Very Good
#2334 of 9,539 schools in CA
Top 25% in state
Shell Beach Elementary
Elementary School · Lucia Mar Unified · Pismo Beach, CA
A Lucia Mar Unified elementary school where students score 13 points above what's typical for similar communities.
2100 Shell Beach Rd., Pismo Beach, CA 93449
- Math 62% vs CA 38% (2024)
- Reading 72% vs CA 45% (2024)
- 20.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Academics
Full Profile · 3/3 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
View breakdown
Students at Shell Beach Elementary score 67% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 54%).
2024 CAASPP proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency is down 13 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 67% recently.
Show all 12 years
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 64% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 71% (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 scoreFree/reduced lunch
35.4%
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 Shell Beach Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.
Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.
Getting around & local context
- Walk 54Somewhat Walkable
- Bike 38Somewhat Bikeable
- City Safety: High2,402/100K
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Pismo Beach), 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
$112,913
Median home value
$992,900
Median rent
$2,298/mo
College educated
50.1%
Homeownership
67%
Poverty rate
8.1%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93449; 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue-santa Fe CharterCharter · enrollment unverified | 7.1 | K–6 | 3.1 mi | 164 | Compare → |
| Grover Heights ElementaryEnrollment path unverified | 5.6 | K–6 | 4.0 mi | 301 | Compare → |
| Coastal Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition | 4.6private | K–12 | 4.3 mi | 348 | Compare → |
| Grover Beach ElementaryEnrollment path unverified | 4.5 | K–6 | 4.4 mi | 402 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
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.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.
Lucia Mar Unified
- Schools in district
- 19
- Rank in district
- #3 of 19
- District spending per student
- $15,858NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- 11.4%Census SAIPE · 2024
Shell Beach Elementary is listed in Lucia Mar Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Shell Beach Elementary
Shell Beach Elementary is a public elementary school in Pismo Beach, CA, part of Lucia Mar Unified, serving approximately 347 students in grades Kindergarten-6th with a 20.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.6 out of 10 and ranks #2,334 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 64% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Shell Beach Elementary
What grades does Shell Beach Elementary serve?
Shell Beach Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.
How many students attend Shell Beach Elementary?
Shell Beach Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 347 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Shell Beach Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Shell Beach Elementary is 20.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Shell Beach Elementary rank in CA?
Shell Beach Elementary ranks #2,334 of 9,539 schools in CA.
What is Shell Beach Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?
Shell Beach Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.6 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 Shell Beach Elementary?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Shell Beach Elementary has 64% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).
Is Shell Beach Elementary a charter school?
No, Shell Beach Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Shell Beach Elementary a Title I school?
No, Shell Beach Elementary is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Shell Beach Elementary?
35.4% of students at Shell Beach 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 – 6th
- Enrollment
- 347
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 20.4:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 17
- Type
- regular
- Setting
- Small Suburb
- County
- San Luis Obispo County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 19.0%
- Phone
- (805) 474-3760
- Area population (ZIP 93449)
- 8,024
- Area median age
- 55.5
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 93449; 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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