Skip to main content

Excellent

#1632 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 17% in state

La Costa Meadows Elementary

Elementary School · San Marcos Unified · Carlsbad, CA

A San Marcos Unified elementary school where students score 7 points above what's typical for similar communities.

6889 El Fuerte, Carlsbad, CA 92009

  • Math 75% vs CA 39% (2024)
  • Reading 72% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 23.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.3Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-0.67 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics8.9Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency74.5% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency72% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+28.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+29.2 pts
Overall Proficiency73% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)66% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+7.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile83th
Resources & Environment5.9Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio23.3:1
District spending per student$14,639
Chronic Absenteeism14.4%

Students at La Costa Meadows Elementary score 73% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 66%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency75%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
39%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency72%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 5 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 73% recently.

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
79%
ELA
78%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
81%
2011
Math
82%
ELA
83%
2012
Math
85%
ELA
81%
2013
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2014
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2015
Math
67%
ELA
77%
2016
Math
68%
ELA
78%
2017
Math
67%
ELA
76%
2018
Math
66%
ELA
77%
2019
Math
66%
ELA
77%
2022
Math
77%
ELA
69%
2024
Math
75%
ELA
72%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 74% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 76% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

14.8%

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where La Costa Meadows 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 22Car-Dependent
  • Transit 11Minimal Transit
  • Bike 16Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,717/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Carlsbad), 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

$162,128

Median home value

$1,219,600

Median rent

$2,955/mo

College educated

64.4%

Homeownership

72.7%

Poverty rate

6.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92009; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Carrillo ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.7K–51.2 mi756Compare →
Poinsettia ElementaryEnrollment path unverified9.3K–51.3 mi509Compare →
La Costa Heights ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.6K–61.6 mi593Compare →
Aspirations School of LearningPrivate · tuitionNot ratedPK–K1.9 mi15Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

San Marcos Unified

Schools in district
19
Rank in district
#2 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

La Costa Meadows Elementary is listed in San Marcos Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About La Costa Meadows Elementary

La Costa Meadows Elementary is a public elementary school in Carlsbad, CA, part of San Marcos Unified, serving approximately 723 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 23.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10 and ranks #1,632 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 74% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 76% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about La Costa Meadows Elementary

What grades does La Costa Meadows Elementary serve?

La Costa Meadows Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend La Costa Meadows Elementary?

La Costa Meadows Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 723 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at La Costa Meadows Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at La Costa Meadows Elementary is 23.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does La Costa Meadows Elementary rank in CA?

La Costa Meadows Elementary ranks #1,632 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is La Costa Meadows Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

La Costa Meadows Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 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 La Costa Meadows Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, La Costa Meadows Elementary has 74% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 76% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is La Costa Meadows Elementary a charter school?

No, La Costa Meadows Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is La Costa Meadows Elementary a Title I school?

No, La Costa Meadows Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for La Costa Meadows Elementary?

14.8% of students at La Costa Meadows 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
723
Student-Teacher Ratio
23.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
31
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
San Diego County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
14.4%
Area population (ZIP 92009)
45,778
Area average commute
28.7 min
Area median age
43.3
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 92009; 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

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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.