Best Middle Schools in San Mateo County, California

Part of our Best Schools in San Mateo County guide.

Introduction

San Mateo County has long been one of the most sought-after places to raise a family in the Bay Area — and the quality of its middle schools is a big reason why. Stretching from the bayside cities of Belmont and Foster City to the wooded hills of Portola Valley and the quiet charm of Millbrae, this county offers an unusually wide range of strong academic options for families with kids in grades 6 through 8.

What stands out most about the top middle schools here isn't just the test scores — it's the consistency. The schools on this list aren't coasting on reputation; they're performing at the very top of California and, in many cases, the entire country. Whether you're relocating from out of state or simply trying to figure out which neighborhood to plant roots in, this guide is designed to give you a real sense of what each school offers and who it's the best fit for.

1. Ralston Intermediate — Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary, Belmont

Ralston Intermediate is the top-ranked middle school in San Mateo County, and it's not particularly close — scoring at the 100th percentile overall, with 100th in English, 99th in Math, and 99th in Science. Belmont itself is a quietly confident suburb nestled between San Carlos and San Mateo, with a strong sense of community and easy access to both the Peninsula and the South Bay. Families who prioritize academic excellence without the extreme pressure of some Silicon Valley enclaves tend to love it here — Ralston draws from a district that clearly invests in its schools, and it shows.

2. Corte Madera — Portola Valley Elementary, Portola Valley

Corte Madera sits in Portola Valley, one of the most distinctive communities in the entire Bay Area — a semi-rural enclave tucked into the hills west of Menlo Park, where hiking trails run alongside quiet roads and the pace of life feels genuinely unhurried despite the high-achieving families who call it home. The school scores at the 99th percentile overall, with a perfect 100th in Science and 99th in English. It's the kind of school that appeals to families who want world-class academics in an environment that doesn't feel like a pressure cooker — small, community-rooted, and deeply embedded in a town that takes education seriously.

3. La Entrada Middle — Las Lomitas Elementary, Menlo Park

La Entrada is one of the Peninsula's most respected middle schools, drawing from the Las Lomitas Elementary district in the eastern hills of Menlo Park — an area known for its tree-lined streets, excellent property values, and proximity to Stanford. Scoring at the 99th percentile overall (99th in English, 98th in Math, 97th in Science), La Entrada is a natural destination for families already embedded in the broader Menlo Park academic ecosystem. The school has a reputation for rigorous coursework and an engaged parent community, making it especially appealing to families who are deeply involved in their children's education.

4. Tierra Linda Middle — San Carlos Elementary, San Carlos

San Carlos has a reputation as one of the most livable small cities on the Peninsula — walkable downtown, a strong local identity, and a school district that punches well above its size. Tierra Linda Middle reflects all of that, scoring at the 98th percentile overall with standout numbers in English (99th) and Science (99th). It's the kind of school that feels genuinely community-oriented: families in San Carlos tend to stay, and the continuity that creates in schools like Tierra Linda shows up in the culture as much as the test scores.

5. Central Middle — San Carlos Elementary, San Carlos

San Carlos is the rare Peninsula city with two middle schools both performing at an elite level, and Central Middle is the second of them — scoring at the 98th percentile overall, with a 99th percentile score in Science. If you're moving to San Carlos and trying to decide between the city's two middle schools, you're genuinely in a good-problem-to-have situation. Central tends to draw from slightly different neighborhoods within the district, but the academic quality is effectively on par with Tierra Linda. For families who want strong academics in a tight-knit community with a thriving downtown nearby, either school is an excellent choice.

Score Trends — Top 5

Ralston Intermediate and Corte Madera represent two very different stories this year. Ralston is firing on all cylinders, with English scores rising from 96 to 103 and Math jumping impressively from 93 to 107—a +14 gain that's hard to ignore. Corte Madera, meanwhile, is basically holding steady, with English dipping just one point (98 to 97) and Math declining slightly from 92 to 91, suggesting the school may need to reassess its approach. La Entrada Middle is heading in the wrong direction across the board: English fell six points (101 to 95) and Math dropped three points (91 to 88), making it the weakest performer among the top five. Tierra Linda Middle has emerged as a standout success story, with dramatic improvements in both subjects—English surged 14 points (82 to 96) and Math jumped an impressive 16 points (63 to 79)—signaling real progress for students there.

6. Crocker Middle — Hillsborough City Elementary, Hillsborough

Hillsborough is one of California's wealthiest incorporated towns — a residential-only community with no commercial zones, sweeping estates, and some of the most well-funded public schools in the state. Crocker Middle is the product of that environment: scoring at the 97th percentile overall, with a particularly impressive 99th in Math and 98th in Science. It draws from a small, tight-knit district with deeply engaged families and significant local investment in education. If you're considering a move to Hillsborough specifically for the schools, Crocker is very much part of the value proposition.

7. Hillview Middle — Menlo Park City Elementary, Menlo Park

Hillview Middle serves the Menlo Park City Elementary district — a different attendance zone than La Entrada's Las Lomitas district — and holds its own impressively, scoring at the 96th percentile overall with a 97th in Science. Menlo Park has transformed significantly over the past decade, with a tech-industry influx reshaping neighborhoods like Belle Haven and the area around downtown, but Hillview's academic profile has remained consistently strong throughout. It's a good fit for families who want to be close to Palo Alto and Stanford without paying Palo Alto prices, while still accessing schools that genuinely compete at the top tier.

8. Bowditch Middle — San Mateo-Foster City, Foster City

Foster City is one of those Bay Area communities that doesn't always make the headlines but quietly delivers for families — a planned city built on a lagoon with excellent infrastructure, safe neighborhoods, and a strong sense of suburban stability. Bowditch Middle reflects that: scoring at the 94th percentile overall, with a 96th in Math, it's a genuinely high-performing school within one of the county's larger districts. The San Mateo-Foster City district serves a diverse student population, and Bowditch consistently delivers strong outcomes — making it a solid choice for families who want academic quality without the sticker shock of some of the county's smaller, more affluent districts.

9. Burlingame Intermediate — Burlingame Elementary, Burlingame

Burlingame has long been one of the Peninsula's most beloved cities — a charming downtown on Burlingame Avenue, a walkable neighborhood grid, and a community that feels genuinely rooted rather than transient. Burlingame Intermediate scores at the 94th percentile overall, with a particularly strong 97th in Science, and draws from a district that has built a loyal following among local families. The school tends to attract families who love the idea of a classic, well-rounded suburban upbringing — close to SFO, easy BART access, and a school that, while not at the very apex of the county rankings, is performing well above most schools in California.

10. Taylor Middle — Millbrae Elementary, Millbrae

Taylor Middle rounds out the top 10 in San Mateo County and represents the best of what Millbrae's small but dedicated district has to offer. Scoring at the 86th percentile overall — 84th in English, 87th in Math, and 90th in Science — Taylor is a solid school by any reasonable measure, even if the gap between it and the top of this list is noticeable. Millbrae itself is a compact, unpretentious city just south of SFO with strong community ties and more affordable housing than much of the Peninsula. For families who want a good public school in a convenient, well-connected neighborhood without competing for homes in Hillsborough or Portola Valley, Taylor Middle is a respectable option.

Score Trends — #6-10

Central Middle and Crocker Middle are both showing positive momentum, though in different ways. Central improved steadily across both subjects with English up 6 points (83 to 89) and Math up 8 points (69 to 77), while Crocker's Math scores jumped 11 points (83 to 94) even as English barely budged (73 to 72). Hillview Middle is quietly making progress with modest gains in both English (+3) and Math (+6), suggesting consistent, steady improvement. The real concern lies with Bowditch Middle and Burlingame Intermediate: Bowditch's English scores dropped 5 points (61 to 56) despite a slight Math uptick, and Burlingame saw English decline 3 points (62 to 59) while Math improved only 7 points from a concerning baseline of 46. Taylor Middle rounds out the group with the most troubling trend—English plummeted 5 points (43 to 38)—though its Math performance did jump 9 points (21 to 30), indicating the school is working on improvement but starting from a very low baseline.

How We Rank Schools

The percentile scores on The School Advocate are based on student performance data from California's standardized assessments. We weight English and Math equally at 40% each, with Science accounting for the remaining 20%. More recent years are weighted more heavily to reflect where a school stands today rather than where it stood several years ago. Percentile scores show how a school compares to all other California public schools — so a school at the 99th percentile is outperforming 99% of schools statewide.

Compare Schools Yourself

Numbers can only tell you so much. If you want to dig into the details — compare two schools side by side, look at subject-by-subject breakdowns, or explore how a school stacks up against others in the county — head over to our school comparison tool. It's free, and it's built for exactly the kind of research parents do when they're making a real decision about where to live and where to send their kids.

Top 25 Rankings

Rank	School	District	City	English	Math	Overall
1	Ralston Intermediate	Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary	Belmont	100	99	100
2	Corte Madera	Portola Valley Elementary	Portola Valley	99	98	99
3	La Entrada Middle	Las Lomitas Elementary	Menlo Park	99	98	99
4	Tierra Linda Middle	San Carlos Elementary	San Carlos	99	97	98
5	Central Middle	San Carlos Elementary	San Carlos	98	97	98
6	Crocker Middle	Hillsborough City Elementary	Hillsborough	95	99	97
7	Hillview Middle	Menlo Park City Elementary	Menlo Park	94	96	96
8	Bowditch Middle	San Mateo-Foster City	Foster City	91	96	94
9	Burlingame Intermediate	Burlingame Elementary	Burlingame	91	94	94
10	Taylor Middle	Millbrae Elementary	Millbrae	84	87	86
11	Lipman Middle	Brisbane Elementary	Brisbane	78	83	78
12	Westborough Middle	South San Francisco Unified	South San Francisco	73	78	77
13	Ingrid B. Lacy Middle	Pacifica	Pacifica	70	79	74
14	Fernando Rivera Intermediate	Jefferson Elementary	Daly City	70	67	67
15	Borel Middle	San Mateo-Foster City	San Mateo	61	63	66
16	Alta Loma Middle	South San Francisco Unified	South San Francisco	60	59	59
17	John F. Kennedy Middle	Redwood City Elementary	Redwood City	62	56	58
18	Thomas R. Pollicita Middle	Jefferson Elementary	Daly City	55	53	54
19	Manuel F. Cunha Intermediate	Cabrillo Unified	Half Moon Bay	45	52	52
20	Parkside Intermediate	San Bruno Park Elementary	San Bruno	44	49	49
21	Abbott Middle	San Mateo-Foster City	San Mateo	37	42	44
22	Benjamin Franklin Intermediate	Jefferson Elementary	Colma	18	40	30
23	Parkway Heights Middle	South San Francisco Unified	South San Francisco	15	31	24
24	McKinley Institute of Technology	Redwood City Elementary	Redwood City	14	9	10
25	Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle	Ravenswood City Elementary	East Palo Alto	1	1	1

Related Guides

• Best Schools in San Mateo County, California
• Best Elementary Schools in San Mateo County, California
• Best High Schools in San Mateo County, California