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Marian A. Peterson Middle

Q: Is Marian A. Peterson Middle a good school?

Marian A. Peterson Middle ranks 314 th of 2761 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

314^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,761 California Middle Schools

Better than 89% of California middle schools

Summary

Marian A. Peterson Middle is a well-regarded public school serving about 759 students in grades 6-8 in Sunnyvale, part of the Santa Clara Unified School District, and it consistently ranks among the top third of all California middle schools.

The school stands out for its strong, steady academic performance and exceptionally low rate of chronic student absenteeism, which is less than half the district average. This high attendance likely supports its solid test scores, where it outperforms both its district and the state in English, Math, and Science. Interestingly, Peterson achieves these results efficiently, with a higher student-teacher ratio and lower per-student spending than some district peers like Buchser Middle, which it academically outperforms. While it doesn't reach the elite test score levels of some schools in the neighboring Cupertino Union district, it is a strong performer compared to other local schools like Sunnyvale Middle and dramatically outperforms Columbia Middle.

Parents should note that while the school excels overall, performance varies among different student groups. There is a significant opportunity for the school to improve outcomes for its Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students to match the high achievement seen with other groups. For families in Santa Clara Unified, Peterson represents one of the stronger middle school options, characterized by a stable, positive environment where students consistently show up ready to learn.

759

Students ?

21.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$28,128

Per pupil spending ?

22%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1380 Rosalia Ave.
Sunnyvale, CA 94087-3763

(408) 423-2800

District: Santa Clara Unified

Students who attend Marian A. Peterson Middle usually attend:

High:

Adrian Wilcox High

Feeder schools for Marian A. Peterson Middle:

Elementary:	Braly Elementary
	Laurelwood Elementary
	Ponderosa Elementary

Racial breakdown:

Asian:

46.1%

Hispanic:

30.2%

White:

16.2%

See top rated California middle schools

Compare Marian A. Peterson Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 81st percentile in 2013 → 89th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (62% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 11% of California middle schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 8 percentile points since 2013

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school62%

District avg53%

California avg41%

314^th of 2,761

California public middle schools ?

Top 11%▬ steady since 2015

See the entire ranking list of California Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 4Middle Schools in the Santa Clara Unified

401^st of 1,543Santa Clara 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	87.9	314 of 2761	88.6%	★★★★☆
2024	88.6	307 of 2783	89.0%	★★★★☆
2023	91.3	252 of 2781	90.9%	★★★★★
2022	88.6	304 of 2740	88.9%	★★★★☆
2019	88.4	298 of 2715	89.0%	★★★★☆
2018	86.6	316 of 2480	87.3%	★★★★☆
2017	86.7	318 of 2508	87.3%	★★★★☆
2016	84.9	333 of 2497	86.7%	★★★★☆
2015	87.0	293 of 2477	88.2%	★★★★☆
2013	75.4	443 of 2379	81.4%	★★★★☆
2012	79.6	317 of 2259	86.0%	★★★★☆
2011	75.1	413 of 2236	81.5%	★★★★☆
2010	75.3	419 of 2179	80.8%	★★★★☆
2009	80.4	284 of 2063	86.2%	★★★★☆
2008	74.5	392 of 2005	80.4%	★★★★☆
2007	79.3	312 of 1999	84.4%	★★★★☆
2006	73.8	397 of 1804	78.0%	★★★★☆
2005	75.3	360 of 1777	79.7%	★★★★☆
2004	78.5	310 of 1769	82.5%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	70.6	244 of 739	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	67.7	269 of 743	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	72.7	194 of 715	72.9%	★★★★☆
2022	70.6	230 of 733	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	71.1	237 of 745	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	70.9	227 of 700	67.6%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	78.0	199 of 1531	87.0%	★★★★☆
2019	61.2	384 of 1491	74.2%	★★★★☆
2018	56.3	401 of 1369	70.7%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	49.9	447 of 1478	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.1	338 of 1521	77.8%	★★★★☆
2022	59.2	309 of 1540	79.9%	★★★★☆
2019	75.7	163 of 1442	88.7%	★★★★☆
2018	83.4	119 of 1364	91.3%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	89.9	252 of 2533	90.1%	★★★★★
2024	89.0	270 of 2551	89.4%	★★★★☆
2023	90.2	241 of 2531	90.5%	★★★★★
2022	85.7	326 of 2509	87.0%	★★★★☆
2019	85.5	311 of 2380	86.9%	★★★★☆
2018	85.3	301 of 2262	86.7%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	39.1	1363 of 2395	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.9	1406 of 2388	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.6	1195 of 2374	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	39.9	1296 of 2359	45.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	30.3	1535 of 2213	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	45.5	1028 of 2072	50.4%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	43.1	1296 of 2542	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.0	1458 of 2579	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	56.3	841 of 2531	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.9	994 of 2458	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	47.0	1105 of 2369	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.0	915 of 2230	59.0%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	82.5	400 of 2534	84.2%	★★★★☆
2024	85.3	344 of 2552	86.5%	★★★★☆
2023	89.2	268 of 2538	89.4%	★★★★☆
2022	89.2	267 of 2527	89.4%	★★★★☆
2019	89.1	262 of 2407	89.1%	★★★★☆
2018	86.2	301 of 2273	86.8%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	83.0	98 of 726	86.5%	★★★★☆
2024	73.4	176 of 701	74.9%	★★★★☆
2023	68.7	219 of 677	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	65.9	218 of 665	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.1	277 of 554	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.7	254 of 462	45.0%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	53.0	507 of 1566	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	67.0	313 of 1552	79.8%	★★★★☆
2023	67.6	292 of 1531	80.9%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	92.2	45 of 1520	97.0%	★★★★★
2024	88.9	87 of 1537	94.3%	★★★★★
2023	90.1	72 of 1543	95.3%	★★★★★
2022	82.1	205 of 1555	86.8%	★★★★☆
2019	81.1	243 of 1602	84.8%	★★★★☆
2018	80.9	243 of 1496	83.8%	★★★★☆

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)

White (2025)97th percentile+8 vs school

Female (2025)90th percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)87th percentile~ school

Multi-racial (2025)87th percentile~ school

Male (2025)84th percentile-4 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)70th percentile-19 vs school

Special Education (2025)68th percentile-21 vs school

Asian (2025)67th percentile-22 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)49th percentile-40 vs school

Hispanic (2025)43rd percentile-46 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy67%+18 vs state

Mathematics59%+22 vs state

Science55%+22 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a student
Monday, October 9, 2017

I am scared because people have been saying this school is bad and the vice principal is racist Close Quote

Schools Near Marian A. Peterson Middle

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CSA Spanish Overall (2025)				CSA Spanish Listening (2025)				CSA Spanish Writing (2025)				CSA Spanish Reading (2025)				CAST Science (2025)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)				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	CSA Spanish Overall 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall All Grades	CSA Spanish Listening 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening All Grades	CSA Spanish Writing 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing All Grades	CSA Spanish Reading 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading All Grades	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	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 All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Marian A. Peterson Middle	Public	6-8	1380 Rosalia Ave.	Sunnyvale	94087	Santa Clara County	Santa Clara Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 423-2800	759	36	21.3	22.0%	123 (16.2%)	8 (1.1%)	229 (30.2%)	350 (46.1%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	43 (5.7%)	87.9	314^th of 2761 public middle schools	88.6%		88.6	307^th of 2783 public middle schools	89.0%	7																	55.0	55.0	65.6	70.0	66.4	67.3	63.6	59.6	53.4	58.8	$28,128	$1,177	$26,951
Sam H. Lawson Middle	Public	6-8	10401 Vista Dr.	Cupertino	95014	Santa Clara County	Cupertino Union	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 255-7500	841	44	19.3	15.2%	52 (6.2%)	6 (0.7%)	31 (3.7%)	703 (83.6%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	46 (5.5%)	98.9	18^th of 2761 public middle schools	99.3%		99.1	15^th of 2783 public middle schools	99.5%	3																	85.3	85.3	84.1	86.8	90.1	87.0	85.5	88.4	91.4	88.4	$18,636	$570	$18,066
Juan Cabrillo Middle	Public	6-8	2550 Cabrillo Ave.	Santa Clara	95051	Santa Clara County	Santa Clara Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 423-3700	796	46	17.2	26.1%	123 (15.5%)	14 (1.8%)	317 (39.8%)	275 (34.5%)	3 (0.4%)	8 (1.0%)	55 (6.9%)	75.9	565^th of 2761 public middle schools	79.5%		73.1	633^rd of 2783 public middle schools	77.3%	68																	50.4	50.4	57.5	56.3	59.6	57.8	42.2	48.7	52.4	48.1	$29,611	$1,207	$28,404
Warren E. Hyde Middle	Public	6-8	19325 Bollinger Rd.	Cupertino	95014	Santa Clara County	Cupertino Union	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 252-6290	800	40	19.9	26.3%	93 (11.6%)	3 (0.4%)	95 (11.9%)	550 (68.8%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	56 (7.0%)	97.9	54^th of 2761 public middle schools	98.0%		97.7	68^th of 2783 public middle schools	97.6%	14																	71.1	71.1	84.8	82.5	83.5	83.6	83.0	77.1	75.4	78.5	$21,110	$829	$20,281
Sunnyvale Middle	Public	6-8	1080 Mango Ave.	Sunnyvale	94087	Santa Clara County	Sunnyvale	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 522-8288	1,053	54	19.4	16.8%	271 (25.7%)	16 (1.5%)	283 (26.9%)	372 (35.3%)	11 (1.0%)	2 (0.2%)	98 (9.3%)	88.8	295^th of 2761 public middle schools	89.3%		86.4	359^th of 2783 public middle schools	87.1%	64																	64.2	64.2	63.6	65.3	67.9	65.6	61.8	61.3	61.5	61.5	$22,356	$1,157	$21,199
Cupertino Middle	Public	6-8	1650 South Bernardo Ave.	Sunnyvale	94087	Santa Clara County	Cupertino Union	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 245-0303	1,067	59	18.0	20.9%	261 (24.5%)	8 (0.7%)	127 (11.9%)	582 (54.5%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	86 (8.1%)	97.2	74^th of 2761 public middle schools	97.3%		98.1	45^th of 2783 public middle schools	98.4%	29																	77.8	77.8	76.1	79.0	85.5	80.4	71.8	78.4	81.6	77.5	$19,029	$334	$18,695
Columbia Middle	Public	6-8	739 Morse Ave.	Sunnyvale	94085	Santa Clara County	Sunnyvale	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 522-8247	697	41	16.9	30.3%	107 (15.4%)	6 (0.9%)	376 (53.9%)	122 (17.5%)	20 (2.9%)	14 (2.0%)	50 (7.2%)	42.4	1412^th of 2761 public middle schools	48.9%		39.5	1480^th of 2783 public middle schools	46.8%	68	12.5	11.8	9.8	11.2	15.6	17.7	22.0	18.7	18.8	17.7	7.3	14.0	12.5	8.8	17.1	13.1	27.2	27.2	40.0	41.0	36.5	39.2	31.6	34.5	30.0	32.1	$24,718	$1,708	$23,010
Joaquin Miller Middle	Public	6-8	6151 Rainbow Dr.	San Jose	95129	Santa Clara County	Cupertino Union	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 252-3755	1,067	51	20.8	13.5%	50 (4.7%)	3 (0.3%)	23 (2.2%)	908 (85.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (7.7%)	99.3	11^th of 2761 public middle schools	99.6%		99.6	6^th of 2783 public middle schools	99.8%	5																	86.1	86.1	89.0	91.2	89.0	89.8	92.8	92.8	91.0	92.3	$17,178	$234	$16,944
Buchser Middle	Public	6-8	1111 Bellomy St.	Santa Clara	95050	Santa Clara County	Santa Clara Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 423-3000	711	40	17.8	32.2%	144 (20.3%)	21 (3.0%)	356 (50.1%)	121 (17.0%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	63 (8.9%)	65.7	769^th of 2761 public middle schools	72.1%		65.8	773^rd of 2783 public middle schools	72.2%	4																	36.4	36.4	51.5	60.4	54.5	55.2	39.9	45.8	37.6	41.0	$31,101	$1,348	$29,753
John F. Kennedy Middle	Public	6-8	821 Bubb Rd.	Cupertino	95014	Santa Clara County	Cupertino Union	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 253-1525	880	41	21.4	15.7%	85 (9.7%)	2 (0.2%)	38 (4.3%)	698 (79.3%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.5%)	52 (5.9%)	99.3	9^th of 2761 public middle schools	99.7%		99.5	8^th of 2783 public middle schools	99.7%	1																	79.1	79.1	92.0	91.8	89.5	91.0	90.3	91.3	90.5	90.7	$17,285	$256	$17,029

Frequently Asked Questions about Marian A. Peterson Middle

How many students attend Marian A. Peterson Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 759 students attended Marian A. Peterson Middle.

Is Marian A. Peterson Middle a good school?

Marian A. Peterson Middle ranks 314^th of 2761 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of Marian A. Peterson Middle attend?

Students who attend Marian A. Peterson Middle usually go on to attend Adrian Wilcox High

What district is Marian A. Peterson Middle in?

Santa Clara Unified

What is the racial makeup of Marian A. Peterson Middle?

Students at Marian A. Peterson Middle are 46% Asian, 30% Hispanic, 16% White, 6% Two or more races, 1% African American.

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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.