Elementary Schools in Santa Maria, California: 25 schools. Average score 7.5 points below the state. Here is what that number does — and doesn't — tell you.
Santa Maria, California has 25 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 37.3/100 — 7.5 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Joe Nightingale Elementary at 60/100, where 32.4% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Santa Maria schools average 11.0% exceeded standard (state: 21.3%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Chronic absenteeism averages 11.9% (below the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Schools | Avg Score | Exceeded | vs State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 25 | Developing 37.3/100 | 11.0% | -7.5 |
| High | 4 | Developing 40.6/100 | 9.3% | -3.1 |
| Middle | 1 | Needs Support 25.0/100 | 3.6% | -17.6 |
How Santa Maria schools compare
Santa Maria has 25 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 37.3/100 — 7.5 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
The top-ranked school is Joe Nightingale Elementary with a Scope Score of 60 and 32.4% of students exceeding standard.
Chronic absenteeism in Santa Maria averages 11.9% — below the state average of 17.9%.
How we score · Weighted composite of test performance, growth, and school climate · Full weights on the methodology page
School archetypes in Santa Maria
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Every school in Santa Maria
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Nightingale Elementary Orcutt Union Elementary Building Momentum | 32.4% | Solid 60/100 |
| 2 | Family Partnership Charter Blochman Union Elementary Building Momentum | 22.6% | Solid 59/100 |
| 3 | Pine Grove Elementary Orcutt Union Elementary Building Momentum | 25.3% | Solid 55/100 |
| 4 | Bill Libbon Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum | 9.4% | Developing 49/100 |
| 5 | Trivium Charter Blochman Union Elementary Culture First | 14.8% | Developing 48/100 |
| 6 | Ernest Righetti High Santa Maria Joint Union High Building Momentum | 17.0% | Developing 48/100 |
| 7 | Santa Maria High Santa Maria Joint Union High Building Momentum | 8.8% | Developing 43/100 |
| 8 | Pioneer Valley High Santa Maria Joint Union High Building Momentum | 11.1% | Developing 43/100 |
| 9 | Benjamin Foxen Elementary Blochman Union Elementary Building Momentum | 28.6% | Developing 42/100 |
| 10 | Alice Shaw Elementary Orcutt Union Elementary Building Momentum | 11.5% | Developing 42/100 |
| 11 | Ralph Dunlap Elementary Orcutt Union Elementary Building Momentum | 13.3% | Developing 41/100 |
| 12 | Ontiveros (Juan Pacifico) Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Culture First | 16.2% | Developing 40/100 |
| 13 | Sanchez (David J.) Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Culture First | 8.6% | Developing 39/100 |
| 14 | Arellanes (Don Juan Bautista) Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Culture First | 8.2% | Developing 39/100 |
| 15 | Patterson Road Elementary Orcutt Union Elementary Building Momentum | 12.9% | Developing 37/100 |
| 16 | Liberty Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum | 5.1% | Developing 35/100 |
| 17 | Miller (Isaac) Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum | 5.7% | Developing 34/100 |
| 18 | Oakley (Calvin C.) Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum | 4.8% | Developing 34/100 |
| 19 | Fairlawn Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum | 5.7% | Developing 33/100 |
| 20 | Bruce (Robert) Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum | 4.3% | Developing 32/100 |
| 21 | Bonita Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Culture First | 1.6% | Developing 32/100 |
| 22 | Rice (William) Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum | 4.8% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 23 | Alvin Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Culture First | 5.9% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 24 | Delta High Santa Maria Joint Union High Building Momentum | 0.5% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 25 | Battles (Washington) Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum | 4.7% | Needs Support 28/100 |
| 26 | Jiménez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Culture First | 9.2% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 27 | Orcutt School for Independent Study Orcutt Union Elementary Building Momentum | 3.6% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 28 | Taylor (Ida Redmond) Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum | 6.8% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 29 | Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Culture First | 8.1% | Needs Support 24/100 |
| 30 | Adam (William Laird) Elementary Santa Maria-Bonita Building Momentum | 4.2% | Needs Support 23/100 |
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.
Private Schools in Santa Maria
Private schools don't participate in California's standardized testing (CAASPP) and cannot be scored or ranked. Showing enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and affiliation where available.
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