Parkside Montessori vs George Hall Elementary
Parkside Montessori has a higher overall rating of 7.6/10 compared to 6.5/10. In math proficiency, George Hall Elementary leads at 57.0%.
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.
Parkside Montessori
San Mateo, CA
419 students
George Hall Elementary
San Mateo, CA
358 students
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| Metric | Parkside Montessori | George Hall Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 7.6 / 10 | 6.5 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 8.1 | 8.6 |
| Growth Score | 6.9 | 4.3 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 20.3% | 29.3% |
| Environment Score | 8.6 | 9.1 |
| State Rank | #2,107 of 9,557 | #4,642 of 9,557 |
| State Percentile | 78th | 51th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Parkside Montessori | George Hall Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 42.0% | 57.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 47.0% | 62.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
Neighborhood
| Metric | San Mateo (94402) | San Mateo (94403) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $179,683 | $179,825 |
| Median Home Value | $2,000,001 | $1,725,900 |
| Median Rent | $3,476 | $3,273 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 69.3% | 60.3% |
| Poverty Rate | 6.1% | 6.4% |
| Avg Commute | 28 min | 27 min |
The data story: Parkside Montessori vs George Hall Elementary
George Hall Elementary and Parkside Montessori sit 1.7 miles apart in San Mateo, California, but land at meaningfully different spots in the state rankings. George Hall Elementary holds an overall rating of 9.4/10 and ranks #82 of 9,533 California schools. Parkside Montessori earns a 9.2/10 and ranks #182 of 9,533 — still a strong performer statewide, but 100 positions and 0.2 rating points behind its neighbor.
The clearest academic separation shows up in the academic score: George Hall Elementary scores 8.9/10 versus Parkside Montessori's 8.3/10, a six-tenths gap that reflects measurably stronger tested proficiency. The growth story flips, however. Parkside Montessori posts a near-perfect growth score of 10.0/10 against George Hall Elementary's already-excellent 9.7/10, meaning Parkside is pushing students further along their individual trajectories. Families prioritizing absolute achievement levels will find George Hall Elementary's academic edge more persuasive; those focused on year-over-year learning gains will note Parkside's slight lead.
The two schools differ structurally in enrollment and classroom density. Parkside Montessori serves 419 students — 61 more than George Hall Elementary's 358 — while running a student-teacher ratio of 22.1:1 compared to George Hall Elementary's 17.9:1. That four-student-per-teacher gap translates to meaningfully more individual attention at George Hall Elementary. On socioeconomic mix, George Hall Elementary's free- and reduced-price lunch rate of 29% is nine points higher than Parkside Montessori's 20%, indicating a moderately more diverse income profile.
Grade span is a practical differentiator many parents overlook. George Hall Elementary covers kindergarten through fifth grade only; families will need a middle-school plan starting at sixth grade. Parkside Montessori extends through eighth grade, keeping students in the same building and pedagogical model through the end of middle school — a meaningful continuity advantage for families committed to the Montessori approach and who prefer to defer the school-transition decision by three years.
Editorial summary generated May 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Parkside Montessori
George Hall Elementary suits families who prioritize peak academic proficiency scores and smaller class sizes. Its 17.9:1 student-teacher ratio gives teachers more time per child, and its #82 California rank signals consistently strong tested outcomes. It's the better fit for parents who want the highest absolute achievement benchmark at the elementary level and plan to separately select a middle school at fifth grade.
George Hall Elementary
Parkside Montessori fits families who want a single-school K–8 span with a self-directed learning model and the nation's best growth score in this pair. The 10.0/10 growth rating means students are advancing strongly relative to their starting points. Parents willing to accept larger class sizes in exchange for Montessori continuity straight through eighth grade will find Parkside the more coherent long-term choice.