Best Elementary Schools in Contra Costa County, California
Introduction
Contra Costa County is home to some of the most consistently high-performing elementary schools in all of California — and the numbers back it up. Nestled in the rolling hills east of the Bay Area, communities like Orinda, Lafayette, Danville, and San Ramon have long attracted families who place a high value on education, and the schools here reflect that. When you look at statewide percentile rankings, these schools don't just perform well — they dominate the top of the charts.
If you're a parent considering a move to Contra Costa County, or simply trying to understand how your local school stacks up, this list is a great place to start. We've pulled together the top 10 elementary schools based on The School Advocate's ranking system, which combines English, Math, and Science scores from state assessments. Here's what you should know about each one.
1. Wagner Ranch Elementary — Orinda Union Elementary, Orinda
Wagner Ranch Elementary isn't just the top school in Contra Costa County — it ranks at the 100th percentile in both English and Science statewide, with Math close behind at the 99th percentile, making it one of the most exceptional elementary schools in all of California. Orinda itself is a small, tight-knit city tucked into the East Bay hills, known for its excellent schools, low crime, and a strong sense of community among families. If you're looking for a school where academic expectations are consistently sky-high and the surrounding neighborhood feels like a true community, Wagner Ranch is as good as it gets.
2. Happy Valley Elementary — Lafayette Elementary, Lafayette
Happy Valley Elementary earns its spot near the very top of the list with 98th percentile scores in both English and Math, and a 99th percentile score in Science — an impressive all-around performance that reflects the high academic culture of the Lafayette Elementary district. Lafayette is one of those towns where parents are deeply involved, local pride runs strong, and the schools are a genuine point of community identity. Families who value a well-rounded academic environment in a charming, walkable East Bay suburb will feel right at home here.
3. Coyote Creek Elementary — San Ramon Valley Unified, San Ramon
Coyote Creek Elementary is one of the standout performers in the San Ramon Valley Unified district, scoring at the 97th percentile in English, 98th in Math, and an impressive 99th in Science. San Ramon is a rapidly growing city with a strong tech-industry presence, and families here tend to be highly educated and academically focused — which shows in the school's results. If you're moving to the Tri-Valley area for work and want to land in a school with serious academic chops, Coyote Creek belongs at the top of your list.
4. Glorietta Elementary — Orinda Union Elementary, Orinda
Glorietta Elementary is another gem from the Orinda Union Elementary district, posting a 99th percentile score in English, 97th in Math, and 98th in Science for an overall ranking in the 98th percentile. Orinda's schools benefit from strong local funding, engaged parent communities, and a district culture that takes academics seriously across every campus — and Glorietta is a clear example of that. Families drawn to Orinda's quieter, more suburban feel compared to Oakland or Walnut Creek will find Glorietta to be a reliable and highly regarded neighborhood school.
5. John Baldwin Elementary — San Ramon Valley Unified, Danville
John Baldwin Elementary in Danville is a top-tier performer in the San Ramon Valley Unified district, with 99th percentile English scores, 97th in Math, and 97th in Science. Danville is one of the most sought-after communities in the East Bay — an affluent, family-oriented town with tree-lined streets, excellent parks, and a downtown that still feels small-town despite its Bay Area address. Parents who want the combination of a high-achieving school and a genuinely pleasant place to raise kids will find a lot to love about John Baldwin.
Score Trends — Top 5
Wagner Ranch Elementary is experiencing a slight overall decline, with English scores dropping from 109 to 103 and Math falling from 90 to 85—a concerning trend for what had been a top-performing school. Happy Valley Elementary shows a more dramatic struggle, particularly in English, where scores plummeted from 96 to 84, though Math remained relatively stable with only a 2-point dip. On the bright side, Coyote Creek Elementary is showing real momentum, improving both English (76 to 83) and Math (75 to 82), suggesting effective instructional changes are taking hold. Glorietta Elementary presents a mixed picture with a strong English improvement of 7 points (84 to 91) offset by a 6-point Math decline (77 to 71). Meanwhile, John Baldwin Elementary is steadily improving across both subjects, gaining 6 points in English (91 to 97) and 3 points in Math (69 to 72), demonstrating consistent progress.
6. Sleepy Hollow Elementary — Orinda Union Elementary, Orinda
Sleepy Hollow Elementary rounds out a remarkable showing from the Orinda Union Elementary district, scoring at the 98th percentile in both English and Math, and 97th in Science. Like its sister schools in Orinda, Sleepy Hollow benefits from a community where parental engagement is the norm and academic achievement is a shared value. The school's name might sound laid-back, but make no mistake — this is a rigorous, high-performing campus that fits right in with Orinda's reputation as one of the Bay Area's premier destinations for education-minded families.
7. Del Rey Elementary — Orinda Union Elementary, Orinda
Del Rey Elementary is yet another strong entry from Orinda, scoring at the 98th percentile in both English and Science, and 97th in Math, for an overall ranking in the 98th percentile. The Orinda Union Elementary district is remarkably consistent across its campuses, and Del Rey is no exception — it's the kind of school where strong teaching, community support, and high expectations all come together. Families choosing between Orinda schools will find that Del Rey holds its own comfortably among an exceptionally competitive peer group.
8. Lafayette Elementary — Lafayette Elementary, Lafayette
The school that shares its name with the city itself, Lafayette Elementary scores at the 98th percentile in both English and Math, with a 92nd percentile Science score, landing it at the 97th percentile overall. Lafayette is a beloved East Bay community with a walkable downtown, great youth sports programs, and a school district that consistently punches above its weight statewide. Families who want a classic neighborhood school feel — where you're likely to run into classmates' parents at the farmer's market or the local coffee shop — will appreciate everything Lafayette Elementary has to offer.
9. Burton Valley Elementary — Lafayette Elementary, Lafayette
Burton Valley Elementary is another strong performer from the Lafayette Elementary district, scoring at the 96th percentile in English, 98th in Math, and 97th in Science for an overall ranking in the 97th percentile. Burton Valley is a well-established neighborhood in Lafayette, popular with families for its larger lots, quieter streets, and easy access to hiking trails in the surrounding hills. The school reflects the community well — academically serious, community-oriented, and consistently producing strong results year after year.
10. Bella Vista Elementary — San Ramon Valley Unified, San Ramon
Bella Vista Elementary closes out this list with a compelling academic profile — 95th percentile in English, 98th in Math, and 98th in Science, for an overall ranking in the 97th percentile. As part of the well-regarded San Ramon Valley Unified district, Bella Vista benefits from strong district-wide resources and a parent community that is highly invested in student outcomes. San Ramon's newer neighborhoods tend to attract young families, many of them in tech or engineering, which creates a school culture that particularly emphasizes STEM — and Bella Vista's near-perfect Math and Science scores reflect that energy.
Score Trends — #6-10
Sleepy Hollow Elementary stands out as the biggest success story in this group, with exceptional gains in both English (+17 points, from 74 to 91) and Math (+12 points, from 69 to 81)—a remarkable turnaround worth celebrating. Del Rey Elementary, unfortunately, is moving in the opposite direction, dropping 8 points in English (93 to 85) and 6 points in Math (75 to 69), suggesting both subjects need attention. Lafayette Elementary has essentially held steady in English (87 to 87) while showing modest Math improvement of 4 points (73 to 77), representing stability if not strong growth. Burton Valley Elementary is declining across the board, with English down 8 points (80 to 72) and Math down 3 points (75 to 72), indicating potential staffing or curriculum challenges. Finally, Bella Vista Elementary shows mixed results—a slight English dip of 4 points (70 to 66) paired with a modest Math gain of 4 points (76 to 80).
How We Rank Schools
The School Advocate's rankings are based on student performance data from California's statewide assessments. Each school's overall score is calculated using a weighted formula: English accounts for 40% of the score, Math accounts for 40%, and Science accounts for the remaining 20%. Because schools and student populations evolve over time, we weight more recent years more heavily in our calculations — so a school's current trajectory matters, not just its historical average. Percentile rankings reflect how each school performs relative to all other public elementary schools in California.
Compare Schools Yourself
Numbers only tell part of the story, and every family's priorities are different. If you want to dig deeper — whether you're comparing two schools side by side, looking at a specific grade level, or trying to understand how a school has changed over time — head over to our school comparison tool at /compare. It's free to use, and it lets you build the kind of detailed, customized picture that a single ranked list can't provide on its own.
Top 50 Rankings
| Rank | School | District | City | English | Math | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wagner Ranch Elementary | Orinda Union Elementary | Orinda | 100 | 99 | 100 |
| 2 | Happy Valley Elementary | Lafayette Elementary | Lafayette | 98 | 98 | 99 |
| 3 | Coyote Creek Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 97 | 98 | 98 |
| 4 | Glorietta Elementary | Orinda Union Elementary | Orinda | 99 | 97 | 98 |
| 5 | John Baldwin Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | Danville | 99 | 97 | 98 |
| 6 | Sleepy Hollow Elementary | Orinda Union Elementary | Orinda | 98 | 98 | 98 |
| 7 | Del Rey Elementary | Orinda Union Elementary | Orinda | 98 | 97 | 98 |
| 8 | Lafayette Elementary | Lafayette Elementary | Lafayette | 98 | 98 | 97 |
| 9 | Burton Valley Elementary | Lafayette Elementary | Lafayette | 96 | 98 | 97 |
| 10 | Bella Vista Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 95 | 98 | 97 |
| 11 | Hidden Hills Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 95 | 97 | 97 |
| 12 | Creekside Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | Danville | 97 | 97 | 97 |
| 13 | Donald L. Rheem Elementary | Moraga Elementary | Moraga | 97 | 96 | 97 |
| 14 | Springhill Elementary | Lafayette Elementary | Lafayette | 97 | 97 | 96 |
| 15 | Bollinger Canyon Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 94 | 96 | 96 |
| 16 | Tassajara Hills Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | Danville | 94 | 96 | 96 |
| 17 | Tice Creek | Walnut Creek Elementary | Walnut Creek | 96 | 95 | 95 |
| 18 | Neil A. Armstrong Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 95 | 96 | 95 |
| 19 | Sycamore Valley Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | Danville | 94 | 95 | 95 |
| 20 | Live Oak Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 92 | 96 | 95 |
| 21 | Golden View Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 94 | 95 | 94 |
| 22 | Walnut Acres Elementary | Mt. Diablo Unified | Walnut Creek | 94 | 94 | 93 |
| 23 | Madera Elementary | West Contra Costa Unified | El Cerrito | 92 | 92 | 93 |
| 24 | Alamo Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | Alamo | 93 | 95 | 93 |
| 25 | Kensington Elementary | West Contra Costa Unified | Kensington | 94 | 92 | 93 |
| 26 | Camino Pablo Elementary | Moraga Elementary | Moraga | 90 | 92 | 92 |
| 27 | Los Perales Elementary | Moraga Elementary | Moraga | 89 | 91 | 92 |
| 28 | Buena Vista Elementary | Walnut Creek Elementary | Walnut Creek | 90 | 93 | 92 |
| 29 | Greenbrook Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | Danville | 91 | 92 | 91 |
| 30 | Green Valley Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | Danville | 88 | 92 | 91 |
| 31 | Rancho Romero Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | Alamo | 90 | 93 | 90 |
| 32 | Walt Disney Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 89 | 90 | 90 |
| 33 | Valle Verde Elementary | Mt. Diablo Unified | Walnut Creek | 87 | 91 | 90 |
| 34 | Twin Creeks Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 89 | 93 | 90 |
| 35 | Vista Grande Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | Danville | 88 | 91 | 90 |
| 36 | Country Club Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 88 | 86 | 89 |
| 37 | Montevideo Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 88 | 90 | 89 |
| 38 | Walnut Heights Elementary | Walnut Creek Elementary | Walnut Creek | 87 | 91 | 88 |
| 39 | Morello Park Elementary | Martinez Unified | Martinez | 87 | 86 | 87 |
| 40 | Quail Run Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | San Ramon | 84 | 91 | 87 |
| 41 | Sequoia Elementary | Mt. Diablo Unified | Pleasant Hill | 84 | 86 | 86 |
| 42 | Mt. Diablo Elementary | Mt. Diablo Unified | Clayton | 86 | 87 | 85 |
| 43 | Indian Valley Elementary | Walnut Creek Elementary | Walnut Creek | 82 | 87 | 85 |
| 44 | Murwood Elementary | Walnut Creek Elementary | Walnut Creek | 84 | 84 | 85 |
| 45 | Parkmead Elementary | Walnut Creek Elementary | Walnut Creek | 81 | 84 | 84 |
| 46 | West County Mandarin | West Contra Costa Unified | Pinole | 82 | 82 | 83 |
| 47 | Bancroft Elementary | Mt. Diablo Unified | Walnut Creek | 78 | 83 | 81 |
| 48 | Discovery Bay Elementary | Byron Union Elementary | Discovery Bay | 79 | 82 | 81 |
| 49 | Montair Elementary | San Ramon Valley Unified | Danville | 78 | 82 | 81 |
| 50 | Strandwood Elementary | Mt. Diablo Unified | Pleasant Hill | 78 | 79 | 80 |