The San Mateo-Foster City School District At A Glance

• Twenty schools serving the communities of San Mateo and Foster City
• 16 K-5 Schools
• 4 Middle Schools


• Over 10,100 K-8 students and 250 preschoolers, reflecting the ethnic and economic diversity of California. The Districts 2001-2002 ethnic composition was 45% Caucasian, 28% Hispanic, 24% Asian, 2% African American, and 1% Other. Approximately 27% of district students receive free- or reduced-price lunches. Close to 50 languages are spoken by district students and their families.


• Over 1,000 staff including approximately 600 certificated staff, 50 administrators, and 460 full- and part-time maintenance, secretarial, technical and other support staff.


• An annual budget of $66,029,580 which includes Revenue Limit Sources (69%), Federal Revenues (3%), Other State Revenues (20%) and Local Revenues(8%) (2002-2003 data).


• Average class sizes of
• K-3 at 20:1
• 4-8 at 27:1

Parents have several choices of schools and programs for their elementary-aged children. K-5 choices include the child's neighborhood school, the Montessori Program (at North Shoreview and Parkside), Turnbull Learning Academy, Fiesta Gardens International School (dual immersion), Brewer Island School or, when space is available, another neighborhood school through an intradistrict transfer. Middle school students' choices include the neighborhood school, the magnet program at the Bayside Middle School for the Arts and Creative Technology or, when space is available, another neighborhood school.

District students perform well on norm-referenced tests and when they go on to high school. Average test scores are well above the expected 50th percentile. Individual schools' average test scores can be viewed on school web pages. All schools adhere to the same District curriculum and all students are expected and supported to meet California State Standards.

Parents are invited to be partners in their children's education. The District encourages parents to learn about the schools' instructional programs through Back-to-School Night in the fall, Open House in the spring, and Parent-Teacher Conferences. Each school has active parent-teacher groups including a PTA and a School Site Council. Schools communicate regularly with parents through newsletters, report cards and phone calls. There are many opportunities for parents to volunteer both at school, at the District level and at home.