Elementary Schools in Santa Monica, California: Santa Monica schools aren't just reaching proficiency — they're pushing students beyond it.
Santa Monica, California has 8 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 67.7/100 — 22.9 points above the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Franklin Elementary at 83/100, where 57.7% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Santa Monica schools average 44.4% exceeded standard (state: 21.3%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Of 8 schools, 3 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 12.1% (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 | 8 | Solid 67.7/100 | 44.4% | +22.9 |
| High | 2 | Developing 47.9/100 | 29.1% | +4.2 |
| Middle | 2 | Solid 57.8/100 | 35.2% | +15.1 |
How Santa Monica schools compare
Santa Monica has 8 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 67.7/100 — 22.9 points above the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
The top-ranked school is Franklin Elementary with a Scope Score of 83 and 57.7% of students exceeding standard.
These schools are pushing students past the bar, not just to it. Santa Monica schools average 44.4% exceeding standard — well above the statewide average of 21.3%.
Chronic absenteeism in Santa Monica averages 12.1% — 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 Santa Monica
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Every school in Santa Monica
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Franklin Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified High Ceiling | 57.7% | Strong 83/100 |
| 2 | Canyon Charter Elementary Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling | 61.1% | Strong 80/100 |
| 3 | Edison Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified High Ceiling | 50.4% | Strong 80/100 |
| 4 | Santa Monica High Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 46.3% | Strong 74/100 |
| 5 | Roosevelt Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 47.4% | Strong 72/100 |
| 6 | Grant Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 46.0% | Solid 65/100 |
| 7 | Lincoln Middle Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 42.1% | Solid 63/100 |
| 8 | McKinley Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 36.4% | Solid 60/100 |
| 9 | Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Culture First | 31.4% | Solid 54/100 |
| 10 | John Adams Middle Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 28.2% | Solid 53/100 |
| 11 | Will Rogers Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 25.0% | Developing 48/100 |
| 12 | Olympic High (Continuation) Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 11.9% | Needs Support 22/100 |
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 Santa Monica
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