School district · San Luis Obispo County

Atascadero Unified schools

Atascadero Unified’s 6 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 71 to 80. Its 2 middle schools have Scope Scores from 74 to 80. Its 2 high schools have Scope Scores from 72 to 74.

75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state.

Atascadero High · campus drawing © OpenStreetMap contributors

Schools

11

listed public schools. We score six elementary, two middle and two high.

Students

4,357

in the October 2024–25 enrollment count.

Spending

$17,137

per student in 2024–25. The typical California district spent $20,491.

The path

What is the path through the district?

Atascadero Unified has six elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools that we score.

Elementary · 6 schools

Middle · 2 schools

High · 2 schools

Each score compares a school with California schools at its own level. The levels are not one ranking. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.

Elementary schools

Which elementary schools in Atascadero Unified score highest?

Santa Margarita Elementary is highest, with a Scope Score of 80. That is higher than 73 in 100 California elementary schools we score.

AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined

  1. Rank 1

    Santa Margarita Elementary

    Santa Margarita · Grades K–5 · 297 students

    45% below the standard

    Scope Score 80Solid · 73rd percentile

  2. Rank 2

    Monterey Road Elementary

    Atascadero · Grades K–5 · 382 students

    42% below the standard

    Scope Score 79Solid · 69th percentile

  3. Rank 3

    Creston Elementary

    Creston · Grades K–5 · 61 students

    67% below the standard

    Scope Score 75Developing · 48th percentile

  4. Rank 4

    San Gabriel Elementary

    Atascadero · Grades Pre–K–5 · 360 students

    56% below the standard

    Scope Score 74Developing · 44th percentile

  5. Rank 5

    Santa Rosa Road Academic Academy

    Atascadero · Grades K–5 · 377 students

    69% below the standard

    Scope Score 71Developing · 26th percentile

  6. Rank 6

    San Benito Elementary

    Atascadero · Grades K–5 · 403 students

    64% below the standard

    Scope Score 71Needs Support · 24th percentile

The average elementary school in Atascadero Unified had 14 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100.

Each score compares a school with the 5,726 California elementary schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days. Each figure is an average of school rates. Each school counts once.

Middle schools

Which middle schools in Atascadero Unified score highest?

Fine Arts Academy is highest, with a Scope Score of 80. That is higher than 72 in 100 California middle schools we score.

AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined

  1. Rank 1

    Fine Arts Academy

    Atascadero · Grades 4–8 · 238 students

    48% below the standard

    Scope Score 80Solid · 72nd percentile

  2. Rank 2

    Atascadero Middle

    Atascadero · Grades 6–8 · 845 students

    57% below the standard

    Scope Score 74Developing · 46th percentile

Each score compares a school with the 2,529 California middle schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026.

High schools

Which high schools in Atascadero Unified score highest?

Atascadero High is highest, with a Scope Score of 74. That is higher than 45 in 100 California high schools we score.

AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined

  1. Rank 1

    Atascadero High

    Atascadero · Grades 9–12 · 1,157 students

    54% below the standard

    Scope Score 74Developing · 45th percentile

  2. Rank 2

    Atascadero Choices in Education Academy (ACE)

    Atascadero · Grades 6–12 · 159 students · Check how it admits students.

    70% below the standard

    Scope Score 72Developing · 35th percentile

1 high school not ranked statewide

It is compared only with other continuation schools, so it is listed apart.

Each score compares a school with the 1,498 California high schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025. The state called the top two levels Exceeded and Met in spring 2025.

Against California

How does the district compare with California?

14 in 100 students at the average elementary school here were chronically absent. The California figure is 17 in 100.

Students who miss a lot of school

Average elementary school, students in 100

Atascadero Unified14 in 100
California17 in 100

Students from low-income families

Qualify for free or reduced-price meals

Atascadero Unified48%
California63%

Spending per student

Day-to-day spending, 2024–25

Atascadero Unified$17,137
Typical district$20,491

English learners who moved up a level

On the state’s English test (ELPAC)

Atascadero Unified43%
California47%

Absence: averages of school rates, each elementary school counted once, 2025–26. Meals: 2,086 of 4,355 students, 2024–25, summed from the state’s meal counts for every school listed under the district, charters included. Spending: day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, 2024–25. The typical district is the middle one when California districts are put in order. English learners: From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 43% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (111 of 260 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent. Source: California Department of Education, English learner progress files.

The district

Where does Atascadero Unified’s money go?

About 59 cents of every Atascadero Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.

$17,137

spent per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491.

Every dollar, by what it paid for

  • Instruction59%
  • Student services12%
  • Buildings & maintenance11%
  • Instruction support9%
  • Administration8%
  • Other1%

Every California district publishes a yearly plan, the LCAP: its goals and what it will spend to reach them. Search it for a program, grade or student group you care about.

Spending is day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education, 2024–25. It covers the whole district, including central administration. Shares are rounded so they add up to 100. Planned amounts are from the yearly spending plan (LCAP) as posted to the California School Dashboard.

State records

Who attends, and is the state giving extra help?

4,357 students were enrolled in the October 2024–25 count. The state is giving Atascadero Unified extra help in 2026.

Who goes to the district’s schools

  • White 58%
  • Hispanic or Latino 31%
  • Two or more races 5%
  • Other or not reported 6%
October 2024–25 enrollment count, including the district’s charter schools. Source: California Department of Education.

Is the state giving the district extra help?

The state is giving Atascadero Unified extra help in 2026. A student group had the Dashboard’s lowest results (red) on two or more measures three years in a row. It also qualified the year before.

Which students, on which measures

  • English learnersEnglish and math
State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard. Source: District help (CDE).

1 school getting state support, 2025–26

This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26. Source: School support (CDE).

Common questions

What do parents ask about this district?

  • Are the public schools in Atascadero Unified good?

    Atascadero Unified’s 6 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 71 to 80. Of those, 2 are Solid, 3 are Developing and 1 is Needs Support. Atascadero Unified’s 2 public middle schools have Scope Scores from 74 to 80. Of those, 1 is Solid and 1 is Developing. Atascadero Unified’s 2 public high schools have Scope Scores from 72 to 74. Of those, 2 are Developing. 75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state. How we score schools.

  • Which public schools in Atascadero Unified rank highest?

    Santa Margarita Elementary is the highest elementary school, with a Scope Score of 80. It is Solid, at the 73rd percentile. Fine Arts Academy is the highest middle school, with a Scope Score of 80. It is Solid, at the 72nd percentile. Atascadero High is the highest high school, with a Scope Score of 74. It is Developing, at the 45th percentile. Each score compares a school with the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.

  • How does chronic absence in Atascadero Unified compare with California?

    The average elementary school in Atascadero Unified had 14 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days. Each figure is an average of school rates. Each school counts once.

  • How much does Atascadero Unified spend per student?

    Atascadero Unified spent $17,137 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 59 cents of every Atascadero Unified dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.

  • Does living in the Atascadero Unified district decide which school my child attends?

    Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.

  • Where do these results come from?

    The test results are from California’s state tests (CAASPP). They are from spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools. The results are from spring 2025 for high schools. Chronic-absence rates are for 2025–26. The California Department of Education publishes both. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.

Next

Which places nearby can you look at next?

Schools in Atascadero

Every public school with a Atascadero address.

Compare schools

See the same numbers for each school.

Open the map

See these schools on the map.

Cities in the district

Sources and methodology

This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Atascadero Unified, with the district’s spending and state records.

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school

Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.

View CDE data ↗ (opens in a new tab)How Scope Scores work →

State tests are the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), springs 2025 and 2026.

Download these schools (CSV) Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.