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Schools in 95121 — San Jose, California: 95121 schools average 4.1 points above the state — but the range is 48.5 points wide.

95121 has 7 ranked schools in San Jose, averaging a Scope Score of 45.1/100 — 4.1 points above the state average of 41.0 (a state average weighted to 95121's own mix of school levels; CDE CAASPP 2025). Scores range from 23.4 to 72.0, a 48.5-point spread. 1 school ranks in the 90th percentile or above statewide.

How 95121 schools perform

The top-ranked school is James Franklin Smith Elementary with a Scope Score of 72 and 57.4% of students exceeding standard.

Students here are going past the bar, not just to it. Schools here average 25.2% exceeding standard — well above the statewide average of 21.1%, itself weighted to 95121's own level mix.

Cohort growth among 95121's elementary schools — the returning cohort, 2023 G3 → 2025 G5 — averages +75 scale-score points across 6 schools in 95121 with a large enough tested cohort. Scale scores rise with grade for nearly every school, so this describes the cohort's trajectory, not a ranking against other zip codes — worth examining school by school.

Chronic absenteeism across 95121 averages 14.4%, below the state average of 18.6%, weighted to 95121's own level mix. CDE CAASPP 2025.

How 95121 compares to nearby zip codes

ZipCityMilesSchoolsAvg Scorevs 95121
95121San Jose745.1/100
95111San Jose1.8932.6/100-12.6
95148San Jose2.01046.0/100+0.8
95122San Jose2.41439.9/100-5.2
95116San Jose3.71531.8/100-13.4
95136San Jose3.7633.9/100-11.2

Source: CDE CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

School archetypes in 95121

1 High Ceiling1 Strong All-Around1 Growth Engine4 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 1 school in 95121 is classified as Growth Engine — 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

For the data nerds

All schools in 95121

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Figures
Score range23.4 – 72.0
48.5 pts SchoolScope composite
Chronic absenteeismstate avg 18.6% (level-matched)

Elementary Schools (6)

avg 41.7/1006 ranked elementary schools2 Strong, 2 Developing, +2 more
#SchoolExceededScore
1James Franklin Smith Elementary
Evergreen Elementary High Ceiling
57.4%Strong
72/100
2Cadwallader Elementary
Evergreen Elementary Growth Engine
37.1%Strong
57/100
3Windmill Springs Elementary
Franklin-McKinley Elementary Building Momentum
21.3%Solid
36/100
4John J. Montgomery Elementary
Evergreen Elementary Building Momentum
13.6%Developing
33/100
5Stonegate Elementary
Franklin-McKinley Elementary Building Momentum
9.8%Developing
28/100
6O. B. Whaley Elementary
Evergreen Elementary Building Momentum
9.0%Needs Support
23/100

High Schools (1)

avg 65.8/1001 ranked high schools1 Strong
#SchoolExceededScore
1Silver Creek High
East Side Union High Strong All-Around
28.4%Strong
66/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 7 schools in 95121Methodology · Explore all schools

Schools in 95121 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 95121

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 school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Are the schools in 95121 (San Jose) good?
95121 has 7 ranked schools in San Jose, averaging a Scope Score of 45.1/100 — 4.1 points above the state average, a benchmark weighted to 95121's own mix of school levels. 25.2% of students exceed the state standard on average. Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best school in 95121?
The highest-scoring school in zip code 95121 is James Franklin Smith Elementary with a Scope Score of 72/100 and 57.4% of students exceeding the state standard. See full methodology.
How do 95121 schools compare to the state average?
Schools in zip code 95121 average a Scope Score of 45.1/100 — 4.1 points above the state average of 41.0, a state average weighted to zip code 95121's own mix of school levels. The exceeded rate averages 25.2% vs. 21.1% statewide (also level-weighted).
How many schools are in zip code 95121?
Zip code 95121 has 7 ranked 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 composite rating (0–100), built from publicly available California school data across academic-performance and school-climate signals. Full methodology and weights.