South San Francisco Unified: South San Francisco Unified elementary schools lead at 43.8. A 59.3-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.
South San Francisco Unified has 15 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 42.2/100 — 2.6 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Monte Verde Elementary at 72/100, where 51.3% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $14,807 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 3 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 16.9%, near the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Developing 43.8/100 | 9 | 22.7% | 14.6% |
| Middle | Developing 40.2/100 | 3 | 18.0% | 13.4% |
| High | Developing 39.7/100 | 3 | 17.1% | 27.3% |
South San Francisco Unified's elementary schools average 43.8/100 — within 1.1 points of the state average.
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in South San Francisco Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
South San Francisco Unified has 15 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 42.2/100 — 2.6 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Strongest level: South San Francisco Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 43.8.
District-wide elementary growth averages +0.8pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — schools are making incremental gains.
Score range of 59.3 points — showing significant variation between schools.
District chronic absenteeism averages 16.9%, 1.0pp near the state average of 17.9%.
District suspension rate averages 2.1%, near the state average of 1.6%.
Monte Verde Elementary leads the district at 72 with 51.3% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in South San Francisco Unified
Hidden gems: 5 schools in South San Francisco Unified are classified as Growth Engine (3) or On the Rise (2) — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Student demographics
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
South San Francisco Unified spends $14,807 per student in current expenditures — $7 below the state average of $14,815.
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Every school in South San Francisco Unified
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP
Elementary Schools (9)
South San Francisco Unified has 9 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 43.8 — within 1.1 points of the state average of 44.8. 1 of 9 elementary schools score above 70.
Grade-to-grade growth averages +0.8pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Monte Verde Elementary with a Scope Score of 72 and 51.3% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monte Verde Elementary South San Francisco Unified High Ceiling | 51.3% | Strong 72/100 |
| 2 | Skyline Elementary South San Francisco Unified Growth Engine | 33.1% | Solid 60/100 |
| 3 | Buri Buri Elementary South San Francisco Unified Solid Base | 37.5% | Solid 58/100 |
| 4 | Junipero Serra Elementary South San Francisco Unified Growth Engine | 34.2% | Solid 54/100 |
| 5 | Ponderosa Elementary South San Francisco Unified Culture First | 20.6% | Developing 47/100 |
| 6 | Sunshine Gardens Elementary South San Francisco Unified On the Rise | 13.3% | Developing 43/100 |
| 7 | Spruce Elementary South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 6.6% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 8 | Martin Elementary South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 3.9% | Needs Support 19/100 |
| 9 | Los Cerritos Elementary South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 3.7% | Needs Support 13/100 |
Middle Schools (3)
South San Francisco Unified has 3 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 40.2 — 2.5 points below the state average of 42.6.
Grade-to-grade growth averages +3.3pp — schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring middle school is Westborough Middle with a Scope Score of 48 and 24.1% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westborough Middle South San Francisco Unified Growth Engine | 24.1% | Developing 48/100 |
| 2 | Alta Loma Middle South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 21.2% | Developing 45/100 |
| 3 | Parkway Heights Middle South San Francisco Unified On the Rise | 8.7% | Needs Support 28/100 |
High Schools (3)
South San Francisco Unified has 3 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 39.7 — 4.0 points below the state average of 43.7.
The highest-scoring high school is El Camino High with a Scope Score of 58 and 30.4% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Camino High South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 30.4% | Solid 58/100 |
| 2 | South San Francisco High South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 20.0% | Developing 46/100 |
| 3 | Baden High (Continuation) South San Francisco Unified Building Momentum | 1.1% | Needs Support 16/100 |
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.
Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how resources are distributed across schools within the district. Full methodology