Elementary Schools in San Marcos, California: San Marcos schools aren't just reaching proficiency — they're pushing students beyond it.
San Marcos, California has 11 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 54.4/100 — 9.6 points above the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Discovery Elementary at 75/100, where 54.4% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. San Marcos schools average 29.7% exceeded standard (state: 21.3%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Of 11 schools, 1 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 13.0% (below the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Schools | Avg Score | Exceeded | vs State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 11 | Solid 54.4/100 | 29.7% | +9.6 |
| High | 5 | Solid 50.9/100 | 15.8% | +7.2 |
| Middle | 6 | Developing 42.8/100 | 17.3% | +0.2 |
How San Marcos schools compare
San Marcos has 11 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 54.4/100 — 9.6 points above the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
The top-ranked school is Discovery Elementary with a Scope Score of 75 and 54.4% of students exceeding standard.
These schools are pushing students past the bar, not just to it. San Marcos schools average 29.7% exceeding standard — well above the statewide average of 21.3%.
Chronic absenteeism in San Marcos averages 13.0% — 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
School archetypes in San Marcos
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Every school in San Marcos
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discovery Elementary San Marcos Unified High Ceiling | 54.4% | Strong 75/100 |
| 2 | Double Peak San Marcos Unified Strong All-Around | 46.6% | Strong 73/100 |
| 3 | Paloma Elementary San Marcos Unified Strong All-Around | 45.5% | Strong 72/100 |
| 4 | High Tech High North County SBC - High Tech High Strong All-Around | 33.3% | Solid 64/100 |
| 5 | San Elijo Elementary San Marcos Unified Strong All-Around | 42.2% | Solid 63/100 |
| 6 | Knob Hill Elementary San Marcos Unified Strong All-Around | 31.7% | Solid 60/100 |
| 7 | Richland Elementary San Marcos Unified Solid Base | 38.5% | Solid 56/100 |
| 8 | Mission Hills High San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 18.1% | Solid 55/100 |
| 9 | High Tech Middle North County SBC - High Tech High Culture First | 24.3% | Solid 55/100 |
| 10 | San Marcos High San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 18.1% | Solid 55/100 |
| 11 | San Elijo Middle San Marcos Unified Culture First | 29.0% | Solid 52/100 |
| 12 | Twin Oaks Elementary San Marcos Unified Culture First | 19.1% | Solid 50/100 |
| 13 | High Tech Elementary North County SBC - High Tech High Building Momentum | 11.2% | Developing 42/100 |
| 14 | Woodland Park Middle San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 19.7% | Developing 42/100 |
| 15 | Baypoint Preparatory Academy - San Diego SBE - Baypoint Preparatory Academy San D Building Momentum | 20.0% | Developing 41/100 |
| 16 | Twin Oaks High San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 0.7% | Developing 41/100 |
| 17 | La Mirada Academy San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 8.6% | Developing 39/100 |
| 18 | Foothills High San Marcos Unified Culture First | 8.8% | Developing 39/100 |
| 19 | Pivot Charter School - San Diego II San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 8.0% | Developing 38/100 |
| 20 | San Marcos Middle San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 15.3% | Developing 38/100 |
| 21 | San Diego Mission Academy Warner Unified Building Momentum | 7.2% | Developing 32/100 |
| 22 | San Marcos Elementary San Marcos Unified Building Momentum | 8.7% | Needs Support 27/100 |
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 Marcos
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