Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.
The elementary years
The elementary schools sit at the state line (38.1 vs 38.9) — the 23-point school-to-school spread is where the choice lives.
6 elementary schools span 23 points around an average of 38.1.
Monterey Road Elementary is the strongest option at 47/100 — 29.2% of its students exceed the state standard.
The suspension rate averages 2.8% against 1.6% statewide — worth a direct question on a visit.
The middle years
The middle schools sit at the state line (39.3 vs 38.6) — the 7-point school-to-school spread is where the choice lives.
All 2 middle schools land within 7 points — the average is a fair summary here.
Fine Arts Academy is the strongest option at 43/100 — 17.7% of its students exceed the state standard.
The suspension rate averages 8.8% against 3.6% statewide — worth a direct question on a visit.
The high school years
32 points separate Atascadero High (52) from Paloma Creek High (20) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.
32 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 3 high schools — the average hides more than it tells.
1 continuation/alternative school not plotted — it ranks within its own class, not on this statewide axis.
Atascadero High is the strongest option at 52/100 — 23.9% of its students exceed the state standard.
44.8% of students are chronically absent (state: 23.1%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.
What it means for your family
Compare schools at your child’s level before deciding on an address. The strongest attendance-zone candidate is Monterey Road Elementary at 47/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.
No charters or magnets among the ranked schools here, so the main lever is an intra-district transfer — California districts run them on their own windows and criteria. If your zoned school sits low in the appendix below, ask the district office for this year's dates.
A band is a position, not a prophecy — a school's number can move without your kid's experience moving with it. Ask your school two questions: what happens for a kid who arrives behind, and what the classroom looks like for one who arrives ahead.
The strongest-scoring run through the district:
Monterey Road Elementary 72nd percentile · SolidScope Score 47/100Fine Arts Academy 66th percentile · SolidScope Score 43/100Atascadero High 46th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 52/100
Top scorers at each level — not necessarily one zoned sequence. Confirm feeder patterns and enrollment zones with the district, and visit before you decide.
What this page can't see: whether a campus feels safe and glad at 8 a.m. If a path above looks workable, the next step is a visit.