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 67.1/100 — 23.3 points above the state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Canyon Charter Elementary at 82/100, where 61.1% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Santa Monica schools average 44.4% exceeded standard (state: 21.6%) — 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 18.1%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Schools | Avg Score | Exceeded | vs State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 8 | Solid 67.1/100 | 44.4% | +23.3 |
| High | 2 | Solid 53.0/100 | 29.1% | +5.6 |
| Middle | 3 | Solid 63.0/100 | 35.3% | +22.6 |
How Santa Monica schools compare
Santa Monica has 8 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 67.1/100 — 23.3 points above the state average of 43.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
The top-ranked school is Canyon Charter Elementary with a Scope Score of 82 and 61.1% 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 21.6%.
Chronic absenteeism in Santa Monica averages 12.1% — below the state average of 18.1%.
How we score · Exceeded 40% · Met+Exceeded 22% · Growth 15% · Absenteeism 10% · Suspension 5% · ELPAC 5% · Baseline 3%
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 | Santa Monica High Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 46.3% | Strong 82/100 |
| 2 | Canyon Charter Elementary Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling | 61.1% | Strong 82/100 |
| 3 | Franklin Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified High Ceiling | 57.7% | Strong 81/100 |
| 4 | Edison Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified High Ceiling | 50.4% | Strong 77/100 |
| 5 | Roosevelt Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 47.4% | Strong 72/100 |
| 6 | Lincoln Middle Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 42.1% | Solid 67/100 |
| 7 | Grant Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 46.0% | Solid 67/100 |
| 8 | McKinley Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Strong All-Around | 36.4% | Solid 59/100 |
| 9 | Santa Monica Alternative (K-8) Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Culture First | 31.4% | Solid 55/100 |
| 10 | John Adams Middle Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 28.2% | Solid 55/100 |
| 11 | Will Rogers Elementary Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 25.0% | Developing 45/100 |
| 12 | Olympic High (Continuation) Santa Monica-Malibu Unified Building Momentum | 11.9% | Needs Support 24/100 |
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