San Marcos Unified on the map

Click a type to show or hide its schools.

District boundary from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Each marker is a graded school; click it for its grade and scores.

La Mirada AcademyRichland ElementaryTwin Oaks HighSan Marcos ElementarySan Marcos HighSan Marcos MiddleWoodland Park MiddleDiscovery ElementaryTwin Oaks ElementaryCarrillo ElementaryLa Costa Meadows ElementaryKnob Hill ElementaryFoothills HighPaloma ElementarySan Elijo MiddleMission Hills HighSan Elijo ElementaryJoli Ann Leichtag ElementaryDouble Peak
District boundary from the NCES EDGE composite school district file; each dot is a graded school, tap or hover for its name.

SchoolGrade summary for San Marcos Unified

Average SchoolGrade
B
Meeting or exceeding expectations
63%
Exceeding
32%
Avg actual scores
46.1%
Avg projected
43.7%

19 of 19 schools in San Marcos Unified carry a SchoolGrade. Grade distribution:

A: 8B: 6C: 2D: 3

Best schools in San Marcos Unified

Statewide rankings: all 1561 high schools in California · all 1283 middle schools in California · all 5668 elementary schools in California

The ten highest SchoolGrades in the district. Grades reward actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact.

  1. A+ Discovery Elementary (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
  2. A Paloma Elementary (Elementary school, greatly exceeds expectations)
  3. A La Costa Meadows Elementary (Elementary school, meets expectations)
  4. A Carrillo Elementary (Elementary school, meets expectations)
  5. A San Elijo Elementary (Elementary school, doesn't meet expectations)
  6. A Double Peak (Elementary school, meets expectations)
  7. A- Richland Elementary (Elementary school, exceeds expectations)
  8. A- San Elijo Middle (Middle school, doesn't meet expectations)
  9. B+ Knob Hill Elementary (Elementary school, exceeds expectations)
  10. B+ Mission Hills High (High school, meets expectations)

Every school in San Marcos Unified

High schools (4)

Middle and junior high schools (3)

Elementary and primary schools (10)

Other schools and academies (2)

Where San Marcos Unified schools are

Cities and towns served (3)

About this district

  • State: Best schools in California
  • County: San Diego County
  • Type: regular local school district
  • Setting: large suburb (NCES locale of the district office)
  • Enrollment: 19,374 students with 794 full-time-equivalent teachers and 1,607 total staff FTE (NCES CCD, 2023-24)
  • NCES district ID: 0634880
  • Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model: each school's actual proficiency against the level projected for its student context. How SchoolGrade works

Nearby school districts

Questions about San Marcos Unified

How many schools are in San Marcos Unified?

SchoolGrade grades 19 public schools in San Marcos Unified, across 3 cities and towns. Every one of them is listed on this page with a link to its own report.

Which cities does San Marcos Unified serve?

The largest by graded schools: San Marcos, Carlsbad, Vista.

How good are the schools in San Marcos Unified?

Across the 19 graded schools, the average SchoolGrade is B, with 46.1% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 43.7%. 63% of schools meet or exceed the expectation for their student context.

How many students attend San Marcos Unified?

19,374 students were enrolled in San Marcos Unified in the 2023-24 school year, about 24.4 students per full-time teacher (NCES Common Core of Data).

Where is San Marcos Unified?

San Marcos Unified is in California, based in San Diego County, with its district office in San Marcos. Its boundary covers about 41.6 sq mi.