Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.
The elementary years
52 points separate Discovery Elementary (72) from San Marcos Elementary (20) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.
52 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 12 elementary schools — the average hides more than it tells.
Discovery Elementary (72/100) holds the Strong band — 54.4% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 33.7%. 5 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.
52 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 (37.3 vs 38.6) — the 16-point school-to-school spread is where the choice lives.
4 middle schools span 16 points around an average of 37.3.
San Elijo Middle is the strongest option at 48/100 — 29.0% of its students exceed the state standard.
What these numbers can't see: class sizes, arts, teacher turnover, how a hallway feels at 8 a.m. Strong scores are the start of the question, not the answer.
The high school years
The high schools sit at the state line (51.7 vs 54.0) — the 18-point school-to-school spread is where the choice lives.
4 high schools span 18 points around an average of 51.7.
1 continuation/alternative school not plotted — it ranks within its own class, not on this statewide axis.
Mission Hills High is the strongest option at 61/100 — 18.1% of its students exceed the state standard.
26.3% 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 Discovery Elementary at 72/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.
1 of the 20 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.
A band is a position, not a prophecy — 6 campuses here rank as Growth Engine (5) 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:
Discovery Elementary 95th percentile · StrongScope Score 72/100San Elijo Middle 74th percentile · SolidScope Score 48/100Mission Hills High 72nd 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.