Elementary Schools in Orange, California: Orange schools average near the state. The 47.7-point spread is where the choice actually lives.
Orange, California has 19 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 43.9/100 — within 0.6 points of the state average of 43.2. The highest-scoring school is McPherson Magnet at 71/100, where 45.7% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Orange schools average 20.4% exceeded standard (state: 21.3%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Chronic absenteeism averages 14.6% (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 | 19 | Developing 43.9/100 | 20.4% | +0.6 |
| High | 3 | Developing 46.3/100 | 9.8% | +2.6 |
| Middle | 1 | Solid 63.6/100 | 28.7% | +23.2 |
How Orange schools compare
Orange has 19 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 43.9/100 — within 0.6 points of the state average of 43.2 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
The top-ranked school is McPherson Magnet with a Scope Score of 71 and 45.7% of students exceeding standard.
Chronic absenteeism in Orange averages 14.6% — 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 Orange
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Every school in Orange
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McPherson Magnet Orange Unified Strong All-Around | 45.7% | Strong 71/100 |
| 2 | Orange County Classical Academy Orange County Department of Education Strong All-Around | 41.6% | Solid 65/100 |
| 3 | Fletcher Mandarin Language & GATE Academy Orange Unified Strong All-Around | 41.7% | Solid 64/100 |
| 4 | La Veta Elementary Orange Unified Strong All-Around | 36.6% | Solid 64/100 |
| 5 | OUSD EDGE Virtual Academy Orange Unified Strong All-Around | 28.7% | Solid 64/100 |
| 6 | El Modena High Orange Unified Building Momentum | 20.9% | Solid 56/100 |
| 7 | Linda Vista Elementary Orange Unified Culture First | 22.9% | Developing 50/100 |
| 8 | Palmyra GATE Magnet Orange Unified Culture First | 22.9% | Developing 49/100 |
| 9 | Chapman Hills Elementary Orange Unified Culture First | 28.8% | Developing 48/100 |
| 10 | Taft Elementary Orange Unified Culture First | 18.4% | Developing 46/100 |
| 11 | Orange High Orange Unified Building Momentum | 8.6% | Developing 45/100 |
| 12 | Jordan Academy of Language and Computer Science Orange Unified Culture First | 18.1% | Developing 43/100 |
| 13 | California iInspire Academy Orange Unified Culture First | 15.2% | Developing 43/100 |
| 14 | Handy Elementary Orange Unified Culture First | 13.0% | Developing 42/100 |
| 15 | Richland Continuation High Orange Unified Building Momentum | 0.0% | Developing 38/100 |
| 16 | Prospect Elementary Orange Unified Building Momentum | 16.0% | Developing 38/100 |
| 17 | Olive Elementary Orange Unified Building Momentum | 12.8% | Developing 37/100 |
| 18 | West Orange Elementary Orange Unified Building Momentum | 13.6% | Developing 36/100 |
| 19 | Esplanade Elementary Orange Unified Building Momentum | 7.2% | Developing 32/100 |
| 20 | Sycamore Elementary Orange Unified Building Momentum | 11.1% | Developing 32/100 |
| 21 | Explore Academy Orange County Department of Education Building Momentum | 8.8% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 22 | Cambridge Elementary Orange Unified Building Momentum | 4.5% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 23 | Tomorrow's Leadership Collaborative (TLC) Charter Orange County Department of Education Building Momentum | 8.1% | Needs Support 23/100 |
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 Orange
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