Best Schools in Santa Maria, California
40 schools · 21 Elementary · 5 Middle · 7 High · 7 Other
Choosing a school in Santa Maria?
Use this page to compare every school in Santa Maria by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Family Partnership Charter
Other · Family Partnership Charter District. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Bill Libbon Elementary
Elementary · Santa Maria-Bonita. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Arellanes Junior High
Middle · Santa Maria-Bonita. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Santa Maria for 2026 are Family Partnership Charter (7.7/10), Bill Libbon Elementary (7.1/10), and Arellanes Junior High (6.8/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 30 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
40
31 public · 9 private
Avg Score
5.7
out of 10
Median Home
$503,533
home value · ACS
Districts
8
serving the city
Schools
40
31 public · 9 private
Avg Score
5.7
out of 10
Median Home
$503,533
home value · ACS
Districts
8
serving the city
Rates 7.7/10 despite 44% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.5 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Santa Maria schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +7.3 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Santa Maria schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Santa Maria
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (Top 10 of 30 rated schools; 40 schools in the directory). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family Partnership Charter | 7.7 / 10 |
| 2 | Bill Libbon Elementary | 7.1 / 10 |
| 3 | Arellanes Junior High | 6.8 / 10 |
| 4 | Ernest Righetti High | 6.8 / 10 |
| 5 | Benjamin Foxen Elementary | 6.7 / 10 |
| 6 | Bonita Elementary | 6.6 / 10 |
| 7 | Liberty Elementary | 6.5 / 10 |
| 8 | Santa Maria High | 6.5 / 10 |
| 9 | Pioneer Valley High | 6.4 / 10 |
| 10 | Sanchez (david J.) Elementary | 6.1 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 5.7/10
- Median household income
- $88,732
- Median home value
- $503,533
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 20%
- Avg commute
- 22 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 58%
6% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Santa Maria compares
California rank
#490 of 599
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.6
below California avg (6.3)
Median household income
$89k
89% of California median
Schools in this city
35
Santa Maria-Bonita runs 68% of Santa Maria's public schools
Santa Maria touches 8 districts, but Santa Maria-Bonita is the one most addresses actually attend.
Santa Maria-Bonita accounts for 21 of 31 public schools (68%). The other 7 districts hold the remaining 10.
Among 30 public schools with real test data, composite scores run from 3.4 to 7.7 — the spread is inside Santa Maria, not a citywide average.
5 of the 31 public schools are charters (16%), so the district split is not the whole market.
- Santa Maria-Bonita21 public · 68%
- Santa Maria Joint Union High4 public · 13%
- Blochman Union Elementary1 public · 3%
- Family Partnership Charter District1 public · 3%
- Olive Grove Charter - Buellton District1 public · 3%
About Schools in Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria's public school landscape spans 30 ranked schools with a city average of 5.5 out of 10 — a middle-of-the-road baseline that tells parents to look carefully rather than assume quality by location. The mix includes traditional district schools alongside charter and non-traditional options, giving families meaningful choices across school types without leaving the city.
The top of the list is clear but compact. Only 3 of 30 schools — 10% of the ranked pool — score 7 or above. Arellanes (Don Juan Bautista) Elementary leads at 7.8, the highest-rated school in Santa Maria. Family Partnership Charter follows at 7.6, and Benjamin Foxen Elementary rounds out the top three at 7.0. All three separate meaningfully from the 5.5 city average, and for performance-focused families, the search starts and largely ends with this group.
Charter schools carry real weight in the upper tier. Two of the top five are non-traditional options — Family Partnership Charter (7.6) and Olive Grove Charter - Santa Barbara (6.8). For families open to flexible or independent-study models, both outperform the district average by a notable margin. Oakley (Calvin C.) Elementary at 6.7 is the strongest conventional district elementary just outside the top three, worth prioritizing for families whose address puts them in its attendance zone.
The practical takeaway: Santa Maria has a genuine performance gap between its best schools and the rest. With 90% of ranked schools falling below the 7-point threshold, school selection matters more here than in cities where strong options are distributed evenly across neighborhoods. Parents new to the area should start with Arellanes and Family Partnership Charter, confirm current enrollment and lottery timelines for charter options early, and verify attendance boundaries for Foxen and Oakley before committing to a neighborhood. Where your child lands in this city's school system can produce a meaningfully different academic experience.
Elementary Schools
21 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 739 students · Kindergarten–6th | 7.1 |
| 2 | 192 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.7 |
| 3 | 545 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.6 |
| 4 | 873 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.5 |
| 5 | 658 students · Kindergarten–6th | 6.1 |
| 6 | 292 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.9 |
| 7 | 867 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.9 |
| 8 | 998 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.9 |
| 9 | 870 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.8 |
| 10 | 883 students · Kindergarten–6th | 5.8 |
Show all 21 elementary schools in Santa Maria
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 622 students · 7th–8th | 6.8 | ||
| 2 | 833 students · 7th–8th | 6.0 | ||
| 3 | 1,028 students · 7th–8th | 6.0 | ||
| 4 | 958 students · 7th–8th | 5.8 | ||
Private Schools1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Ryan Home EdiucationPrivate 14 students · 8th–8th | Not Rated | ||
High Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2,424 students · 9th–12th | 6.8 | ||
| 2 | 3,110 students · 9th–12th | 6.5 | ||
| 3 | 3,112 students · 9th–12th | 6.4 | ||
| 4 | 338 students · 9th–12th | 5.2 | ||
Private Schools3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | St Joseph High SchoolPrivate 506 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | John Paul II PreparatoryPrivate 6 students · 1st–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | Buena VidaPrivate 6 students · Kindergarten–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
7 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 400 students · Kindergarten–12th | 7.7 | ||
| 2 | 141 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.4 | ||
| 3 | 82 students · Kindergarten–12th | 4.4 | ||
| 4 | 109 students · Kindergarten–12th | 3.4 | ||
| 5 | 29 students · Kindergarten–12th | — | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | Valley Christian AcademyPrivate 355 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Eagles Christian AcademyPrivate 23 students · 1st–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Santa Maria
Santa Maria, California · 40 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 3 ZIP codes
Median Income
$88,732
Median Home Value
$503,533
Median Rent
$1,947/mo
Population
145,186
College Educated
20%
Homeownership
58%
Avg Commute
22 min
Poverty Rate
13.0%
Community Profile
Santa Maria has a median household income of $88,732. It is a community where 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $503,533, with a median rent of $1,947/month. The area has a poverty rate of 13.0%. The average commute for residents is 22 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- California
- Elementary
- 21
- Middle
- 5
- High
- 7
- Other
- 7
Resources
School Districts (8)
Olive Grove Charter - Buellton District
1 school · 29 students
Olive Grove Charter - Orcutt/Santa Maria District
1 school · 141 students
Olive Grove Charter - Lompoc District
1 school · 109 students
Family Partnership Charter District
1 school · 400 students
Olive Grove Charter - Santa Barbara District
1 school · 82 students
Blochman Union Elementary
1 school · 192 students
Santa Maria-Bonita
21 schools · 17,165 students
Santa Maria Joint Union High
4 schools · 8,985 students
Other Major Cities in California
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Santa Maria, California
How many schools are in Santa Maria, California?
Santa Maria has 40 schools, including 31 public and 9 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Santa Maria, California?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Santa Maria is 5.7 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Santa Maria, California?
The top-ranked school in Santa Maria on MySchoolScout is Family Partnership Charter with a composite score of 7.7/10.
What is the best elementary school in Santa Maria, California?
The top-ranked elementary school in Santa Maria on MySchoolScout is Bill Libbon Elementary with a composite score of 7.1/10.
What is the best middle school in Santa Maria, California?
The top-ranked middle school in Santa Maria on MySchoolScout is Arellanes Junior High with a composite score of 6.8/10.
What is the best high school in Santa Maria, California?
The top-ranked high school in Santa Maria on MySchoolScout is Ernest Righetti High with a composite score of 6.8/10.
How many school districts serve Santa Maria, California?
Santa Maria is served by 8 school districts: Olive Grove Charter - Buellton District, Olive Grove Charter - Orcutt/santa Maria District, Olive Grove Charter - Lompoc District, Family Partnership Charter District, Olive Grove Charter - Santa Barbara District, Blochman Union Elementary, Santa Maria-Bonita, Santa Maria Joint Union High.
What is the education level in Santa Maria, California?
According to Census data, 20% of adults in Santa Maria have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Santa Maria, California?
The median household income in Santa Maria is approximately $88,732 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Santa Maria, California?
Yes, Santa Maria has 9 private schools alongside 31 public schools. The top-rated private school is Pacific Christian School with a score of 5.9/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Santa Maria, California?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Santa Maria is 19.3:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Santa Maria, California?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
Related reading
- Best Elementary Schools in America: 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best School Districts to Move To in 2026: A Data-Driven Guidebest schools
- Best States for Public Schools in 2026: A Complete Rankingdata insights
- Charter Schools vs Public Schools: What the Data Actually Shows (2026)school choice
- Moving before 2027? The federal school choice tax credit follows the state, not youschool choice
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.