Excellent
#1146 of 9,539 schools in CA
Top 12% in state
Discovery Elementary
Elementary School · San Marcos Unified · San Marcos, CA
A San Marcos Unified elementary school where students score 12 points above what's typical for similar communities.
730 Applewilde Dr., San Marcos, CA 92078
- Math 76% vs CA 39% (2024)
- Reading 73% vs CA 45% (2024)
- 22.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Academics
Full Profile · 3/3 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
View breakdown
Students at Discovery Elementary score 75% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 63%).
2024 CAASPP proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency is down 6 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 75% recently.
Show all 12 years
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 74% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 75% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)
Based on 30 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).
Equity & diversity
Shown separately, not included in the overall scoreFree/reduced lunch
19.9%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance
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 rateThe neighborhood
Where Discovery Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.
Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the San Diego map →
Getting around & local context
- Walk 42Car-Dependent
- Bike 52Bikeable
- City Safety: Elevated890/100K
Powered by
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (San Marcos), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details
Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.
Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)
Median income
$114,905
Median home value
$874,000
Median rent
$2,468/mo
College educated
48.3%
Homeownership
71.3%
Poverty rate
8.4%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92078; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Programs & students
Programs & Offerings
Compare nearby
Nearby same-level schools
4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available
| School | Score | Grades | Distance | Enrollment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition | 4.9private | K–6 | 0.5 mi | 134 | Compare → |
| High Tech Elementary North CountyCharter · enrollment unverified | 3.1 | K–5 | 0.8 mi | 445 | Compare → |
| Pivot Charter School - San Diego IICharter · enrollment unverified | 5.6 | K–12 | 1.1 mi | 82 | Compare → |
| La Mirada AcademyEnrollment path unverified | 4.9 | K–8 | 1.3 mi | 897 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.
San Marcos Unified
- Schools in district
- 19
- Rank in district
- #1 of 19
- District spending per student
- $14,639NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- 7.1%Census SAIPE · 2024
Discovery Elementary is listed in San Marcos Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Discovery Elementary
Discovery Elementary is a public elementary school in San Marcos, CA, part of San Marcos Unified, serving approximately 687 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 22.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.3 out of 10 and ranks #1,146 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 74% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 75% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Discovery Elementary
What grades does Discovery Elementary serve?
Discovery Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.
How many students attend Discovery Elementary?
Discovery Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 687 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Discovery Elementary is 22.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Discovery Elementary rank in CA?
Discovery Elementary ranks #1,146 of 9,539 schools in CA.
What is Discovery Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?
Discovery Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.
What are the test scores at Discovery Elementary?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Discovery Elementary has 74% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 75% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).
Is Discovery Elementary a charter school?
No, Discovery Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Discovery Elementary a Title I school?
No, Discovery Elementary is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Discovery Elementary?
19.9% of students at Discovery Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.
School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)
- Grades
- Kindergarten – 5th
- Enrollment
- 687
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 22.2:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 31
- Type
- regular
- Setting
- Large Suburb
- County
- San Diego County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 18.5%
- Phone
- (760) 290-2077
- Area population (ZIP 92078)
- 53,542
- Area average commute
- 27.7 min
- Area median age
- 38.6
Official sources & links
About this school's data
Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.
- School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
- NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
- Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
- MySchoolScout rating and rank
- MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
- Math proficiency
- State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Reading/ELA proficiency
- State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Student progress (growth)
- NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
- Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
- U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
- Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
- Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 92078; this does not measure the attendance area.
- Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
- CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.
Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24
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