Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.
The elementary years
62 points separate Williams Elementary (75) from Empire Gardens Elementary (13) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.
62 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 27 elementary schools — the average hides more than it tells.
Williams Elementary (75/100) holds the Strong band — 63.6% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 21.7%. 3 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.
11 of 27 elementary schools sit in the Needs Support band — which campus you're zoned for carries real weight here.
The middle years
One school defines the top: Bret Harte Middle sits 19 points clear of the field — the other 6 middle schools are a different conversation.
53 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 7 middle schools — the average hides more than it tells.
Bret Harte Middle (71/100) holds the Strong band — 51.0% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 19.9%.
23.3% of students are chronically absent (state: 18.1%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.
The high school years
One school defines the top: Leland High sits 16 points clear of the field — the other 7 high schools are a different conversation.
70 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 8 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.
Leland High (86/100) holds the Strong band — 56.5% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 19.0%.
36.9% 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 Williams Elementary at 75/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.
1 of the 42 ranked schools is a charter and 1 runs a magnet program — 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.
A band is a position, not a prophecy — 9 campuses here rank as On the Rise (6) or Growth Engine (3), 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:
Williams Elementary 97th percentile · StrongScope Score 75/100Bret Harte Middle 94th percentile · StrongScope Score 71/100Leland High 98th percentile · StrongScope Score 86/100
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.