API scores are easy to get at greatschools.net. Regarding La Costa, be careful, the northern part of it is in the San Marcos school district. Most of the new homes in La Costa Greens for instance are in the SM school district. I wouldn’t send my kid to high school in the SM district. The elementary schools close to the coast when you get north of del mar can also, interestingly, be a little sketchy. The ones a bit more inland, like El Camino Creek and others however are excellent. I am also not a fan of Carlsbad High. La Costa Canyon High and others in San Deguito school district I think are much better. Also, San Deguito School Dist. has full day kindergarten, as opposed to half day in Carlsbad. San Deguito is also on a modified year roud schedule which means a shorter summer, and a 2 week break just before Halloween (like now).