Elementary Schools in Costa Mesa, California: Costa Mesa schools average 4.7 points above the state — but the range is 76.2 points wide.
Costa Mesa, California has 16 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 48.0/100 — 4.7 points above the state average of 43.2. The highest-scoring school is International School for Science and Culture at 86/100, where 62.5% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Costa Mesa schools average 26.3% exceeded standard (state: 21.3%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Of 16 schools, 1 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 15.1% (below the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Schools | Avg Score | Exceeded | vs State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | 16 | Developing 48.0/100 | 26.3% | +4.7 |
| High | 7 | Developing 37.9/100 | 13.7% | -5.8 |
| Middle | 1 | Needs Support 12.1/100 | 1.7% | -28.3 |
How Costa Mesa schools compare
Costa Mesa has 16 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 48.0/100 — 4.7 points above the state average of 43.2 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
The top-ranked school is International School for Science and Culture with a Scope Score of 86 and 62.5% of students exceeding standard.
These schools are pushing students past the bar, not just to it. Costa Mesa schools average 26.3% exceeding standard — well above the statewide average of 21.3%.
Chronic absenteeism in Costa Mesa averages 15.1% — below the state average of 17.9%.
How we score · Exceeded 40% · Met+Exceeded 22% · Growth 15% · Absenteeism 10% · Suspension 5% · ELPAC 5% · Baseline 3%
School archetypes in Costa Mesa
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Every school in Costa Mesa
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | International School for Science and Culture Orange County Department of Education High Ceiling | 62.5% | Strong 86/100 |
| 2 | Maude B. Davis Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Strong All-Around | 49.7% | Strong 72/100 |
| 3 | Early College High Newport-Mesa Unified Strong All-Around | 60.0% | Solid 68/100 |
| 4 | California Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Strong All-Around | 36.1% | Solid 61/100 |
| 5 | Heinz Kaiser Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Strong All-Around | 38.4% | Solid 60/100 |
| 6 | Adams Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Culture First | 28.0% | Solid 56/100 |
| 7 | Costa Mesa High Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 18.2% | Solid 54/100 |
| 8 | Estancia High Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 16.9% | Solid 52/100 |
| 9 | Sonora Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Culture First | 27.7% | Developing 49/100 |
| 10 | Killybrooke Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 31.9% | Developing 48/100 |
| 11 | Victoria Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 24.4% | Developing 44/100 |
| 12 | Everett A. Rea Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 17.6% | Developing 44/100 |
| 13 | California Pacific Charter- Los Angeles Acton-Agua Dulce Unified Building Momentum | 19.5% | Developing 43/100 |
| 14 | Back Bay High Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 0.0% | Developing 41/100 |
| 15 | Paularino Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 21.2% | Developing 40/100 |
| 16 | College Park Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 15.5% | Developing 39/100 |
| 17 | California Pacific Charter - San Diego Warner Unified Building Momentum | 21.8% | Developing 39/100 |
| 18 | Pomona Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 12.9% | Developing 36/100 |
| 19 | Monte Vista High/Cloud Campus Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 0.0% | Needs Support 29/100 |
| 20 | Wilson Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 6.5% | Needs Support 26/100 |
| 21 | Whittier Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 7.4% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 22 | ACCESS County Community Orange County Department of Education Building Momentum | 1.7% | Needs Support 12/100 |
| 23 | ACCESS Juvenile Hall Orange County Department of Education Culture First | 0.8% | Needs Support 12/100 |
| 24 | Orange County Special Education Orange County Department of Education Building Momentum | 0.0% | Needs Support 10/100 |
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
Private Schools in Costa Mesa
Private schools don't participate in California's standardized testing (CAASPP) and cannot be scored or ranked. Showing enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and affiliation where available.
Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access. Full methodology