San Mateo-foster City School District
School District · Foster City, California
Avg Rating
6.9
out of 10
Schools
21
18 elem, 3 mid
Per-Pupil Spending
$19,671
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.5:1
Avg Rating
6.9
out of 10
Schools
21
18 elem, 3 mid
Per-Pupil Spending
$19,671
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.5:1
Evaluating San Mateo-foster City?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge San Mateo-foster City as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
College Park Elementary
San Mateo · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
North Shoreview Montessori
San Mateo · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Bowditch Middle
Foster City · Middle. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
California rank
#213 of 713
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
+0.6
above California avg
Per-pupil spending
$19,671
+$2,024 vs California median
District size
9,945 students
Much larger than California median
The short answer
San Mateo-foster City ranks #213 of 713 California districts by overall school rating. San Mateo-foster City's schools with real test data average 6.9/10 across 21 schools. Its top-rated schools are College Park Elementary (9.5/10), North Shoreview Montessori (9.3/10), and Bowditch Middle (9.2/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 6.6/10 despite 57% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.7 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 San Mateo-foster City schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +6.6 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among San Mateo-foster City schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in San Mateo-foster City
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (21 of 21). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | College Park Elementary | 9.5 / 10 |
| 2 | North Shoreview Montessori | 9.3 / 10 |
| 3 | Bowditch Middle | 9.2 / 10 |
| 4 | Parkside Montessori | 9.1 / 10 |
| 5 | George Hall Elementary | 9.0 / 10 |
| 6 | Foster City Elementary | 8.9 / 10 |
| 7 | Brewer Island Elementary | 8.7 / 10 |
| 8 | Audubon Elementary | 8.6 / 10 |
| 9 | Borel Middle | 7.9 / 10 |
| 10 | Highlands Elementary | 7.5 / 10 |
See all 21 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About San Mateo-foster City
San Mateo-foster City is a Foster City, California school district serving 21 schools. The district educates 9,945 students with a student-teacher ratio of 20.5:1. The district invests $19,671 per student annually.
With an average rating of 6.9/10, San Mateo-foster City demonstrates solid academic performance.
The highest-rated school in the district is College Park Elementary, which has a composite score of 9.5/10.
In standardized testing, San Mateo-foster City students show an average math proficiency of 55.5% and ELA proficiency of 58.0%.
The district includes 18 elementary schools , 3 middle schools .
District Map
Schools in San Mateo-foster City, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in San Mateo-foster City with test data.
Schools in San Mateo-foster City
21 schools Elementary Schools 18
Middle Schools 3
District Details
- State
- California
- City
- Foster City
- Total Enrollment
- 9,945
- Teachers (FTE)
- 486
- Child Poverty Rate
- 0.1%
- Data Year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in San Mateo-foster City?
San Mateo-foster City has 21 schools in total — 18 elementary, 3 middle. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for San Mateo-foster City?
The average composite rating for San Mateo-foster City is 6.9/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the per-pupil spending in San Mateo-foster City?
San Mateo-foster City spends $19,671 per student per year.
What is the student-teacher ratio in San Mateo-foster City?
The average student-teacher ratio in San Mateo-foster City is 20.5:1.
What is the top-rated school in San Mateo-foster City?
College Park Elementary is the highest-rated school in San Mateo-foster City with a composite score of 9.5/10.
What are the test scores in San Mateo-foster City?
Across schools in San Mateo-foster City with test data, the average math proficiency is 55.5% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 58.0%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does San Mateo-foster City compare to other districts in California?
San Mateo-foster City has an average school rating of 6.9/10 across 21 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in California by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 6.9/10
- Math Proficiency
- 55.5%
- ELA Proficiency
- 58.0%
Resources
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 rateOther School Districts in CA
Compare San Mateo-foster City with neighboring districts in the state.
- Los Angeles Unified (785)
- San Diego Unified (175)
- San Francisco Unified (113)
- Fresno Unified (101)
- Long Beach Unified (82)
- Oakland Unified (82)
- San Bernardino City Unified (76)
- Sacramento City Unified (73)
- San Juan Unified (68)
- Elk Grove Unified (67)
- Garden Grove Unified (66)
- Capistrano Unified (59)
- West Contra Costa Unified (54)
- Stockton Unified (54)
- Corona-norco Unified (53)
- Mt. Diablo Unified (52)
- Santa Ana Unified (52)
- Clovis Unified (50)
- Lodi Unified (49)
- Riverside Unified (49)
- Bakersfield City (45)
- Irvine Unified (45)
- Fontana Unified (44)
- Fremont Unified (44)
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.
Related reading
- Best Elementary Schools in America: 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best Public Schools in California 2026: Top-Ranked Elementary, Middle & High Schoolsbest schools
- Best School Districts to Move To in 2026: A Data-Driven Guidebest schools
- Best Schools in Los Angeles, CA — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
- Best Schools in San Diego, CA — 2026 Rankingsbest schools
Get school insights in your inbox
New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.