San Marcos Unified’s 12 public elementary schools run from the 30th to the 95th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Elementary · 12 schools
from 30th to 95th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Discovery Elementary: 95th percentile, Strong
Double Peak: 93rd percentile, Strong
San Elijo Elementary: 88th percentile, Strong
La Costa Meadows Elementary: 87th percentile, Strong
Paloma Elementary: 84th percentile, Strong
Carrillo Elementary: 81st percentile, Strong
Richland Elementary: 74th percentile, Solid
Knob Hill Elementary: 72nd percentile, Solid
Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary: 62nd percentile, Solid
Twin Oaks Elementary: 62nd percentile, Solid
La Mirada Academy: 59th percentile, Solid
San Marcos Elementary: 30th percentile, Developing
0Needs Support
1Developing
5Solid
6Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school.
Middle and high school pictures
Middle · 5 schools
from 6th to 84th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Double Peak: 84th percentile, Strong
Woodland Park Middle: 63rd percentile, Solid
San Elijo Middle: 62nd percentile, Solid
San Marcos Middle: 56th percentile, Solid
La Mirada Academy: 6th percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
0Developing
3Solid
1Strong
High · 3 schools
from 5th to 59th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests
San Marcos High: 59th percentile, Solid
Mission Hills High: 58th percentile, Solid
Foothills High: 5th percentile, Needs Support
1Needs Support
0Developing
2Solid
0Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 2 of the 18 ranked schools teach two levels, so they appear in more than one picture.
The average elementary school in San Marcos Unified had 11 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in San Marcos Unified score highest?
Double Peak is highest, at the 84th percentile.
That’s higher than 84 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in San Marcos Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
The average middle school in San Marcos Unified had 14 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
High schools
Which high schools in San Marcos Unified score highest?
San Marcos High is highest, at the 59th percentile.
That’s higher than 59 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests).
Highest in San Marcos Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
Foothills HighSan Marcos · Check how it admits students.
5thNeeds SupportScope Score 36
Context
The average high school in San Marcos Unified had 42 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100.
2 high schools not ranked statewide
Continuation schools enroll students differently from a regular school, so each is compared only with schools of its kind. The others have no statewide percentile this year.
Twin Oaks HighContinuation high school: compared only with other continuation schools
Where does San Marcos Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
San Marcos Unified spent $17,110 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 63 cents of every San Marcos Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.
Spending by function
Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.
Share by function, 2024–25
Instruction63%
Instruction support10%
Student services10%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other2%
Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.
What the district plans
$25.4 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 17 funded actions in 4 goals. That’s 8% of its $333.2 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.
The plan in short
Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 110 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 57% of the money; their titles are below. The plan itself puts 88% of it toward staff.
Attract and retain teachers and support staff $7.5 million
Action 2 $3.9 million
Action 3 $3.2 million
14 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
5 of the plan’s 17 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners
Reading under $0.1 million
Math under $0.1 million
Catch-up help $3.9 million
English learners $0.4 million
Largest of these
Provide intervention and support for sites with at-risk, socioeconomically disadvantaged English learners and Foster Youth. [LREBG-funded action]$3.9 million
Implement an English Language Development program to meet the needs of all Emergent Bilingual students, including Long Term English Learners (LTEL) and Newcomer students$408,522
Implement an English Language Arts program to meet the needs of all SWD and EB students$46,883
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students
It plans $19.5 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $20.0 million and estimates it spent $19.0 million, $1.0 million (5%) less than planned (our arithmetic).
$19.0 million spent (estimated)$20.0 million planned
What changed
The total is $1.6 million (6%) lower than in the 2025–26 plan. We couldn’t match $15.0 million of this $25.4 million plan to individual actions in last year’s plan. These lists cover the rest.
Largest cuts
Exposing students to authentic learning aligned to careers in the community and work-based learning opportunities to identify their strengths−$83,000
New in the 2026–27 plan
Provide intervention and support for sites with at-risk, socioeconomically disadvantaged English learners and Foster Youth. [LREBG-funded action]$3.9 million
Implement a continuum of services that supports the comprehensive wellness of all staff, students and community. [LREBG-funded action] [District Assistance]$3.2 million
Implement a socially, culturally and behaviorally responsive instructional program that includes curriculum, targeted support, and differentiated interventions for English learners, low-income, and foster youth pupils. [LREBG-funded action]$3.0 million
What its goals measure
Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.
What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 1 · Future Ready Students
57%
58%
up 1 pt
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1 and 3
47%
48%
up 1 pt
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 2
15 in 100
14 in 100
1 fewer in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 2
2.1%
2.3%
up 0.2 pts
Goal 4 isn’t shown because it tracks other measures.
Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Attract and retain teachers and support staff · $7,500,000
Provide intervention and support for sites with at-risk, socioeconomically disadvantaged English learners and Foster Youth. [LREBG-funded action] · $3,885,314
Implement a continuum of services that supports the comprehensive wellness of all staff, students and community. [LREBG-funded action] [District Assistance] · $3,181,506
The full plan4 goals, 83 measures and where the money goes
We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($25.4 million).
Where does the money go?
33% to Goal 1, Future Ready Students. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1Future Ready Students$8.4 million33% of action budgets
“All SMUSD students engage in the purposeful integration of rigorous academic content and relevant experiences that develop the Portrait of a Graduate competencies” p. 20 ↗
9 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $10.1 million (−$1.6 million)
Largest funded actions
Provide intervention and support for sites with at-risk, socioeconomically disadvantaged English learners and Foster Youth. [LREBG-funded action]$3.9 millionaction 1.8 · p. 67 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.1 million is state funding counted toward those services
Implement a socially, culturally and behaviorally responsive instructional program that includes curriculum, targeted support, and differentiated interventions for English learners, low-income, and foster youth pupils. [LREBG-funded action]$3.0 millionaction 1.1 · p. 66 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.7 million is state funding counted toward those services
Offer a range of relevant experiences that engage students in deeper learning that informs their future choices$0.9 millionaction 1.3 · p. 66 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Implement an English Language Development program to meet the needs of all Emergent Bilingual students, including Long Term English Learners (LTEL) and Newcomer students$0.4 millionaction 1.5 · p. 66 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $270,139 is state funding counted toward those services
Implement a multi-measurement system to accurately and efficiently determine English learner, low-income, and foster youth student progress$0.2 millionaction 1.2 · p. 66 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $102,973 is state funding counted toward those services
4 more funded actions in this goal
Implement an English Language Arts program to meet the needs of all SWD and EB students · action 1.6 · p. 67 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2,000 is state funding counted toward those servicesunder $0.1 million
Implement a Mathematics program to meet the needs of all SWD and EB students · action 1.7 · p. 67 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2,000 is state funding counted toward those servicesunder $0.1 million
Exposing students to authentic learning aligned to careers in the community and work-based learning opportunities to identify their strengths · action 1.4 · p. 66 ↗under $0.1 million
Empowering LTEL Students and Families Through Personalized Plans and Strategic Communication · action 1.9 · p. 67 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Exposing students to authentic learning aligned to careers in the community and work-based learning opportunities to identify their strengths−$83,000$119,000 → $36,000 · p. 66 ↗
Implement a multi-measurement system to accurately and efficiently determine English learner, low-income, and foster youth student progress+$13,526$143,347 → $156,873 · p. 66 ↗
Implement an English Language Development program to meet the needs of all Emergent Bilingual students, including Long Term English Learners (LTEL) and Newcomer students+$10,352$398,170 → $408,522 · p. 66 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Provide intervention and support for sites with at-risk, socioeconomically disadvantaged English learners and Foster Youth. [LREBG-funded action] · $3.9 million · p. 67 ↗new or renamed
Implement a socially, culturally and behaviorally responsive instructional program that includes curriculum, targeted support, and differentiated interventions for English learners, low-income, and foster youth pupils. [LREBG-funded action] · $3.0 million · p. 66 ↗new or renamed
Offer a range of relevant experiences that engage students in deeper learning that informs their future choices · $865,353 · p. 66 ↗new or renamed
Implement an English Language Arts program to meet the needs of all SWD and EB students · $46,883 → $46,883 · p. 67 ↗unchanged
Implement a Mathematics program to meet the needs of all SWD and EB students · $45,384 → $45,384 · p. 67 ↗unchanged
Empowering LTEL Students and Families Through Personalized Plans and Strategic Communication · $2,000 → $2,000 · p. 67 ↗unchanged
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 33 measures · 1 quoted
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) Examination - % Passed (High School) with a score of 3 or higherp. 22 ↗
Baseline
72% of AP Pass Rate
Target for year 3
85% AP Pass Rate
32 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 2All SMUSD classrooms and campuses are welcoming places where every student feels seen, heard, and valued$6.4 million25% of action budgets
4 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $6.0 million (+$424,960) · p. 32 ↗
Largest funded actions
Implement a continuum of services that supports the comprehensive wellness of all staff, students and community. [LREBG-funded action] [District Assistance]$3.2 millionaction 2.2 · p. 67 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2.5 million is state funding counted toward those services
Provide a safe, inclusive, and responsive environment for all students, including students in unduplicated student groups as well as those who identify as members of the LGBTQIA community. [District Assistance]$2.6 millionaction 2.3 · p. 67 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Enact supports to increase attendance at the district, site, and student group levels. [District Assistance]$0.6 millionaction 2.1 · p. 67 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $461,977 is state funding counted toward those services
Provide a holistic environment focused on healing and addressing the needs stemming from adverse experiences for all students. [District Assistance]$0.1 millionaction 2.4 · p. 67 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $3,000 is state funding counted toward those services
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Implement a continuum of services that supports the comprehensive wellness of all staff, students and community. [LREBG-funded action] [District Assistance] · $3.2 million · p. 67 ↗new or renamed
Provide a safe, inclusive, and responsive environment for all students, including students in unduplicated student groups as well as those who identify as members of the LGBTQIA community. [District Assistance] · $2.6 million · p. 67 ↗new or renamed
Enact supports to increase attendance at the district, site, and student group levels. [District Assistance] · $585,377 · p. 67 ↗new or renamed
Provide a holistic environment focused on healing and addressing the needs stemming from adverse experiences for all students. [District Assistance] · $54,830 · p. 67 ↗new or renamed
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 25 measures · 3 quoted
PANORAMA SURVEY - % (ELEMENTARY STUDENTS) responding favorably: "How well do people at your school understand you as a person?" [ ]p. 33 ↗
Baseline
68% (Spring 2024)
Target for year 3
85%
[DISCONTINUED] PANORAMA SURVEY - % (SECONDARY STUDENTS) responding favorably: "How much do you matter to others at school?" [ ]p. 33 ↗
Baseline
43% (Spring 2024)
Target for year 3
65%
PANORAMA SURVEY - % (ELEMENTARY STUDENTS) responding favorably: "Overall, how much do you feel like you belong at your school?" [ ]p. 33 ↗
Baseline
74% (Spring 2024)
Target for year 3
95%
22 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 3All SMUSD teachers, support staff and administrators feel valued and supported by hiring, onboarding…$2.2 million9% of action budgets
“All SMUSD teachers, support staff and administrators feel valued and supported by hiring, onboarding, evaluating, professional learning, and training practices that enable them to create Future Ready learning environments” p. 40 ↗
2 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $2.2 million (+$39,979)
Largest funded actions
Provide professional learning that is socially, culturally and behaviorally responsive and supports creating and maintaining Future Ready Learning Environments to support achievement of English learners, foster youth, and low-income students$2.0 millionaction 3.1 · p. 68 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Implement practices to ensure certificated employees are capable of creating Future Ready Learning Environments$0.2 millionaction 3.2 · p. 68 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $55,000 is state funding counted toward those services
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Provide professional learning that is socially, culturally and behaviorally responsive and supports creating and maintaining Future Ready Learning Environments to support achievement of English learners, foster youth, and low-income students+$39,979$2.0 million → $2.0 million · p. 68 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Implement practices to ensure certificated employees are capable of creating Future Ready Learning Environments · $206,844 → $206,844 · p. 68 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 12 measures · 3 quoted
iREADY - Reading (ALL) % met or near grade level [ ]p. 40 ↗
Baseline
62% (Spring 2024)
Target for year 3
80% or higher
iREADY - MATH (ALL) % met or near grade level [ ]p. 41 ↗
Baseline
45% (Spring 2024)
Target for year 3
75% or higher
PANORAMA SURVEY (Fall)—% STAFF that responded favorably: "Overall, how much do you feel like you belong at your school/department?" [ ]p. 41 ↗
Baseline
69% responded favorably
Target for year 3
75% or higher
9 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 4All SMUSD systems are designed to support the successful development of Future Ready students, educators and…$8.3 million33% of action budgets
“All SMUSD systems are designed to support the successful development of Future Ready students, educators and learning environments” p. 45 ↗
2 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $8.3 million (+$5,885)
Largest funded actions
Attract and retain teachers and support staff$7.5 millionaction 4.2 · p. 68 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Implement appropriate resources and support to ensure all community partners have the necessary resources, information and opportunities to engage, and to impact student achievement outcomes for English learners, low-income, and foster youth students. [District Assistance]$0.8 millionaction 4.1 · p. 68 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $422,080 is state funding counted toward those services
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Attract and retain teachers and support staff · $7.5 million → $7.5 million · p. 68 ↗unchanged
Implement appropriate resources and support to ensure all community partners have the necessary resources, information and opportunities to engage, and to impact student achievement outcomes for English learners, low-income, and foster youth students. [District Assistance] · $791,473 · p. 68 ↗new or renamed
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 13 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 45 ↗.
All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.
Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends
Student mix
2024–25 · October enrollment count, 18,950 students
1Hispanic or Latino46%
2White37%
3Two or more races8%
4Asian6%
5Filipino2%
6Black or African American1%
7Pacific Islander<1%
8American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
9Not reported<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
38%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 7,188 of 18,927 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.
The district’s state records
Is the state giving the district extra help?
The state is giving San Marcos 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
Long-term English learners
English and math
Students with disabilities
English and math
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 51% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (742 of 1,442 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
3 schools getting state support, 2025–26
La Mirada Academy (Targeted support) · San Elijo Elementary (Targeted support) · Woodland Park Middle (Targeted support)
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.
Which public schools in San Marcos Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Discovery Elementary, 95th percentile (Strong). Middle: Double Peak, 84th percentile (Strong). High: San Marcos High, 59th percentile (Solid). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
Does living in the San Marcos 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.
More questions (5)
Are the public schools in San Marcos Unified good?
San Marcos Unified’s 12 public elementary schools run from the 30th to the 95th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 6 Strong, 5 Solid and 1 Developing. San Marcos Unified’s 5 public middle schools run from the 6th to the 84th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 3 Solid and 1 Needs Support. San Marcos Unified’s 3 public high schools run from the 5th to the 59th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 2 Solid and 1 Needs Support. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.
How does chronic absence in San Marcos Unified compare with California?
The average elementary school in San Marcos Unified had 11 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average middle school in San Marcos Unified had 14 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. The average high school in San Marcos Unified had 42 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does San Marcos Unified spend per student?
San Marcos Unified spent $17,110 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 63 cents of every San Marcos 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.
What is in San Marcos Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $25.4 million into 17 funded actions in 4 goals, 8% of its $333.2 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $8.4 million, 33% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by San Marcos Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability 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.