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Public school district · California

Novato Unified.Many schools. Many different stories.

Compare elementary, middle, and high schools across Novato Unified—and look beyond a single district average.

San Marin HighPleasant Valley ElementaryNovato HighSan Ramon ElementaryRancho ElementarySinaloa MiddleNova Education CenterNovato CharterOlive ElementaryLoma Verde ElementaryLynwood ElementarySan Jose IntermediateLu Sutton ElementaryMarin Oaks HighHamilton Meadow ParkNovato UnifiedN ↑
15 schools mapped · Location contextOpen map →
Census district boundary
The K–12 path at a glance
Elementary9 schools
avg 43.3/1004 Solid, 3 Strong, +2 more
Middle2 schools
avg 41.2/1001 Strong, 1 Developing
High4 schools
avg 49.6/1002 Solid, 1 Strong, +1 more

Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.

Stage 1 of 3

The elementary years

41 points separate Pleasant Valley Elementary (61) from Hamilton Meadow Park (20) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.

0100
Strong Solid Developing Needs Support district avg state avg

41 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 9 elementary schools — the average hides more than it tells.

The strength

Pleasant Valley Elementary (61/100) holds the Strong band — 38.1% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 24.2%. 2 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.

The catch

41 points separate the top and bottom elementary schools — the district average won't predict the school in front of you.

88th percentile · StrongScope Score 61/100
81st percentile · StrongScope Score 54/100
Rancho Elementary
Culture First
80th percentile · StrongScope Score 53/100

All 9 elementary schools, ranked, in the appendix →

Stage 2 of 3

The middle years

The middle schools sit at the state line (41.2 vs 38.6) — the 14-point school-to-school spread is where the choice lives.

0100

2 middle schools span 14 points around an average of 41.2.

The strength

Sinaloa Middle (48/100) holds the Strong band — 25.6% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 23.1%.

The catch

Only 2 campuses at this level — one school's year moves every number in this chapter.

Sinaloa Middle
Building Momentum
75th percentile · StrongScope Score 48/100
San Jose Intermediate
Building Momentum
45th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 34/100

Middle school detail in the appendix →

Stage 3 of 3

The high school years

The high schools sit at the state line (49.6 vs 54.0) — the 43-point school-to-school spread is where the choice lives.

0100

43 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.

The strength

San Marin High (68/100) holds the Strong band — 28.8% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 14.4%. 1 school classifies as Strong All-Around — no weak dimension we measure.

The catch

43 points separate the top and bottom high schools — the district average won't predict the school in front of you.

San Marin High
Strong All-Around
86th percentile · StrongScope Score 68/100
Novato High
Building Momentum
64th percentile · SolidScope Score 57/100
Nova Education Center
Building Momentum
31st percentile · DevelopingScope Score 47/100

All 4 high schools, ranked, in the appendix →

What it means for your family

If you're choosing a neighborhood

Compare schools at your child’s level before deciding on an address. The strongest attendance-zone candidate is Pleasant Valley Elementary at 61/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.

If you already live here

1 of the 15 ranked schools is a charter — enrollment paths that don't depend on your address. If your zoned school sits low in the appendix below, those lotteries and applications are the levers worth the paperwork.

If your kid is enrolled now

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:

Pleasant Valley Elementary 88th percentile · StrongScope Score 61/100Sinaloa Middle 75th percentile · StrongScope Score 48/100San Marin High 86th percentile · StrongScope Score 68/100

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.

Novato Unified has 15 public schools in this SchoolScope results directory. Compare schools by their primary reporting level below.

2024–25 CAASPP reporting · SchoolScope analysis. Directory coverage, not a complete inventory of every campus. Each school appears at its primary reporting level; K–8 and K–12 campuses can serve additional grades. Sources and methodology →

One district, three stages

The average changes with the journey.

Elementary schools

Explore elementary →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

9 comparable schools · average 43.3/100 · range 19.7–61.1

Middle schools

Explore middle →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

2 comparable schools · average 41.2/100 · range 34.3–48.2

High schools

Explore high →
Lower reported resultsHigher reported results

3 comparable schools · average 57.7/100 · range 47.2–68.4

Explore Novato Unified by place.

Districts nearby

DistrictAverage scoreRanked schoolsTop schoolDistance
Novato Unifiedthis district46.1 / 10014San Marin High—
Miller Creek Elementary54.2 / 1004Vallecito Elementary4.7 mi
Ross Valley Elementary68.0 / 1005Wade Thomas Elementary6.9 mi
San Rafael City High58.7 / 1002Terra Linda High7.7 mi
Old Adobe Union40.1 / 1002River Montessori Elementary Charter9.7 mi
Petaluma Joint Union High58.1 / 1002Petaluma High10.1 mi

Averages blend every school level in a district and carry no score band. Compare a level at a time in the spreads above, then open the schools. Distances run between school-location centers.

Cities served

City pages include schools from other districts too. Check the district named on each school profile.

Patterns across the district

What kinds of schools are here?

Patterns worth exploring.

Choose a pattern to find matching schools in the lists below. Open a profile to see the underlying measures and questions to ask on a visit.

How patterns are defined →

Archetypes describe reported patterns, not school quality or fit. Available measures differ by school level.

Schools in Novato Unified

Browse by level, then compare the evidence behind each profile.

Map ↗

Elementary schools in Novato Unified · 9 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
Pleasant Valley Elementary
Novato Unified Growth Engine
38.1%88th percentile · StrongScope Score 61/100
San Ramon Elementary
Novato Unified On the Rise
33.7%81st percentile · StrongScope Score 54/100
Rancho Elementary
Novato Unified Culture First
36.2%80th percentile · StrongScope Score 53/100
Novato Charter
Novato Unified Culture First
22.4%71st percentile · SolidScope Score 46/100
Olive Elementary
Novato Unified Growth Engine
23.4%70th percentile · SolidScope Score 46/100
Loma Verde Elementary
Novato Unified Culture First
22.5%64th percentile · SolidScope Score 42/100

Middle schools in Novato Unified · 2 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
Sinaloa Middle
Novato Unified Building Momentum
25.6%75th percentile · StrongScope Score 48/100
San Jose Intermediate
Novato Unified Building Momentum
20.5%45th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 34/100

High schools in Novato Unified · 4 schools

CompareSchoolExceededScore
San Marin High
Novato Unified Strong All-Around
28.8%86th percentile · StrongScope Score 68/100
Novato High
Novato Unified Building Momentum
17.9%64th percentile · SolidScope Score 57/100
Nova Education Center
Novato Unified Building Momentum
10.9%31st percentile · DevelopingScope Score 47/100
Marin Oaks High
Novato Unified continuation high school
0.0%59th percentile · SolidWithin its own school classScope Score 25/100
Compare selected schools

Select two to four schools at the same level. Rankings and score bands compare each school with its own enrollment group.

District finance · FY 2024–25

Where the district's dollars go.

Novato Unified spent $18,474 per student in FY 2024–25 — close to the median California district ($20,491). About 63 cents of every dollar goes to classroom instruction.

Current expense per student

Current expense of education per unit of average daily attendance, from the district's annual SACS filing to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus. Spending is context, not a measure of school quality.

Share by function

  • Instruction63%
  • Instruction support11%
  • Student services9%
  • Administration7%
  • Buildings & maintenance9%
  • Other1%

Shares of the same current-expense total, by SACS function. Names are simplified from the filing's own categories.

The system behind the schools

The people behind the classrooms — district-grain context that never enters a school's score.

People
Teacher salary range$60,953–$133,072
Teaching staff389 · FTE
District enrollment7,206 · students
Who attends
Hispanic 42.4% · White 41.2% · Black 1.8% · Asian 4.0% · Other 10.6%
Free/reduced lunch43% · economic need indicator

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule 2024–25 · CDE enrollment (district averages)

See how the school years fit together.

Explore the next stage, then verify the schools available for your address.

These are browsing links, not a feeder path. Assignments vary by residence, program, permits, and available space.

Looking beyond Novato Unified?

Explore public, private, and early-learning options.

Know what you’re comparing.

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.

Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 15 schoolsMethodology · Download this data (CSV)

Free to download, CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

Frequently asked questions

How many schools are listed in Novato Unified?
This SchoolScope directory lists 15 public schools in Novato Unified with 2024–25 reporting records. This is directory coverage, not a complete campus inventory. Each school appears under its primary reporting level; a K–8 or K–12 campus may serve additional grades.
Which schools have the highest scores in Novato Unified?
Among comprehensive public schools listed here, the highest Scope Score at each primary reporting level is: Elementary: Pleasant Valley Elementary (61/100). Middle: Sinaloa Middle (48/100). High: San Marin High (68/100). These are separate level rankings, not a single cross-level league table. A score does not establish fit or enrollment eligibility. See the methodology.
Can I compare elementary, middle, and high schools directly?
Compare schools at the same level and within the same enrollment group. Scope Score formulas and available measures differ by level. The plots show comprehensive public schools separately for each level; individual profiles explain their comparison group.
Does living in Novato Unified guarantee a particular school?
A district outline does not establish assignment to an individual school. Attendance boundaries, programs, permits, and available space can affect enrollment. Confirm the requirements directly with the district.
What does a SchoolScope pattern mean?
Archetypes summarize patterns in publicly reported academic and school-climate measures. They describe reported results, not a school’s quality or a child’s fit. Open the school profile for reporting years, missing measures, and questions to ask. Read how the patterns are defined.
Where do these results come from?
The underlying public data comes from the California Department of Education, including CAASPP reporting for 2024–25. Scope Scores and archetypes are SchoolScope calculations, not official CDE ratings. View CDE data and SchoolScope’s methodology and limitations.