King (Thomas Starr) Elementary vs Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary
King (Thomas Starr) Elementary and Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary are very closely rated, both scoring around 9.4 out of 10. Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary is significantly larger with 670 students, about 2.0× the size of King (Thomas Starr) Elementary (335). In math proficiency, Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary leads at 75.0%.
King (Thomas Starr) Elementary
San Francisco, CA
335 students
Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary
San Francisco, CA
670 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | King (Thomas Starr) Elementary | Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.4 / 10 | 9.4 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 8.9 | 9.7 |
| Growth Score | 9.7 | 9.5 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 40% | 20.9% |
| Environment Score | 9.6 | 8.8 |
| State Rank | #65 of 9,539 | #66 of 9,539 |
| State Percentile | 99th | 99th |
Test Scores
| Subject | King (Thomas Starr) Elementary | Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 52.0% | 75.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 42.0% | 81.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
| Detail | King (Thomas Starr) Elementary | Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Elementary School | Elementary School |
| Grades | Kindergarten – 5th | Kindergarten – 8th |
| Enrollment | 335 | 670 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 16.8:1 | 22.3:1 |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 40.0% | 20.9% |
| Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23) | 24.2% | 14.5% |
| District | San Francisco Unified | San Francisco Unified |
| City | San Francisco | San Francisco |
Neighborhood
| Metric | San Francisco (94107) | San Francisco (94123) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $186,123 | $222,689 |
| Median Home Value | $1,227,000 | $2,000,001 |
| Median Rent | $3,378 | $3,248 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 77.0% | 85.6% |
| Poverty Rate | 8.3% | 4.5% |
| Avg Commute | 32 min | 33 min |
The data story: King (Thomas Starr) Elementary vs Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary
King (Thomas Starr) Elementary and Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary sit 4.2 miles apart in San Francisco, yet land at different positions in California's rankings despite both being high performers. King (Thomas Starr) Elementary holds an overall rating of 9.3/10 and ranks #91 of 9,533 California schools, while Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary scores 9.0/10 and ranks #242 of 9,533 — a 151-spot gap that places King in the top 1% statewide and Lilienthal just outside it.
The two schools diverge sharply when academic proficiency and growth are measured separately. Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary leads on academic score by a significant 0.8 points — 9.7/10 versus King (Thomas Starr) Elementary's 8.9/10 — suggesting higher current test proficiency. King (Thomas Starr) Elementary counters with a stronger growth score of 9.5/10 compared to Lilienthal's 8.8/10, meaning students at King are gaining ground at a faster rate relative to similar peers. For families who weigh trajectory over snapshot performance, that 0.7-point growth advantage at King is meaningful.
The demographic and structural differences between the two campuses are substantial. King (Thomas Starr) Elementary enrolls 335 students to Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary's 670 — exactly half the size — and carries a student-teacher ratio of 16.8:1 versus Lilienthal's 22.3:1, a difference of 5.5 students per teacher. King also serves a higher share of economically disadvantaged students, with 40% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch compared to 21% at Lilienthal. That gap signals meaningfully different community compositions and may reflect differences in support services and funding allocation across the two schools.
The grade span distinction deserves attention for families thinking beyond elementary years. King (Thomas Starr) Elementary covers grades KG–05, requiring a middle school transition after fifth grade. Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary extends through grade 8, offering a KG–08 continuum that eliminates one school transition during critical developmental years. For a family prioritizing stability through middle school, Lilienthal's extended grade span removes a decision point that King cannot.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
King (Thomas Starr) Elementary
King (Thomas Starr) Elementary suits families who prioritize a smaller, more intimate campus — 335 students, a 16.8:1 student-teacher ratio — and whose children benefit from high growth momentum. The 40% free-and-reduced-lunch population also makes it the stronger fit for families seeking socioeconomic diversity in their child's peer environment.
Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary
Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary is the stronger fit for families who want the highest academic proficiency score in the comparison (9.7/10) and value a single school carrying their child from kindergarten through eighth grade, avoiding a mid-journey school transition. Its larger campus also suits kids who thrive in broader social environments.