San Luis Coastal Unified, CA

Original Research by School Decision on San Luis Coastal Unified

San Luis Coastal Unified serves kindergarten through twelfth grade across a geographically dispersed area of San Luis Obispo County, operating a network of elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools, alongside an alternative program. The district enrolls a diverse student body spanning from small rural communities like Morro Bay and Los Osos to the larger city of San Luis Obispo itself.

In English language arts, the district shows solid proficiency across the middle grades and upper middle school, with students meeting or exceeding standards at rates that place performance in the top quartile of San Luis Obispo County's districts. Fourth and fifth graders post above-average rates, and the trend strengthens through sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Mathematics proficiency trails ELA noticeably. While fourth-grade math performance remains moderate, fifth-grade math dips below the ELA trajectory, and middle school math hovers around or below the midpoint of proficiency. Science performance is weaker still, with fifth-grade students around the national midpoint and eighth graders performing better, though still below the ELA baseline. The district's overall proficiency index places it at the top of its county peer group, a meaningful position, though the math and science ceiling suggests uneven student preparation across subjects.

The district serves a student population that is roughly half white and a meaningful share Hispanic, with smaller populations of Asian, multiracial, and other groups. Free-and-reduced-price-lunch eligibility data was not available; the state does not require that disclosure for all districts. Enrollment across grades is relatively balanced, with slight growth at the high school level. Chronic absenteeism runs slightly above the county median, a soft spot in the district's profile that a family might want to look into further with individual schools, as attendance patterns vary site to site.

The housing market across the district's coverage area is diverse and expensive. Home values in the San Luis Obispo zip codes central to the district sit in the upper range, while rental rates across the service area average above typical California norms, with rent consuming a substantial share of median household income. A family moving to the area would face significant housing costs.

The district faces a consequential fiscal headwind. Starting in 2024-25, ongoing budget constraints have required cuts totaling into the millions of dollars annually, with additional reductions planned through 2026-27. These cuts have affected classroom teachers, secondary counseling, elementary library staffing, the music program, English-learner services, and middle school social-emotional learning supports. The underlying cause is the loss of tax revenue tied to the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant and the expiration of pandemic-era state funding, creating a structural deficit rather than a temporary shortfall. This trajectory is permanent context a family would weigh when choosing this district.

Offsetting some near-term strain, voters passed Measure C-22 in 2022, a bond measure that funds facility modernization, security upgrades, and classroom renovation across the district's schools. This means most schools will see capital improvements over coming years, and it also signals a lasting property-tax increase for homeowners in the district.

The district's overall positioning is mixed: strong proficiency in reading, especially in the middle grades, reasonable science and math outcomes by state measures, but mathematics notably softer than ELA, combined with a district in the midst of multiyear service reductions that will shape class sizes and support staff availability. The expense of the housing market and the fiscal constraints are both substantial fixtures of enrollment here.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

7,577

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 30%

Black 1%

White 56%

Asian 5%

Two+ 7%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

50%

—

Gr 3

43%

76%

Gr 4

51%

79%

Gr 5

49%

81%

Gr 6

52%

84%

Gr 7

50%

87%

Gr 8

53%

82%

Gr 11

52%

—

Math

Gr ALL

37%

—

Gr 3

45%

74%

Gr 4

41%

81%

Gr 5

34%

66%

Gr 6

41%

75%

Gr 7

38%

73%

Gr 8

38%

71%

Gr 11

27%

—

Science

Gr ALL

25%

—

Gr 5

33%

63%

Gr 8

36%

76%

Gr 11

32%

—

Gr 12

—

Gr HS

34%

—

Gr UG_SEC

33%

—

Schools in this District

16 schools are officially reported under this district.

Monarch Grove Elementary

Baywood Elementary

Bishop's Peak Elementary

Hawthorne Elementary

Laguna Middle

Los Osos Middle

Los Ranchos Elementary

Sinsheimer Elementary

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

61%

Grade 3

64%

Grade 4

52%

Grade 5

61%

Grade 6

56%

Grade 7

56%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

61%

Grade 3

68%

Grade 4

67%

Grade 5

71%

Grade 6

69%

Grade 7

69%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

50%

Grade 5

58%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

60%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$1.07M

Year-over-year change+1.6%

Range across 10 ZIP codes$753K to $1.4M

vs. state typical1.37x

vs. national typical2.90x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (10 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
93405	San Luis Obispo	$1.1M	+3.2%	34.7%
93401	San Luis Obispo	$1.1M	+1.4%	23.9%
93442	Morro Bay	$958K	-0.8%	16.7%
93402	Los Osos	$878K	+1.9%	10.8%
93424		$1.4M	+0.7%	7.9%
93420	Arroyo Grande	$1.0M	-0.5%	2.5%
93422	Atascadero	$785K	+2.6%	1.7%
93449	Pismo Beach	$1.1M	+2.7%	0.6%
93453	Creston	$753K	+1.4%	0.6%
93430	Cayucos	$1.3M	-0.4%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,265/mo

Year-over-year change+6.8%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$2,443 to $3,995/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
93405	San Luis Obispo	$3,995	+8.1%	34.7%
93401	San Luis Obispo	$3,087	+3.2%	23.9%
93442	Morro Bay	$2,507	+9.9%	16.7%
93402	Los Osos	$2,721	—	10.8%
93420	Arroyo Grande	$2,886	—	2.5%
93422	Atascadero	$2,443	+2.5%	1.7%
93449	Pismo Beach	$2,969	+7.8%	0.6%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$5,380/mo

Home price / national median income12.7x

Annual rent / national median income46.8%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$2,115/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.