Lafayette Elementary vs Sutro Elementary
Sutro Elementary has a higher overall rating of 7.4/10 compared to 5.3/10. Lafayette Elementary is significantly larger with 474 students, about 1.9× the size of Sutro Elementary (248). In math proficiency, Lafayette Elementary leads at 76.0%.
Attendance data is under correction. A public school's existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating shown here may still reflect an unverified attendance input.
Lafayette Elementary
San Francisco, CA
474 students
Sutro Elementary
San Francisco, CA
248 students
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| Metric | Lafayette Elementary | Sutro Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 5.3 / 10 | 7.4 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 9.0 | 9.7 |
| Growth Score | 1.6 | 5.4 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 27.6% | 64.1% |
| Environment Score | 9.2 | 9.2 |
| State Rank | #7,190 of 9,557 | #2,519 of 9,557 |
| State Percentile | 25th | 74th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Lafayette Elementary | Sutro Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 76.0% | 67.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 76.0% | 62.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
| Detail | Lafayette Elementary | Sutro Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Elementary School | Elementary School |
| Grades | Kindergarten – 5th | Kindergarten – 5th |
| Enrollment | 474 | 248 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 20.6:1 | 22.5:1 |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 27.6% | 64.1% |
| District | San Francisco Unified | San Francisco Unified |
| City | San Francisco | San Francisco |
Neighborhood
| Metric | San Francisco (94121) | San Francisco (94118) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $138,353 | $159,550 |
| Median Home Value | $1,634,600 | $1,817,200 |
| Median Rent | $2,327 | $2,695 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 63.9% | 72.2% |
| Poverty Rate | 8.3% | 6.3% |
| Avg Commute | 33 min | 33 min |
The data story: Lafayette Elementary vs Sutro Elementary
Lafayette Elementary ranks #136 of 9,533 California schools while Sutro Elementary ranks #50 of 9,533 — a gap of 86 positions that represents a meaningful difference in overall standing despite both schools earning high marks. Sutro Elementary's overall rating of 9.4/10 edges Lafayette Elementary's 9.2/10 by 0.2 points, but that slim gap in composite score obscures sharper differences in specific dimensions that matter to families.
On academics, both schools are identical: Lafayette Elementary and Sutro Elementary each score 9.7/10, meaning parents choosing on raw test performance will find no daylight between them. The growth score tells a different story. Sutro Elementary scores 9.7/10 on student growth versus Lafayette Elementary's 9.1/10 — a 0.6-point difference indicating that Sutro is moving students forward academically at a faster rate relative to their starting points, which is a strong signal of instructional effectiveness regardless of incoming skill levels.
The demographic picture between these two San Francisco schools diverges sharply. Lafayette Elementary enrolls 474 students compared to Sutro Elementary's 248, making Lafayette nearly twice the size. The free and reduced-price lunch rate at Sutro Elementary is 64%, more than double Lafayette Elementary's 28% — a proxy for the economic range each school serves. Despite its larger enrollment, Lafayette Elementary posts a better student-teacher ratio at 20.6:1 versus Sutro Elementary's 22.5:1, meaning Lafayette students have slightly more adult attention per classroom.
Both schools serve grades KG–05 and sit just 1.5 miles apart in San Francisco, making geography a minor factor for most families weighing the two. The divergence in state rank — Sutro Elementary at #50 versus Lafayette Elementary at #136 — combined with Sutro's higher growth score suggests Sutro is outperforming its demographics in ways that raw academic scores alone do not capture, while Lafayette's lower student-teacher ratio and nearly identical academic score give it a strong structural foundation for students who arrive academically prepared.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Lafayette Elementary
Lafayette Elementary suits families with students who are at or above grade level coming in. Its 20.6:1 student-teacher ratio — better than Sutro's — and a 28% free/reduced lunch rate signal a school environment with somewhat fewer competing resource demands, which can mean more enrichment headroom for kids who don't need intensive academic catch-up.
Sutro Elementary
Sutro Elementary is the stronger fit for families who prioritize growth trajectory over starting-point performance. A 9.7/10 growth score versus Lafayette Elementary's 9.1/10, combined with a #50 state rank despite serving a higher-need population at 64% free/reduced lunch, signals a school that actively accelerates students — particularly valuable if a child is behind grade level or if parents want evidence of instructional effectiveness rather than a favorable incoming demographic.