Capistrano Unified
Capistrano Unified has 56 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 64.6/100 — 20.8 points above the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Canyon Vista Elementary at 86/100, where 61.8% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $12,431 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 7 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 13.8%, below the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Solid 63.0/100 | 35 | 40.1% | 12.5% |
| Middle | Solid 67.0/100 | 13 | 39.8% | 13.0% |
| High | Solid 67.8/100 | 8 | 31.7% | 21.2% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Capistrano Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: Capistrano Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 67.8.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages -2.2pp (state avg: -3.0pp), a negative trend that warrants attention.
Consistency: Score range of 54.6 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 13.8%, 4.3pp above the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 1.9%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Canyon Vista Elementary leads the district at 86 with 61.8% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Capistrano Unified
Hidden gems: 11 schools in Capistrano Unified are classified as Growth Engine (7) or On the Rise (4) — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Student demographics
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
Capistrano Unified spends $12,431 per student in current expenditures — $2,383 below the state average of $14,815.
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Elementary Schools (35)
Capistrano Unified has 35 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 63.0 — 19.2 points above the state average of 43.8. 12 of 35 elementary schools score above 70.
Growth averages -2.2pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Canyon Vista Elementary with a Scope Score of 86 and 61.8% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canyon Vista Elementary Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 61.8% | Strong 86/100 |
| 2 | Chaparral Elementary Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 63.5% | Strong 81/100 |
| 3 | Philip J. Reilly Elementary Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 57.0% | Strong 79/100 |
| 4 | Las Flores Elementary Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 51.8% | Strong 78/100 |
| 5 | Castille Elementary Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 51.1% | Strong 75/100 |
| 6 | Wagon Wheel Elementary Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 51.6% | Strong 75/100 |
| 7 | Vista del Mar Elementary Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 51.0% | Strong 74/100 |
| 8 | Ladera Ranch Elementary Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 51.9% | Strong 73/100 |
| 9 | Oso Grande Elementary Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 56.7% | Strong 73/100 |
| 10 | Laguna Niguel Elementary Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 52.3% | Strong 72/100 |
| 11 | Truman Benedict Elementary Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 45.2% | Strong 72/100 |
| 12 | Marian Bergeson Elementary Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 50.2% | Strong 71/100 |
| 13 | Esencia Capistrano Unified Strong All-Around | 46.1% | Solid 70/100 |
| 14 | Moulton Elementary Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 46.3% | Solid 69/100 |
| 15 | Arroyo Vista Elementary Capistrano Unified Strong All-Around | 38.4% | Solid 68/100 |
| 16 | Carl Hankey Elementary Capistrano Unified Growth Engine | 35.9% | Solid 67/100 |
| 17 | Bathgate Elementary Capistrano Unified Strong All-Around | 44.2% | Solid 67/100 |
| 18 | George White Elementary Capistrano Unified Growth Engine | 39.9% | Solid 65/100 |
| 19 | Don Juan Avila Elementary Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 45.9% | Solid 65/100 |
| 20 | John Malcom Elementary Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 41.1% | Solid 65/100 |
| 21 | Concordia Elementary Capistrano Unified Solid Base | 43.2% | Solid 64/100 |
| 22 | Tijeras Creek Elementary Capistrano Unified Solid Base | 45.2% | Solid 63/100 |
| 23 | Oak Grove Elementary Capistrano Unified Solid Base | 48.1% | Solid 62/100 |
| 24 | Palisades Elementary Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 33.5% | Solid 56/100 |
| 25 | Richard Henry Dana Elementary Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 32.6% | Solid 54/100 |
| 26 | Viejo Elementary Capistrano Unified Growth Engine | 23.0% | Solid 54/100 |
| 27 | Las Palmas Elementary Capistrano Unified Growth Engine | 28.8% | Solid 53/100 |
| 28 | Wood Canyon Elementary Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 25.5% | Solid 52/100 |
| 29 | Harold Ambuehl Elementary Capistrano Unified Growth Engine | 31.1% | Solid 51/100 |
| 30 | Del Obispo Elementary Capistrano Unified On the Rise | 21.7% | Developing 48/100 |
| 31 | Clarence Lobo Elementary Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 19.7% | Developing 47/100 |
| 32 | Hidden Hills Elementary Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 22.0% | Developing 43/100 |
| 33 | Marblehead Elementary Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 23.9% | Developing 41/100 |
| 34 | San Juan Elementary Capistrano Unified On the Rise | 13.0% | Developing 39/100 |
| 35 | Kinoshita Elementary Capistrano Unified On the Rise | 9.7% | Developing 31/100 |
Middle Schools (13)
Capistrano Unified has 13 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 67.0 — 26.5 points above the state average of 40.5. 6 of 13 middle schools score above 70.
District-wide growth averages +2.0pp, suggesting schools are adding value beyond what students arrive with.
The highest-scoring middle school is Arroyo Vista Middle with a Scope Score of 80 and 52.2% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arroyo Vista Middle Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 52.2% | Strong 80/100 |
| 2 | Ladera Ranch Middle Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 50.6% | Strong 79/100 |
| 3 | Fred Newhart Middle Capistrano Unified Strong All-Around | 43.9% | Strong 74/100 |
| 4 | Las Flores Middle Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 45.0% | Strong 74/100 |
| 5 | Bernice Ayer Middle Capistrano Unified Strong All-Around | 42.5% | Strong 72/100 |
| 6 | Esencia Middle Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 42.6% | Strong 72/100 |
| 7 | Vista del Mar Middle Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 44.5% | Solid 68/100 |
| 8 | Don Juan Avila Middle Capistrano Unified Growth Engine | 39.3% | Solid 66/100 |
| 9 | Aliso Viejo Middle Capistrano Unified Strong All-Around | 39.7% | Solid 65/100 |
| 10 | Carl Hankey Middle Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 35.8% | Solid 65/100 |
| 11 | Niguel Hills Middle Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 35.8% | Solid 59/100 |
| 12 | Shorecliffs Middle Capistrano Unified On the Rise | 25.3% | Developing 50/100 |
| 13 | Marco Forster Middle Capistrano Unified Growth Engine | 19.6% | Developing 47/100 |
High Schools (8)
Capistrano Unified has 8 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 67.8 — 20.3 points above the state average of 47.5. 5 of 8 high schools score above 70.
The highest-scoring high school is Tesoro High with a Scope Score of 84 and 50.6% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesoro High Capistrano Unified High Ceiling | 50.6% | Strong 84/100 |
| 2 | Aliso Niguel High Capistrano Unified Strong All-Around | 42.1% | Strong 75/100 |
| 3 | Capistrano Valley High Capistrano Unified Strong All-Around | 39.9% | Strong 74/100 |
| 4 | San Juan Hills High Capistrano Unified Strong All-Around | 37.8% | Strong 74/100 |
| 5 | San Clemente High Capistrano Unified Strong All-Around | 33.4% | Strong 70/100 |
| 6 | Dana Hills High Capistrano Unified Strong All-Around | 25.0% | Solid 65/100 |
| 7 | California Preparatory Academy Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 22.1% | Solid 62/100 |
| 8 | Capistrano Union High Capistrano Unified Building Momentum | 2.4% | Developing 37/100 |
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.
What Scope Scores can't tell you about Capistrano Unified
- Class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality
- Quality of arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs
- Teacher experience, turnover, and professional development
- Campus safety, bullying climate, and social-emotional support
- Parent and community engagement levels
- Quality of special education and gifted programs
- How resources are distributed across schools within the district
Scope Scores measure academic performance and school climate using public data. They are one lens among many. Full methodology