Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.
The elementary years
31 points separate Manzanita Elementary (63) from Merwin Elementary (32) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.
31 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 9 elementary schools — the average hides more than it tells.
Manzanita Elementary (63/100) holds the Strong band — 34.3% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 24.7%. 2 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.
31 points separate the top and bottom elementary schools — the district average won't predict the school in front of you.
The middle years
The middle schools sit at the state line (35.0 vs 38.6) — the 15-point school-to-school spread is where the choice lives.
3 middle schools span 15 points around an average of 35.0.
Las Palmas Middle is the strongest option at 42/100 — 20.3% of its students exceed the state standard.
The suspension rate averages 6.0% against 3.6% statewide — worth a direct question on a visit.
The high school years
The high schools sit at the state line (49.9 vs 54.0) — the 32-point school-to-school spread is where the choice lives.
32 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 4 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.
South Hills High is the strongest option at 61/100 — 21.9% of its students exceed the state standard.
29.0% 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 Manzanita Elementary at 63/100 — 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 — 3 campuses here rank as Growth Engine (2) or On the Rise (1), their returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide. 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:
Manzanita Elementary 89th percentile · StrongScope Score 63/100Las Palmas Middle 63rd percentile · SolidScope Score 42/100South Hills High 73rd percentile · SolidScope Score 61/100
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.