| District | City | Rating | Students | Schools | Grades | Zip Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School District | Rancho Santa Fe | 10/10 Excellent · 99th pct | 574 | 2 | K–8 | 0 |
| Del Mar Union Elementary School District | San Diego | 10/10 Excellent · 98th pct | 3,748 | 9 | K–6 | 0 |
| Solana Beach Elementary School District | Solana Beach | 10/10 Excellent · 98th pct | 2,725 | 7 | K–6 | 0 |
| San Dieguito Union High School District | Cardiff By The Sea | 10/10 Excellent · 95th pct | 12,615 | 10 | 7–12 | 7 |
| Cardiff Elementary School District | Cardiff-by-the-Sea | 10/10 Excellent · 93rd pct | 642 | 2 | K–6 | 0 |
| Coronado Unified School District | Coronado | 10/10 Excellent · 93rd pct | 2,799 | 5 | K–12 | 3 |
| Encinitas Union Elementary School District | Carlsbad | 10/10 Excellent · 93rd pct | 4,648 | 9 | K–6 | 1 |
| Poway Unified School District | Poway | 10/10 Excellent · 93rd pct | 34,900 | 39 | K–12 | 4 |
| Carlsbad Unified School District | Carlsbad | 10/10 Excellent · 92nd pct | 10,981 | 16 | K–12 | 3 |
| Spencer Valley Elementary School District | Santa Ysabel | 9/10 Excellent · 81st pct | 44 | 1 | K–12 | 0 |
| Santee School District | Santee | 8/10 Good · 79th pct | 6,151 | 11 | K–8 | 0 |
| San Marcos Unified School District | San Marcos | 8/10 Good · 77th pct | 19,532 | 19 | K–12 | 3 |
| Chula Vista Elementary School District | Bonita | 8/10 Good · 76th pct | 22,226 | 43 | K–12 | 4 |
| San Diego City Unified School District | La Jolla | 8/10 Good · 75th pct | 93,893 | 175 | K–12 | 36 |
| San Pasqual Union Elementary School District | Escondido | 8/10 Good · 73rd pct | 486 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Fallbrook Union Elementary School District | Camp Pendleton | 8/10 Good · 72nd pct | 4,979 | 11 | K–8 | 1 |
| Bonsall Unified School District | Bonsall | 8/10 Good · 70th pct | 2,163 | 5 | K–12 | 2 |
| Julian Union High School District | Julian | 7/10 Good · 69th pct | 100 | 1 | 9–12 | 2 |
| La Mesa-Spring Valley School District | La Mesa | 7/10 Good · 61st pct | 10,745 | 22 | K–8 | 0 |
| Alpine Union Elementary School District | Alpine | 6/10 Average · 59th pct | 1,523 | 5 | K–8 | 0 |
| Grossmont Union High School District | Alpine | 6/10 Average · 56th pct | 16,738 | 15 | K–12 | 13 |
| Lakeside Union Elementary School District | Lakeside | 6/10 Average · 55th pct | 4,538 | 10 | K–12 | 0 |
| Sweetwater Union High School District | Chula Vista | 6/10 Average · 55th pct | 36,109 | 29 | K–12 | 5 |
| Vallecitos Elementary School District | Rainbow | 6/10 Average · 53rd pct | 188 | 1 | K–8 | 0 |
| Vista Unified School District | Oceanside | 6/10 Average · 53rd pct | 18,818 | 28 | K–12 | 4 |
| Escondido Union High School District | Escondido | 6/10 Average · 51st pct | 6,881 | 5 | 6–12 | 4 |
| Ramona City Unified School District | Ramona | 6/10 Average · 51st pct | 5,082 | 11 | K–12 | 1 |
| Fallbrook Union High School District | Fallbrook | 5/10 Average · 48th pct | 2,096 | 3 | 9–12 | 1 |
| Oceanside Unified School District | Oceanside | 5/10 Average · 46th pct | 15,855 | 24 | K–12 | 3 |
| Julian Union Elementary School District | Julian | 5/10 Average · 43rd pct | 275 | 2 | K–12 | 0 |
| Escondido Union Elementary School District | Escondido | 4/10 Below Average · 39th pct | 14,322 | 24 | K–8 | 0 |
| San Ysidro Elementary School District | San Diego | 4/10 Below Average · 38th pct | 4,260 | 7 | K–8 | 1 |
| Lemon Grove Elementary School District | Lemon Grove | 4/10 Below Average · 36th pct | 3,171 | 8 | K–8 | 0 |
| Jamul-Dulzura Union Elementary School District | Jamul | 3/10 Below Average · 29th pct | 567 | 2 | K–12 | 0 |
| National Elementary School District | National City | 3/10 Below Average · 29th pct | 4,344 | 11 | K–8 | 0 |
| Cajon Valley Union Elementary School District | El Cajon | 3/10 Below Average · 28th pct | 15,337 | 26 | K–12 | 0 |
| South Bay Union School District | Imperial Beach | 3/10 Below Average · 28th pct | 5,859 | 13 | K–8 | 1 |
| Warner Unified School District | Ranchita | 3/10 Below Average · 20th pct | 204 | 3 | K–12 | 2 |
| Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District | Palomar Mountain | 2/10 Poor · 19th pct | 3,801 | 8 | K–12 | 3 |
| Dehesa Elementary School District | El Cajon | 2/10 Poor · 18th pct | 84 | 1 | K–12 | 0 |
| Mountain Empire Unified School District | Boulevard | 2/10 Poor · 14th pct | 1,824 | 11 | K–12 | 9 |
| Borrego Springs Unified School District | Borrego Springs | 2/10 Poor · 12th pct | 358 | 3 | K–12 | 1 |
How San Diego County compares
Together they enroll 396,185 students across 638 schools. The largest is San Diego City Unified School District with 93,893 students. Districts here average 6.4/10, above the California average of 5.7/10. Ratings range from 2/10 to 10/10.
School Districts in San Diego County, California
San Diego County has 42 public school districts covering 114 zip codes. The top-rated district in San Diego County is Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School District (10/10). Ratings are based on the share of students proficient in reading and math on state assessments (CAASPP 2023–24), ranked against all districts in California. Directory details come from NCES CCD 2024–25.
Enter your zip code on any page to confirm your exact district assignment — district boundaries are address-specific and may not follow county or city lines.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many school districts are in San Diego County, CA?
42 school districts serve zip codes in San Diego County, CA. This page lists each one with its rating, enrollment, grade span and the zip codes it covers.
What is the best-rated school district in San Diego County, CA?
Of the districts serving San Diego County, Rancho Santa Fe Elementary School District has the highest rating on this site at 10/10. That places it in the 99th percentile among California school districts.
How are these school district ratings calculated?
Each rating is the share of students scoring proficient or above on California reading and math assessments, ranked against other districts in California and converted to a 1–10 scale. Percentiles compare districts within California only, never across state lines.