Public schools in San Mateo, CA
23 open public schools with an address in San Mateo, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
23
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
12,135
23 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
20.7:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
0
7 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of San Mateo public schools
The federal directory lists 23 public schools in San Mateo, CA: 14 elementary, 2 middle, 7 high. The 23 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 12,135 students, an average of 528 per school. The largest campus is Aragon High (1,658 students), and the largest elementary school is Bayside Academy (840).
San Mateo-Foster City operates the most schools here (16), and 3 regular districts have at least one San Mateo campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 20.7:1, similar to the statewide school median of 21.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 7 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 38% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving San Mateo
Elementary schools in San Mateo
14| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayside Academy San Mateo-Foster City · Magnet | KG–08 | 840 | 19.4:1 | |
| Baywood Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | KG–05 | 489 | 23.9:1 | |
| Beresford Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | KG–05 | 218 | 21.8:1 | |
| College Park Elementary San Mateo-Foster City · Magnet | KG–05 | 431 | 23.9:1 | |
| Fiesta Gardens International Elementary San Mateo-Foster City · Magnet | KG–07 | 418 | 22:1 | |
| George Hall Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | KG–05 | 370 | 20.6:1 | |
| Highlands Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | KG–05 | 379 | 20.8:1 | |
| Laurel Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | KG–05 | 469 | 21.8:1 | |
| LEAD Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | KG–05 | 349 | 21.8:1 | |
| Meadow Heights Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | KG–05 | 238 | 18.3:1 | |
| North Shoreview Montessori San Mateo-Foster City · Magnet | KG–08 | 325 | 23:1 | |
| Parkside Montessori San Mateo-Foster City · Magnet | KG–08 | 418 | 21.3:1 | |
| San Mateo Park Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | KG–05 | 340 | 24.3:1 | |
| Sunnybrae Elementary San Mateo-Foster City | KG–05 | 346 | 19.2:1 |
Middle schools in San Mateo
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbott Middle San Mateo-Foster City · Magnet | 06–08 | 721 | 17.9:1 | |
| Borel Middle San Mateo-Foster City · Magnet | 06–08 | 903 | 19.2:1 |
High schools in San Mateo
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aragon High San Mateo Union High | 09–12 | 1,658 | 22.4:1 | |
| Gateway Center San Mateo County Office of Education · Alternative School | 06–12 | 11 | 3.6:1 | |
| Hillcrest at Youth Services Center San Mateo County Office of Education · Alternative School | 05–12 | 16 | 4.2:1 | |
| Hillsdale High San Mateo Union High | 09–12 | 1,585 | 19.4:1 | |
| Margaret J. Kemp San Mateo County Office of Education · Alternative School | 07–12 | 0 | — | |
| San Mateo High San Mateo Union High | 09–12 | 1,557 | 19.5:1 | |
| The Bridge Academy San Mateo Union High · Alternative School | 10–12 | 54 | 10.8:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White19.3%
- Hispanic45.9%
- Black0.7%
- Asian21.7%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander2.1%
- Multiracial10.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 22 San Mateo schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (12,135 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in San Mateo
How many public schools are in San Mateo, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 23 open public schools with a location address in San Mateo: 14 elementary, 2 middle, 7 high. Together they reported 12,135 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve San Mateo?
Schools with an address in San Mateo belong to 3 education agencies, led by San Mateo-Foster City (16 schools), San Mateo Union High (4 schools), San Mateo County Office of Education (3 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in San Mateo?
Aragon High reported the largest high-school enrollment in San Mateo, with 1,658 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in San Mateo?
No school with an address in San Mateo is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in California.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in San Mateo schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across San Mateo public schools is 20.7:1, similar to the California school median of 21.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in San Mateo guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby California cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All California cities