How does Cielo Vista Elementary compare to other elementary schools in Rancho Santa Margarita?

Cielo Vista Elementary has a SchoolScope composite score of 44.5/100, placing it at the 52nd percentile statewide. 15% of students exceed standard, with a total of 964 students tested across grades and subjects.

What percentage of students exceed standards at Cielo Vista Elementary?

15.0% of students at Cielo Vista Elementary exceed the state standard on CAASPP assessments, while 38.0% meet or exceed it. The gap between these two numbers reveals whether the school pushes students beyond basic proficiency.

Is Cielo Vista Elementary improving or declining?

Cielo Vista Elementary's proficiency rate increases by 0.8 percentage points from grade 3 to grade 5, suggesting the school is adding value over time.

What is the chronic absenteeism rate at Cielo Vista Elementary?

15.9% of students at Cielo Vista Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days). This metric reflects school culture and family engagement, and is weighted at 15% in our composite score.

Cielo Vista Elementary

Saddleback Valley Unified Rancho Santa Margarita Orange County 92688

Composite Score

out of 100

State Percentile

of elementary schools

State Rank

964 students tested

School overview

Enrollment

488 students

Student-Teacher Ratio

22:1

Free/Reduced Lunch

61%

Teachers

22 full-time

Student demographics

Hispanic 54.7%

White 27.3%

Asian 4.9%

Black 1.2%

Other 11.9%

Performance breakdown

Performance breakdown for Cielo Vista Elementary
Category	Percentage
Exceeded Standard	15.0%
Met Standard	23.0%
Below Standard	62.0%

Exceeded

15.0%

Met

23.0%

Below

62.0%

What other rankings don't show you

Most rating sites report "38% proficient" for Cielo Vista Elementary and stop there. Here's what that number hides:

15.0% of students exceeded standard while 23.0% merely met it. That exceeded rate is 5.9 points below the state average of 21.0%. That's 12.4 points below the Saddleback Valley Unified district average of 27.4%. The 6 nearby schools within ~3 miles average 33.7% exceeded — 18.7 points higher. The gap between "met" and "exceeded" is the difference between a school that clears the bar and one that raises it.

Students here improve by 0.8 percentage points from grade 3 to grade 5, suggesting the school is adding value beyond what students arrive with.

Chronic absenteeism is 15.9%, better than the state average of 18.7%.