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Santa Margarita Elementary

Q: Is Santa Margarita Elementary a good school?

Santa Margarita Elementary ranks 1579 th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

1579^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Elementary Schools

Better than 73% of California elementary schools

Summary

Santa Margarita Elementary is a K-5 public school serving 297 students in the Atascadero Unified School District, consistently performing as a strong 4-star school that ranks above average statewide and outperforms both its district and the state in English, Math, and Science.

The school truly excels in two key areas: student attendance and supporting economically disadvantaged students. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 8.4% is less than half the state average and represents a dramatic improvement, suggesting highly effective programs to get kids to school. Furthermore, the school achieves exceptional results for its low-income students, ranking in the 84th percentile statewide for this group—a performance that outshines nearby schools like San Benito Elementary and Santa Rosa Road Academic Academy. This consistent strength helps it stand out compared to schools with more fluctuating year-to-year rankings.

While the school is a top performer within its own district, alongside San Gabriel Elementary, it also compares favorably with schools in the higher-ranked neighboring San Luis Coastal Unified district, performing similarly to Hawthorne Elementary. Parents should note a significant performance gap between female and male students, and that academic results vary by grade, with 5th-grade math being a relative area of weakness. Overall, Santa Margarita Elementary demonstrates efficient use of resources and resilient performance, making it a very strong choice for families.

297

Students ?

25.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,975

Per pupil spending ?

33.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

22070 H St.
Santa Margarita, CA 93453-0380

(805) 438-5633

District: Atascadero Unified

Students who attend Santa Margarita Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Atascadero Middle
High:	Atascadero High

Racial breakdown:

White:

68.7%

Hispanic:

19.2%

Two or more races:

9.8%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Santa Margarita Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 81st percentile in 2015 → 73rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (54% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Above the California median (73rd percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 81st-percentile peak (2015) to 73rd (2025)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Large classes — about 26 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school54%

District avg44%

California avg41%

1,579^th of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Top 27%▼ down 8 pts since 2015

From top 19% (2015) to top 27% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 5Elementary Schools in the Atascadero Unified

594^th of 1,543Atascadero Unified among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	70.6	1579 of 5857	73.0%	★★★★☆
2024	68.5	1660 of 5869	71.7%	★★★★☆
2023	75.6	1346 of 5859	77.0%	★★★★☆
2022	77.4	1312 of 5883	77.7%	★★★★☆
2019	68.9	1650 of 5789	71.5%	★★★★☆
2018	59.9	2046 of 5662	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2017	65.7	1769 of 5692	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	76.2	1268 of 5614	77.4%	★★★★☆
2015	81.4	1063 of 5611	81.1%	★★★★☆
2013	58.4	2215 of 5530	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2012	48.9	2688 of 5390	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2011	52.2	2461 of 5377	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	43.9	2930 of 5314	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2009	57.0	2077 of 5193	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2008	60.6	1819 of 5113	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2007	64.4	1621 of 5113	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2006	74.2	1170 of 4818	75.7%	★★★★☆
2005	83.9	774 of 4822	83.9%	★★★★☆
2004	69.3	1329 of 4809	72.4%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	77.2	1189 of 5597	78.8%	★★★★☆
2024	80.5	1075 of 5612	80.8%	★★★★☆
2023	83.7	946 of 5609	83.1%	★★★★☆
2022	79.6	1127 of 5635	80.0%	★★★★☆
2019	71.7	1420 of 5492	74.1%	★★★★☆
2018	64.6	1771 of 5413	67.3%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	77.3	897 of 5460	83.6%	★★★★☆
2024	60.2	1777 of 5517	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.9	1478 of 5363	72.4%	★★★★☆
2019	65.9	1413 of 5173	72.7%	★★★★☆
2018	66.7	1361 of 5084	73.2%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	61.6	1904 of 5628	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.6	2049 of 5643	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.8	1648 of 5638	70.8%	★★★★☆
2022	71.9	1439 of 5663	74.6%	★★★★☆
2019	63.0	1821 of 5510	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.2	2157 of 5431	60.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	43.6	1574 of 2598	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.6	1493 of 2651	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	56.2	1253 of 2661	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.5	1059 of 2726	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	45.7	1682 of 2834	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.5	1807 of 2737	34.0%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)84th percentile+11 vs school

Female (2025)79th percentile+6 vs school

Male (2025)66th percentile-7 vs school

White (2025)39th percentile-34 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy57%+8 vs state

Mathematics53%+16 vs state

Science42%+9 vs state

★

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Schools Near Santa Margarita Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)					Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)					% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Santa Margarita Elementary	Public	K-5	22070 H St.	Santa Margarita	93453	San Luis Obispo County	Atascadero Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 438-5633	297	12	25.6	33.7%	204 (68.7%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (19.2%)	5 (1.7%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (9.8%)	70.6	1579^th of 5857 public elementary schools	73.0%		68.5	1660^th of 5869 public elementary schools	71.7%	81	41.9	41.9	52.1	66.7	51.6		57.0	55.1	61.9	38.7		53.3							$14,975	$1,069	$13,906
Santa Rosa Road Academic Academy	Public	K-5	8655 Santa Rosa Rd.	Atascadero	93422	San Luis Obispo County	Atascadero Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 462-4290	377	19	19.8	70.3%	135 (35.8%)	9 (2.4%)	187 (49.6%)	13 (3.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	31 (8.2%)	27	4215^th of 5857 public elementary schools	28.0%		36	3440^th of 5869 public elementary schools	41.4%	775	25.0	25.0	30.5	32.7	38.6		33.5	25.4	18.2	29.6		24.1	95.4	95.4		96.6	96.6	96.6	$16,191	$1,991	$14,200
San Gabriel Elementary	Public	K-5	8500 San Gabriel Rd.	Atascadero	93422	San Luis Obispo County	Atascadero Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 462-4340	360	14	25.7	47.5%	187 (51.9%)	11 (3.1%)	112 (31.1%)	10 (2.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (10.6%)	70.9	1560^th of 5857 public elementary schools	73.4%		68.9	1643^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	72.0%	83	52.0	52.0	51.6	50.9	64.0		55.1	61.3	39.3	56.0		52.4							$16,055	$2,552	$13,503
Pacheco Elementary	Public	K-6	261 Cuesta Dr.	San Luis Obispo	93405	San Luis Obispo County	San Luis Coastal Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 596-4081	488	20	24.4	47.7%	159 (32.6%)	4 (0.8%)	298 (61.1%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.9%)	68.2	1679^th of 5857 public elementary schools	71.3%		77	1293^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	78.0%	386	34.6	34.6	62.3	53.5	57.4	55.4	57.0	60.7	47.3	32.7	56.9	49.8	83.3	85.4	93.8	83.3	87.5	89.6	$17,370	$1,679	$15,691
Bishop's Peak Elementary	Public	K-6	451 Jaycee Dr.	San Luis Obispo	93405	San Luis Obispo County	San Luis Coastal Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 596-4030	358	17	21.0	34.1%	226 (63.1%)	2 (0.6%)	67 (18.7%)	19 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	43 (12.0%)	86.3	863^rd of 5857 public elementary schools	85.3%		81.2	1106^th of 5869 public elementary schools	81.2%	243	64.3	64.3	61.1	75.0	76.2	64.6	69.0	61.1	78.6	50.0	54.2	62.0	95.2	96.8			96.8		$17,402	$2,074	$15,328
Monterey Road Elementary	Public	K-5	3355 Monterey Rd.	Atascadero	93422	San Luis Obispo County	Atascadero Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 462-4270	382	16	23.8	42.1%	232 (60.7%)	3 (0.8%)	77 (20.2%)	7 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (16.5%)	77.8	1252^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	78.6%		82	1072^nd of 5869 public elementary schools	81.7%	180	49.1	49.1	68.0	60.4	50.9		60.8	72.0	50.0	49.1		59.1	96.7				96.7		$14,443	$1,173	$13,270
Sinsheimer Elementary	Public	K-6	2755 Augusta St.	San Luis Obispo	93401	San Luis Obispo County	San Luis Coastal Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 596-4088	401	16	25.0	26.4%	273 (68.1%)	1 (0.2%)	71 (17.7%)	19 (4.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (8.5%)	83.4	992^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	83.1%		90.3	688^th of 5869 public elementary schools	88.3%	304	31.8	31.8	73.5	74.4	67.7	88.9	75.3	68.6	65.1	53.0	75.6	64.4							$16,836	$2,569	$14,267
Hawthorne Elementary	Public	K-6	2125 Story St.	San Luis Obispo	93401	San Luis Obispo County	San Luis Coastal Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 596-4070	437	19	23.0	53.5%	193 (44.2%)	4 (0.9%)	175 (40.0%)	16 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	48 (11.0%)	69.8	1610^th of 5857 public elementary schools	72.5%		80.3	1140^th of 5869 public elementary schools	80.6%	470	42.1	42.1	50.9	55.3	52.6	65.9	55.6	56.4	55.3	40.4	54.8	51.2							$17,204	$1,998	$15,206
San Benito Elementary	Public	K-5	4300 San Benito Rd.	Atascadero	93422	San Luis Obispo County	Atascadero Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 462-4330	403	15	27.2	56.6%	242 (60.0%)	1 (0.2%)	119 (29.5%)	4 (1.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (8.7%)	56.4	2236^th of 5857 public elementary schools	61.8%		49.8	2566^th of 5869 public elementary schools	56.3%	330	33.3	33.3	48.5	41.7	54.0		48.6	57.6	31.3	41.3		44.6							$13,262	$903	$12,359
Creston Elementary	Public	K-5	5105 O'Donovan Rd.	Creston	93432	San Luis Obispo County	Atascadero Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 238-4771	61	3	20.3	45.9%	36 (59.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (26.2%)	1 (1.6%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (11.5%)								(n/a)			23.1				40.7	30.8				51.9							$19,154	$1,995	$17,159

Frequently Asked Questions about Santa Margarita Elementary

What schools do graduates of Santa Margarita Elementary attend?

Students who attend Santa Margarita Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Atascadero Middle
High : Atascadero High

What is the racial makeup of Santa Margarita Elementary?

Students at Santa Margarita Elementary are 69% White, 19% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Is Santa Margarita Elementary a good school?

Santa Margarita Elementary ranks 1579^th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Santa Margarita Elementary in?

Atascadero Unified

How many students attend Santa Margarita Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 297 students attended Santa Margarita Elementary.

Rate Santa Margarita Elementary!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.