unified Culture First	20.6%	Solid 56/100
81	Sessions Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base	33.9%	Solid 56/100
82	Lewis Middle San Diego Unified Building Momentum	31.6%	Solid 56/100
83	Kearny Eng Innov & Design San Diego Unified Building Momentum	30.4%	Solid 55/100
84	Doyle Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base	41.6%	Solid 55/100
85	Nestor Language Academy Charter South Bay Union Growth Engine	23.4%	Solid 55/100
86	Bay Park Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base	34.6%	Solid 55/100
87	John Muir San Diego Unified Building Momentum	32.3%	Solid 54/100
88	Elevate San Diego Unified Solid Base	46.1%	Solid 54/100
89	Vista Grande Elementary San Diego Unified Culture First	34.2%	Solid 54/100
90	Longfellow K-8 San Diego Unified Solid Base	40.0%	Solid 54/100
91	Morning Creek Elementary Poway Unified Solid Base	40.6%	Solid 54/100
92	East Village Middle College High San Diego Unified Building Momentum	20.6%	Solid 54/100
93	Southwest Senior High Sweetwater Union High Building Momentum	9.6%	Solid 54/100
94	Tierrasanta Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base	38.3%	Solid 54/100
95	San Ysidro High Sweetwater Union High Building Momentum	12.8%	Solid 53/100
96	Sequoia Elementary San Diego Unified Building Momentum	34.2%	Solid 53/100
97	Kavod Charter San Diego Unified Culture First	31.8%	Solid 52/100
98	High Tech High San Diego Unified Building Momentum	23.3%	Solid 52/100
99	Spreckels Elementary San Diego Unified Solid Base	40.9%	Solid 52/100
100	San Diego High San Diego Unified Building Momentum	16.8%	Solid 52/100

Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 258 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools · Download this data (CSV)

Free to download, CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

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 San Diego

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.

Cathedral Catholic High School

Roman Catholic · Grades 9-12 · 1612 students

16:1Private

Maranatha Christian Schools

Christian (no specific denomination) · Grades Pre-K-12 · 855 students

13:1Private

Academy of Our Lady of Peace

Roman Catholic · Grades 9-12 · 750 students

17:1Private

St. Augustine High School

Roman Catholic · Grades 9-12 · 743 students

14:1Private

The Rock Academy

Christian (no specific denomination) · Grades Pre-K-12 · 403 students

10:1Private

What Scope Scores can't tell you about San Diego

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

Frequently asked questions

Are the schools in San Diego good?

San Diego's 176 ranked elementary schools average a Scope Score of 43.9/100, which is 5.1 points above the state average. 27.0% of students exceed the state standard on average (state average: 21.3%). The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (42%), met or exceeded (proficient) (23%), grade 3-to-5 growth (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 is the best elementary school in San Diego?

The highest-scoring elementary school in San Diego is Sage Canyon with a Scope Score of 90/100 and 66.0% of students exceeding the state standard. Rankings are based on SchoolScope's 2025 Scope Score, which measures academic performance and school climate using publicly available California data. See full methodology.

How do San Diego schools compare to the state average?

San Diego elementary schools average a Scope Score of 43.9/100 — 5.1 points above the state average of 38.8. The exceeded rate averages 27.0% vs. 21.3% statewide. Chronic absenteeism averages 18.7% vs. 17.9% statewide.

How many schools are in San Diego?

San Diego has 176 ranked elementary schools with Scope Scores. Schools are ranked using a weighted composite of CAASPP test performance, growth trajectory, chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Schools with insufficient testing data are not ranked.

What does the Scope Score measure?

The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on seven dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade 3–5 growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score separates students who "exceeded" from those who "met" the standard — revealing whether a school pushes students beyond proficiency or paces toward it. Full methodology and weights.

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