Parkside Montessori

Parkside Montessori is a public elementary school in San Mateo, California, serving 419 students across kindergarten through grade 8. Its composite score of 9.2 out of 10 earns an Exceptional rating — and the numbers behind that rating are concrete. The school ranks #3 among 19 public schools in San Mateo and sits at #182 of 9,533 public schools statewide, outperforming 98% of California schools.

The academic score of 8.3 reflects solid tested performance, but the growth score of 10.0 is the standout data point. A perfect growth score signals that students here advance further than expected regardless of where they started — strong evidence that the Montessori instructional model accelerates learning rather than simply attracting already high-performing students. At a student-teacher ratio of 22.1:1, Parkside Montessori operates as a standard public school open to all eligible families.

Parents comparing San Mateo's elementary options will find few peers at this performance level. Statewide, only 142 of California's 5,817 elementary schools rank above it.

The student-teacher ratio at Parkside Montessori is 22.1:1, which is higher than the national average. This may mean larger class sizes, so parents should ask about classroom support, teaching assistants, and how the school differentiates instruction for students who need extra help.