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Best Public Schools in Novato, CA

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its California rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

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At a glance

Schools

7,468

Students

Districts

Top rankedSan Marin High502^nd of 2,135 California high schools

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Biggest riser

Lynwood Elementary up 567 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Novato Charter 19.7 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

1★

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Summary:

Novato has 15 schools—nine elementary, two middle and four high schools—serving students from elementary through high school. In 2025–2026, the unweighted average across the 14 schools with results was close to the state average in English language arts (ELA), math and science; Novato Charter’s latest results are from 2024–2025. But school results varied widely, making the most important finding that a citywide average can hide very different results from one school to another.

Novato High led ELA with 69% of students meeting the standard, 7 percentage points above the next-highest result at Pleasant Valley Elementary and 20 points above the state. Rancho Elementary led math at 58% and science at 56%, about 19 and 20 points above state results, respectively. Sinaloa Middle was above the state in all three subjects: 60% in ELA, 49% in math and 46% in science. At the other end, Marin Oaks High had the lowest result in each subject—19% in ELA, 0% in math and 5% in science—30, 38 and 31 points below the state, respectively.

Across the 14 schools with results in both years, average ELA was nearly flat from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, math fell 1 point and science rose 2 points; the state improved faster in all three. Individual schools moved differently: Novato High gained 13 points in ELA, while Rancho gained 18 in science and Pleasant Valley fell 11 in math. SchoolDigger ranked Sinaloa at the 80th percentile statewide in 2025–2026, compared with the 77th for Pleasant Valley and the 16th for Hamilton Tk-8. Income measures offer context, not an explanation: in 2024–2025, free/reduced lunch eligible students made up 21% at Pleasant Valley, 49% at Rancho and 82% at Hamilton, yet results differed among these schools. Attendance is another distinct consideration: chronic absenteeism was 58% at Marin Oaks, versus 18% statewide, while Novato High combined leading ELA results with absenteeism of 25%.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CSA Spanish Overall (2026)							CSA Spanish Listening (2026)							CSA Spanish Writing (2026)							CSA Spanish Reading (2026)							CAST Science (2026)				Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2026)								Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)								Vaccination (2024-25)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CSA Spanish Overall 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall All Grades	CSA Spanish Listening 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening All Grades	CSA Spanish Writing 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing All Grades	CSA Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading All Grades	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 12th 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 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th 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 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Vaccination: Kindergartners with all required immunizations	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Novato Charter	Public, Charter	K-8	940 C St.	Novato	94949	Marin County	Novato Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 883-4254	269	14	19.7	16.0%	176 (65.4%)	2 (0.7%)	39 (14.5%)	15 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	36 (13.4%)	66.8	1739^th of 5817 public elementary schools	70.1%		75.7	1346^th of 5857 public elementary schools	77.0%	393																													48.2	56.5		52.0	50.0	59.3	70.4	66.7	82.1	82.6		68.4	34.6	44.4	37.0	46.4	64.3	65.2		48.4	≥ 95%		$13,688	$161	$13,527
Hamilton Tk-8	Public	K-8	5530 Nave Dr.	Novato	94949	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 883-4691	544	26	21.1	82.0%	54 (9.9%)	22 (4.0%)	412 (75.7%)	24 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (5.7%)	19.3	4871^st of 5817 public elementary schools	16.3%		22.4	4637^th of 5857 public elementary schools	20.8%	234																													18.0	28.6		23.6	29.3	32.7	24.0	16.7	35.3	26.8		27.4	29.3	35.9	10.0	7.3	15.4	21.4		20.1	≥ 98%		$18,378	$1,550	$16,828
Loma Verde Elementary	Public	K-5	399 Alameda de La Loma	Novato	94949	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 883-4681	426	19	22.4	53.1%	134 (31.5%)	12 (2.8%)	208 (48.8%)	21 (4.9%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	47 (11.0%)	52.9	2437^th of 5817 public elementary schools	58.1%		54.4	2344^th of 5857 public elementary schools	60.0%	93																													36.8			36.8	37.7	39.0	50.0					42.4	52.2	41.7	45.6					46.7	≥ 98%		$18,086	$1,229	$16,857
Lu Sutton Elementary	Public	K-5	1800 Center Rd.	Novato	94947	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 897-3196	367	17	21.5	—	83 (22.6%)	7 (1.9%)	251 (68.4%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.4%)	42.9	3048^th of 5817 public elementary schools	47.6%		36	3489^th of 5857 public elementary schools	40.4%	441																													34.9			34.9	26.0	49.2	44.6					41.0	22.0	46.2	31.3					34.1	97%	0%	$18,852	$1,412	$17,440
Lynwood Elementary	Public	K-5	1320 Lynwood Dr.	Novato	94947	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 897-4161	260	12	21.6	59.2%	50 (19.2%)	2 (0.8%)	190 (73.1%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.8%)	51	2555^th of 5817 public elementary schools	56.1%		41.4	3122^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	46.7%	567	6.7	3.3	5.3				5.3	26.7	10.0	23.7				21.2	13.3	33.3	13.2				18.6	4.4	3.3	5.3				4.4	31.6			31.6	44.4	33.3	60.5					46.9	35.6	43.3	47.4					41.6	≥ 98%		$20,594	$1,626	$18,968
Marin Oaks High	Public	9-12	720 Diablo Ave.	Novato	94947	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 897-7653	69	7	9.2	82.6%	15 (21.7%)	4 (5.8%)	47 (68.1%)	1 (1.4%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	13.8	1786^th of 2135 public high schools	16.3%		10.5	1991^st of 2162 public high schools	7.9%	205																															5.4	5.4							19.2	19.2							0.0	0.0			$42,299	$1,345	$40,954
Novato High	Public	9-12	625 Arthur St.	Novato	94947	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 898-2125	1,287	65	19.7	48.3%	452 (35.1%)	30 (2.3%)	634 (49.3%)	72 (5.6%)	9 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	70 (5.4%)	74.7	529^th of 2135 public high schools	75.2%		62.5	747^th of 2162 public high schools	65.4%	218																															34.0	34.0							68.9	68.9							36.5	36.5			$18,562	$962	$17,600
Olive Elementary	Public	K-5	620 Olive Ave.	Novato	94945	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 897-2131	364	17	21.3	49.5%	144 (39.6%)	10 (2.7%)	153 (42.0%)	10 (2.7%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	44 (12.1%)	47.4	2758^th of 5817 public elementary schools	52.6%		54.3	2349^th of 5857 public elementary schools	59.9%	409																													44.1			44.1	46.8	46.0	47.1					46.7	31.8	30.0	32.4					31.5	97%	0%	$18,331	$1,257	$17,074
Pleasant Valley Elementary	Public	K-5	755 Sutro Ave.	Novato	94947	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 897-5104	464	20	23.2	20.5%	288 (62.1%)	1 (0.2%)	105 (22.6%)	9 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	60 (12.9%)	75.3	1355^th of 5817 public elementary schools	76.7%		87.8	786^th of 5857 public elementary schools	86.6%	569																													42.0			42.0	60.0	67.7	58.0					61.8	60.0	58.2	47.8					55.3	≥ 98%		$16,733	$916	$15,817
Rancho Elementary	Public	K-5	1430 Johnson St.	Novato	94947	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 897-3101	387	17	22.7	49.1%	153 (39.5%)	5 (1.3%)	178 (46.0%)	17 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	33 (8.5%)	70.9	1537^th of 5817 public elementary schools	73.6%		69.5	1621^st of 5857 public elementary schools	72.3%	84																													55.9			55.9	37.3	54.2	54.2					49.5	58.8	61.1	52.5					57.7	≥ 98%		$17,183	$1,195	$15,988
San Marin High	Public	9-12	15 San Marin Dr.	Novato	94945	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 898-2121	1,250	57	21.9	35.7%	615 (49.2%)	11 (0.9%)	400 (32.0%)	104 (8.3%)	7 (0.6%)	3 (0.2%)	109 (8.7%)	75.9	502^nd of 2135 public high schools	76.5%		83.1	357^th of 2162 public high schools	83.5%	145																															47.5	47.5							56.2	56.2							39.5	39.5			$17,533	$956	$16,577
San Ramon Elementary	Public	K-5	45 San Ramon Way	Novato	94945	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 897-1196	456	21	22.1	30.5%	241 (52.9%)	11 (2.4%)	114 (25.0%)	27 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (13.6%)	72.3	1473^rd of 5817 public elementary schools	74.7%		84	964^th of 5857 public elementary schools	83.5%	509																													52.9			52.9	41.8	60.3	68.6					57.1	40.9	58.9	61.4					54.1	≥ 98%		$18,162	$956	$17,206
Sinaloa Middle	Public	6-8	2045 Vineyard Rd.	Novato	94947	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 897-2111	693	34	20.4	42.1%	343 (49.5%)	13 (1.9%)	239 (34.5%)	40 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	56 (8.1%)	75.3	562^nd of 2740 public middle schools	79.5%		74.7	589^th of 2761 public middle schools	78.7%	27																														46.5		46.5				53.5	65.1	61.3		59.7				50.2	48.1	49.8		49.4			$18,179	$1,054	$17,125
Nova Education Center	Public	6-12	720 Diablo Blvd.	Novato	94947	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 897-7653	73	5	14.7	32.9%	33 (45.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (26.0%)	7 (9.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (16.4%)	51	1017^th of 2135 public high schools	52.4%		60.8	805^th of 2162 public high schools	62.8%	212																															10.5	14.3							66.7	58.8							23.8	29.4			$20,562	$725	$19,837
San Jose Middle	Public	6-8	1000 Sunset Pkwy.	Novato	94949	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 883-7831	559	26	21.2	55.8%	157 (28.1%)	16 (2.9%)	311 (55.6%)	36 (6.4%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (6.4%)	47.3	1266^th of 2740 public middle schools	53.8%		54.4	1060^th of 2761 public middle schools	61.6%	206				9.1	0.0	14.3	7.9				9.1	7.7	21.4	13.2				27.3	15.4	14.3	18.4				0.0	0.0	14.3	5.3		33.5		33.5				40.5	48.0	43.4		43.7				36.2	38.7	28.7		34.5			$18,318	$1,155	$17,163

Cities Near Novato

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
San Rafael	6.02 mi	20	419^th
Petaluma	7.3 mi	43	295^th
San Anselmo	8.29 mi	4	22^nd
Fairfax	8.91 mi	4	62^nd
Nicasio	9.2 mi	1

See the top CA California cities

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.