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Capistrano Union High · San Juan Capistrano

Capistrano Union High: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Capistrano Union posts 12% meeting the standard and 2.4% exceeding it, against 36% and 15.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

31422 Camino Capistrano, 92675 (opens in new tab)·Capistrano Unified·San Juan Capistrano·Grades 9-12·103 students·84% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(949) 489-7216·Website
Continuation school — a small alternative high school designed for students at risk of not graduating. Focuses on credit recovery and flexible scheduling. Test scores and college-readiness rates are not directly comparable to comprehensive high schools.
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3544
% Exceeded2%16%
% Met+12%36%
Grad rate91.8%87.6%
College readiness33.3%35.4%
Absence44.5%30.2%
Suspension8.4%3.6%
Scope Score
35
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,514 statewide · #10 of 10 in Capistrano Unified

Capistrano Union High scores 35 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 30th percentile of 2,160 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “12% proficient” and call it done. Capistrano Union deserves a closer read. The school sits in San Juan Capistrano, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has stayed near the 30th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELARed(Declined Significantly)MathRed(Declined Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 12% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1124%25%13%17%24%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 111%3%1%0%0%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
12%
State 36%
Graduate
92%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
33%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 12 are proficient by 11th grade → 92 graduate → 33 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
91.8%
State 87.6%
4.2pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
2.4%
State 15.8%
13.4pp below state avg
College readiness
33.3%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate below state avg
Met or exceeded
12.1%
State 35.7%
23.6pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
44.5%
State 30.2%
14.3pp above state avg
Suspension rate
8.4%
State 3.6%
4.8pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
27.3%
State 18.0%
9.3pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

  • Ask how the school follows up when a student starts missing days — chronic absence often starts outside the classroom, not inside it.
  • Ask what typically leads to a suspension, and what happens before it gets there.
  • Ask what share of students complete the full college-prep course sequence, and who gets steered into it.
  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.

How every group of students does here

At Capistrano Union High in San Juan Capistrano, 24.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 55.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Capistrano Union High trails its district average for low-income students by 31.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (0.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (22.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 18.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 50 students tested.

All students at this school: 12% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 12%, district —, state 36%12%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 12%, district 49%, state 32%12% · −0 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 12%, district 45%, state 32%12% · −1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 13%, district 66%, state 42%13% · +1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 11%, district 69%, state 44%11% · −1 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 3%, district 14%, state 11%3% · −9 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 14%, district 74%, state 56%14% · +2 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 13%, district 32%, state 22%13% · +1 vs school
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: this school 9%, district 60%, state 46%9% · −3 vs school
AsianAsian: too few students to report‹11
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: too few students to report‹11
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: too few students to report‹11
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: too few students to report‹11
this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 44.5%, district 13.9%, state 30.2%44.5% · +14.3pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 8.4%, district —, state 3.6%8.4% · +4.8pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1247.6%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path
▼
High School
Capistrano Union High
35/100
This school

Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 9:1, district 23:19:1
Teaching staff14 teachers
Avg. experience13.8 years
Fully credentialed96%
First-year teachers14%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$65,219 – $130,638
Principal salary$185,421 – $206,216
Superintendent salary$348,333

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered0
AP exam qualifiers1 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $40,065, CA average $14,815$40,065 · spent at this school
Federal share$3,103 per student

$3,103 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$17,166 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction64%
Instruction support10%
Student services10%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance9%
Other1%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$12,431 per pupil
2019$11,341 per pupil
2018$10,665 per pupil
2017$9,388 per pupil
2016$8,875 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic72.8%
District 26.7% · CA 56.1%
White21.4%
District 51.0% · CA 19.9%
Black2.9%
District 0.7% · CA 4.8%
Other1.9%
District 14.2% · CA 9.0%
Asian1.0%
District 7.4% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 84.5% (21pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$129K · CA $85K
Median home value$994K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+43% · CA 35%
ZIP population35,095
Median age46 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

At 103 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 15% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Capistrano Union High a good high school?

Capistrano Union High has a Scope Score of 35 out of 100, placing it in the 30th percentile of California high schools and ranked #1,514 statewide. 2.4% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 13.4 percentage points below the California average of 15.8%. The Scope Score weights 7 dimensions for high schools: graduation rate (25%), exceeded standard (22%), college/career readiness (20%), met or exceeded (proficient) (18%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Capistrano Union High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 12.1% of students at Capistrano Union High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 2.4% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 9.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 2.4% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 123 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Capistrano Union High rank in California?

Capistrano Union High ranks #1,514 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 30th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Capistrano Union High?

44.5% of students at Capistrano Union High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 8.4%. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.

How does Capistrano Union High compare to other schools in San Juan Capistrano?

Capistrano Union High scores 35/100 (30th percentile) among California high schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 103 students. Use the schools in San Juan Capistrano page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Capistrano Union High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Capistrano Union High in San Juan Capistrano, 24.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 55.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Capistrano Union High trails its district average for low-income students by 31.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (0.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (22.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 18.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 50 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

All schools in San Juan Capistrano →

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.

A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means

For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Graduation rate · 25%
91.8%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 55th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
2.4%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 36th pctile
College readiness · 20%
33.3%
↓ vs CA 35.4% · 49th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
12.1%
↓ vs CA 35.7% · 33th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
44.5%
↓ vs CA 30.2% · 38th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
8.4%
↓ vs CA 3.6% · 28th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
27.3%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 65th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 11625%19%34%42%24%−23
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 11610%0%11%89%0%−23
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11660%15%74%11%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged5024.0%−31−14
Hispanic/Latino4422.7%−29−16
English Learners175.9%−7−5
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Capistrano Union High ←—352.4%12.1%—8.4%
San Juan Hills High1.2 mi6737.8%67.8%—1.2%
Capistrano Valley High2.5 mi6739.9%62.8%—2.7%
Dana Hills High2.7 mi5925.0%55.4%—1.3%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
91.8%
AP Exam Prepared
33.3%
A-G Completion
0.0%
This school may not offer A-G courses
College-Going Rate
30.3%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193631#14092.8%12.5%36.9%11.8%—
20223329#14921.3%13.7%44.5%11.4%—
20233227#15631.3%7.3%45.8%12.5%—
20243228#15511.9%8.5%41.7%11.0%—
20253530#15142.4%12.1%44.5%8.4%—
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
What we can't show
  • — Low-income students here trail the state average for their group by 14 points in ELA — worth asking how the school is closing that gap.
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female38.9%50.0%+11.1pp
Male39.0%44.8%+5.8pp
Hispanic/Latino38.2%44.0%+5.8pp
Students with Disabilities82.1%——
English Learners41.2%48.0%+6.8pp
Homeless37.5%50.0%+12.5pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged41.0%49.2%+8.2pp
All Students39.0%47.6%+8.6pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction

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