Best Public Schools in Zip Code 92117

The 92117 zip code in San Diego, California, is served by 17 diverse schools within the San Diego Unified district, including nine elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools, and three alternative K-12 programs, catering to approximately 5,776 students.

This area features standout schools like John Muir, which has shown dramatic improvement to rank in the 85th percentile, and Marston Middle, a consistently high-performing middle school. The alternative Mt. Everest Academy achieves exceptional test scores and near-perfect attendance, demonstrating that strong outcomes are possible with moderate per-student spending. However, other schools, such as Creative Performing and Media Arts middle school and Lafayette Elementary, have lower rankings and may require additional support.

Key insights for parents include a notable decline in math proficiency as students progress to middle and high school, even at schools with excellent graduation rates like Clairemont High and Madison High. Chronic absenteeism varies widely and is strongly linked to academic performance, with schools like Whittier K-12 having very high rates. The data shows that factors like school culture and instructional quality can be as important as funding, as some higher-spending schools do not outperform their more efficiently funded peers.