Elementary Schools in San Mateo, California: San Mateo schools average near the state. The 70.9-point spread is where the choice actually lives.
San Mateo, California has 14 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 39.9/100 — within 1.1 points of the state average of 38.9. The highest-scoring school is College Park Elementary at 86/100, where 61.2% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. San Mateo schools average 24.0% exceeded standard (state: 21.4%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. Of 14 schools, 1 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 18.2% (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 San Mateo
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP · levels never mixed
Elementary Schools (14)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College Park Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | 61.2% | 99th percentile · StrongScope Score 86/100 |
| 2 | George Hall Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | 42.6% | 86th percentile · StrongScope Score 59/100 |
| 3 | North Shoreview Montessori San Mateo-Foster City | 43.6% | 84th percentile · StrongScope Score 57/100 |
| 4 | Highlands Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | 35.3% | 80th percentile · StrongScope Score 53/100 |
| 5 | Baywood Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | 37.0% | 76th percentile · StrongScope Score 50/100 |
| 6 | Parkside Montessori San Mateo-Foster City | 25.7% | 73rd percentile · SolidScope Score 47/100 |
| 7 | Meadow Heights Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | 22.0% | 59th percentile · SolidScope Score 40/100 |
| 8 | Bayside Academy San Mateo-Foster City | 16.0% | 44th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 34/100 |
| 9 | Fiesta Gardens International Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | 11.8% | 43rd percentile · DevelopingScope Score 33/100 |
| 10 | Beresford Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | 16.8% | 29th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 28/100 |
| 11 | Laurel Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | 10.3% | 24th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 26/100 |
| 12 | LEAD Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | 4.4% | 5th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 16/100 |
| 13 | Sunnybrae Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | 4.7% | 4th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 15/100 |
| 14 | San Mateo Park Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | 3.8% | 4th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 15/100 |
Middle Schools (2)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Borel Middle San Mateo-Foster City | 23.3% | 68th percentile · SolidScope Score 44/100 |
| 2 | Abbott Middle San Mateo-Foster City | 16.9% | 56th percentile · SolidScope Score 39/100 |
High Schools (3)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aragon High San Mateo Union High | 44.7% | 95th percentile · StrongScope Score 79/100 |
| 2 | Hillsdale High San Mateo Union High | 32.6% | 83rd percentile · StrongScope Score 66/100 |
| 3 | San Mateo High San Mateo Union High | 32.7% | 79th percentile · StrongScope Score 64/100 |
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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 San Mateo
Hidden gems: 4 schools in San Mateo are classified as On the Rise (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 San Mateo
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