San Diego is a wonderful place to live – perfect weather, near the beach. You can’t beat it! As a parent, it may seem intimidating to figure out where to send your child to school, but we are here to help. Here’s a list of 6 of the best elementary schools in San Diego that don’t get the recognition they deserve from traditional ranking sites.
Most school ranking sites favor affluent schools and overlook socioeconomically diverse schools. At SchoolSparrow, we value equity and we want to point parents towards schools that are making a difference for their students. That’s why our school rankings take parent income into account. These schools are boosting student achievement scores above expected when you factor out the impact of parent income on test scores.
Read more about how the established school ranking sites are misleading home buyers who care about schools.
SchoolSparrow is fighting to bring equitable school rankings to all parents in the US, and if you believe in our cause then please sign up below to learn how you can help.
On our list, you’ll find a variety of schools and locations across San Diego County. This includes schools in the San Diego Unified School District and Chula Vista School District.
Congrats to the students, parents and especially the dedicated educators at these 6 San Diego and Chula Vista schools that are being recognized for their excellence.
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Finney Elementary (20 minutes from the San Diego Air and Space Museum)
Located near Otay Valley Regional Park, Finney Elementary belongs to the Chula Vista School District. There are so many reasons to love this K-5th school. First, take a look at their test scores!
According to SchoolSparrow metrics, Finney Elementary gets an A rating! That means that students at Finney Elementary are scoring above expected on the Reading/Language Arts section of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) standardized test, when you factor out parent income. GreatSchools undervalues this school with a 6/10, but you won’t want to make the same mistake. Because Finney Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in San Diego.
Special shout out to the sixth grade team at Finney Elementary because their students are doing especially well when it comes to testing!
Not only does Finney Elementary have great test scores, they are also trending upwards in their test scores by 16%!
Looking for a home in this area? The median home price in Finney Elementary’s zip code is $450,000. This three bed listing recently sold for $480,000 within the school boundaries. This five bed listing is currently on the market for $610,000.
Parents looking for a great school and neighborhood should definitely consider Finney elementary.
Address: 3950 Byrd Street San Diego, CA 92154
Website: https://finneyelementary.org/
Jefferson Elementary (10 minutes from the San Diego Air and Space Museum)
Jefferson Elementary is a vibrant school within the San Diego Unified School District. This school is within the North Park neighborhood of San Diego which borders the beautiful Balboa Park. The neighborhood is also nearby the well known and family-friendly San Diego Zoo.
Jefferson Elementary has locked in an A- school rating on our ranking website, but GreatSchools only recognizes Jefferson as a 6/10. We think that Jefferson Elementary deserves credit for the amazing work they are doing to help their students succeed. This is one of the best elementary schools in San Diego.
Special shout out to the fourth grade teachers who have especially high test scores, according to the latest available data!
Jefferson Elementary also boasts a diverse student body with a diversity score of 10 out of a possible 40 points.
The median home value in Jefferson’s zip code is $651,822. Take a look at this listing which recently sold for $600,000. This listing is currently for sale, a 2Bd/2Ba condo on the market for $549,900.
Address: 3770 Utah St. San Diego, CA 92104
Website: https://www.sandiegounified.org/schools/jefferson
Juarez-Lincoln Elementary (20 minutes from the San Diego Air and Space Museum)
Another school that has earned the spotlight is Juarez-Lincoln Elementary, located in Chula Vista within San Diego County.
Juarez-Lincoln Elementary stands out on SchoolSparrow with an A- ranking. This means that educators at Juarez-Lincoln Elementary are pushing up test scores above expected for this school. GreatSchools underrates Juarez-Lincoln Elementary by only rating it as a 6/10.
Juarez-Lincoln Elementary also boasts test scores that are trending upward 17%! This school is definitely on the up and up.
Special shout out to third grade and sixth grade for especially high student achievement!
Interested in homes within the boundaries of Juarez-Lincoln Elementary? The median list price of this zip code is $286 per square foot. Take a look at this listing, which recently sold for 525,000 a few minutes away from the school.
Address: 849 Twining Ave, San Diego, CA 92154
Website: https://juarezlincolnschool.com/
Marshall Elementary (15 minutes from the San Diego Air and Space Museum)
Marshal Elementary is located in the City Heights neighborhood and part of San Diego Unified School District. (If you visit this area, don’t miss the beautiful local hike in the Manzanita Canyon nearby.)
Don’t be fooled by the 6/10 rating you’ll find on GreatSchools. Marshall Elementary has secured an A score on SchoolSparrow because its students are smashing expectations when it comes to test scores.
Third and fourth grade teachers at Marshall Elementary boast especially high student achievement scores. Way to go!
Marshall also has the highest possible diversity score on SchoolSparrow. We give Marshall Elementary 40 points out of 40 for their diverse student body!
This school also has good upward momentum with a trending score of 5%. This means test scores have been increasing between years. Marshall Elementary could be a good fit for you and your family.
Looking for houses within Marshall attendance boundaries? The median home value in this area is $482,443. This renovated three bedroom listing recently sold for $595,000.
Address: 3550 Altadena Ave. San Diego, CA 92105
Website: https://www.sandiegounified.org/schools/marshall
Penn Elementary (20 minutes from the San Diego Air and Space Museum)
Penn Elementary is part of San Diego Unified School district and nestled into the Paradise Hills neighborhood. The athletic field at Penn offers large outdoor areas for the community sports team to enjoy practice and games.
Penn Elementary is a stand-out school with an A- rating on SchoolSparrow. We know that teachers at Penn Elementary are going above and beyond to push test scores above the expected score at Penn Elementary. GreatSchools underrates Penn Elementary with only a 6/10 rating.
Moreover, Penn elementary has a diverse student population with a high diversity score of 30 out of a possible score of 40!
Bonus points to third and fourth grade teachers at Penn Elementary, who have especially high student achievement scores!
Parents should definitely consider sending their child to Penn Elementary because of the diverse student body and high test scores!
Interested in a home nearby? The median home value in the neighborhood is $496,372. Take a look at this three-bed listing, which recently sold within school boundaries.
Address: 2797 Utica Dr. San Diego, CA 92139
Website: https://www.sandiegounified.org/schools/penn
Sherman Elementary (10 minutes from the San Diego Air and Space Museum)
Sherman Elementary is in the Sherman Heights neighborhood of San Diego, conveniently located close to downtown. This school is part of the San Diego Unified School District.
Sherman Elementary earns an A rating on our ranking site because its students are crushing test score expectations! GreatSchools does not give Sherman Elementary the credit it deserves by only rating it a 5/10. This school is definitely one of the best elementary schools in San Diego.
Third grade and fifth grade teachers at Sherman Elementary are working especially hard to make sure their students succeed with higher test scores in these grade levels. Thanks for all your dedication to San Diego’s students!
Looking for a home nearby? The median home value in Sherman Heights is $495,457, and this listing recently sold for $582,000.
Address: 301 22nd St. San Diego, CA 92102
