San Carlos Elementary

The San Carlos Elementary area has eight schools serving 2,875 students: six elementary schools serving K–3 or grades 4–5, and two middle schools serving grades 6–8. In 2025–2026, every school scored above the state in ELA and math, and all four schools reporting science scored above the state too. The main takeaway is that local results are strong overall, but school-to-school differences—especially in math and science—are substantial.

Arundel Elementary leads ELA and math, with 87% and 97% proficient; its math result is 15 percentage points above the next-highest school, White Oaks Elementary (87%). At the other end, Arroyo has the lowest scores in all three subjects it reports: 77% in ELA, 75% in math and 60% in science. Its science result is 21 points below the leader, Central Middle (81%), though Arroyo remains above the state in each subject. The two middle schools are nearly tied in all-grades ELA: Tierra Linda Middle has 85.8% and Central 85.7%.

Recent changes are mixed: the average ELA result was essentially unchanged, math rose by 1 point, and science fell by 4 points among the four schools with results, even as the state science score rose by 3 points. Heather Elementary made the largest gains, up 14 points in ELA and 12 in math; by contrast, ELA declined at Arundel, Mariposa and Arroyo. Grade-level results can also shift the picture: Central’s all-grades ELA is strong, but its sixth-grade result is 75%, while its seventh- and eighth-grade scores are 90% and 93%. As context, all eight schools report free/reduced lunch eligible figures for school year 2024–2025, ranging from 6% at White Oaks to 12% at Brittan Acres Elementary; these figures do not neatly track test results. Because the schools serve different grade spans, comparisons are most useful when they involve similar grades.