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Schools in 93454 — Santa Maria, California

93454 has 10 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 34.9 — 8.9 points below the California state average of 43.8. Scores range from 25.1 to 48.5, a 23.5-point spread.

Avg Scope Score
34.9
State avg: 43.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
23.5
25.1 – 48.5
Avg Exceeded %
9.4%
State avg: 21.6%
Chronic Absenteeism
14.5%
State avg: 18.1%
Schools Ranked
10
With Scope Scores

How 93454 schools perform

The top-ranked school is Santa Maria High with a Scope Score of 49 and 8.8% of students exceeding standard.

Declining trajectory: Average proficiency drops by 6.2 percentage points from grade 3 to grade 5 across 93454. This pattern in test scores may reflect a variety of factors and is worth examining school by school.

Chronic absenteeism across 93454 averages 14.5%, above the state average of 18.1%.

How 93454 compares to nearby zip codes

Zip CodeCitySchoolsAvg Scorevs 93454
93454Santa Maria10Developing
34.9/100
93455Santa Maria9Developing
42.2/100
+7.4
93458Santa Maria9Developing
30.9/100
-4.0
93446Paso Robles10Developing
40.0/100
+5.1
93444Nipomo5Developing
44.6/100
+9.7

School archetypes in 93454

2 Culture First1 On the Rise7 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 1 school in 93454 is classified as On the Rise — 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

All schools in 93454

#SchoolExceededScore
1Santa Maria High
Santa Maria Joint Union High Building Momentum
8.8%Developing
49/100
2Pioneer Valley High
Santa Maria Joint Union High Building Momentum
11.1%Developing
48/100
3Benjamin Foxen Elementary
Blochman Union Elementary Building Momentum
28.6%Developing
47/100
4Bill Libbon Elementary
Santa Maria-Bonita On the Rise
9.4%Developing
41/100
5Miller (Isaac) Elementary
Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum
5.7%Developing
31/100
6Alvin Elementary
Santa Maria-Bonita Culture First
5.9%Needs Support
29/100
7Battles (Washington) Elementary
Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum
4.7%Needs Support
27/100
8Rice (William) Elementary
Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum
4.8%Needs Support
26/100
9Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Santa Maria-Bonita Culture First
8.1%Needs Support
26/100
10Taylor (Ida Redmond) Elementary
Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum
6.8%Needs Support
25/100

Schools in 93454 on the map

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.

What Scope Scores can't tell you about 93454

  • Class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality
  • Quality of arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs
  • Teacher experience, turnover, and professional development
  • Campus safety, bullying climate, and social-emotional support
  • Parent and community engagement levels
  • Quality of special education and gifted programs
  • How school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access

Scope Scores measure academic performance and school climate using public data. They are one lens among many. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Are the schools in Santa Maria good?
Santa Maria's 10 ranked elementary schools average a Scope Score of 34.9/100, which is 8.9 points below the California state average of 43.8. 9.4% of students exceed the state standard on average (state average: 21.6%). The Scope Score weights six dimensions: exceeded standard (40%), met standard (22%), grade-level growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best elementary school in Santa Maria?
The highest-scoring elementary school in Santa Maria is Santa Maria High with a Scope Score of 49/100 and 8.8% of students exceeding the state standard. Rankings are based on SchoolScope's 2025 Scope Score, which measures academic performance and school climate using publicly available California data. See full methodology.
How do Santa Maria schools compare to the state average?
Santa Maria elementary schools average a Scope Score of 34.9 vs. the statewide average of 43.8 (8.9 points below). The exceeded rate averages 9.4% vs. 21.6% statewide. Chronic absenteeism averages 14.5% vs. 18.1% statewide. Scores range from 25.1 to 48.5, a 23.5-point spread.
How many schools are in Santa Maria?
Santa Maria has 10 ranked elementary schools with Scope Scores. Schools are ranked using a weighted composite of CAASPP test performance, growth trajectory, chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Schools with insufficient testing data are not ranked.
What does the Scope Score measure?
The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on six dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade 3–5 growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, and ELPAC English Learner proficiency. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score separates students who "exceeded" from those who "met" the standard — revealing whether a school pushes students beyond proficiency or paces toward it. Full methodology and weights.