MILITARY HOUSING | ABOUT CAMP PENDLETON BASE
YOUTH CARE, ACTIVITIES & SPORTS | GETTING TO AND FROM | LOCAL RESOURCES
Marine Corps Base Schools and School Districts
How are the schools at Camp Pendleton? If you want to live off base and are looking for great schools, live in San Clemente, Carlsbad or venture out to Temecula.
Camp Pendleton School Liaison Officer
Operation Bigs:
Military Mentoring: Available in Select Camp Pendleton Schools.
Oceanside School District
(any reviews are completely independent from the School Liaison Officer Office)
NOT recommended for any child or any age (with two exceptions noted by asterisk* for elementary schools). Some people have not found it to be a problem and some have. There tends to be gang and crime issues in general. The school accountability reports show that the Oceanside elementary schools are better than the Junior High or High School. Additionally, if you live on base you may TRY to get your child switched into the Fallbrook schools. Some people have had success with this.
The 2013/2014 years, they began transitioning school aged kids into base only schools and making Santa Margarita a K-8 School.
North Terrace Elementary
(K-7 off-base) and ’14-15 School Accountability Report Card. Proficiency ranges from 61%-69%, 1% suspension rate, no expulsions.
Santa Margarita*
(K-8 on base) and ’14-15 School Accountability Report Card. Proficiency from 49-51%, 2.8% suspension rate, no expulsions. Recently became a K-8 school.
Stuart Mesa*
(K-7 on base) and ’14-15 School Accountability Report Card. Proficiency ranges from 58-70%, 4.6% suspension rate, no expulsions.
Jefferson Middle School
(6-8) and ’14-15 School Accountability Report Card. Proficiency ranges from 35-38%, 118 suspensions (17%) and 56 expulsions. Did not meet the Adequate Yearly Progress required in several areas.
***a new program began in the 2013/2014 year, those living on base with 7th graders no longer attend Jefferson, they transitioned to Santa Margarita into a K-8 school. 2014/2015 year, 8th graders continued at Santa Margarita.
Oceanside High School
(9-12) and ’14-15 School Accountability Report Card. Proficiency ranges from 38%-47%, 152 suspension incidents, 2 expulsion incidents. Graduation Rate for the last three years: 77-80%.
Fallbrook Elementary School District & High School District
This is a better school system and where you want to be if you have kids. Fallbrook High School Transportation Requires a Bus Pass that is $180.00 a Semester. Each student must purchase, and have the Bus Pass at hand before boarding the school bus. I’ve heard that if your spouse is deployed, you can get the bus pass fee waived. Contact the school for more information.
Mike Choate Early Childhood Center
(Located in Fallbrook): Free for Fallbrook residents and offers services for preschool (up to age 5), and programs like Parents as Teachers, and Ready Set Go. There’s a lot of great activities including music, health, playtime, arts and crafts and more.
Mary Fay Elementary
(K-8 on base) and ’14-15 School Accountability Report Card. Proficiency ranges from 70-79%, 11 suspensions, no expulsions.
James Potter Junior High School
(6-8) and ’14-15 School Accountability Report Card. Proficiency ranges from 50-57%, 43 suspensions, .1% expulsion rate.
Fallbrook High School
(9-12) and ’14-15 School Accountability Report Card. Proficiency ranges from 31-54%, 210 suspensions, 1% expulsions. 89% graduation rate.
Capistrano Unified School District
This is the northernmost schools offered at Camp Pendleton. This is an excellent school system. You can’t go wrong living up north. Plus you are next to the gate for easy access and close to the beaches.
San Onofre Elementary
(K-8) (this is actually in the Fallbrook School District School) and ’14-15 School Accountability Report Card. Proficiency ranges from 72-82%, .5% suspension rate, 0 expulsions.
San Clemente High School
(9-12) and ’14-15 School Accountability Report Card. A “California Distinguished School” Star Proficiency ranges from 44-71%, 4% suspension rate, .03% expulsion rate. 97% graduation rate.
Colleges and Universities
******Military Dependants qualify for IN STATE Tuition in Community Colleges. I’m not sure about State Colleges. Additionally, if the student begins taking courses at a community college, NO CA STATE COLLEGE will accept them with less than 60 credits. They will have to continue at the community college or go out of state.******
San Diego Community College District
Mesa, City, Miramar, and Continuing Ed links for those in South Pendleton.
Saddleback Community College
For those in North Pendleton
San Diego State University (SDSU)
University of San Diego (USD)
Point Loma Nazarene College
University of California San Diego (UCSD)
California Western School of Law
Thomas Jefferson School of Law
