School Profile · Laguna Niguel
Community Roots Academy: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.
Community Roots Academy posts 69% meeting the standard; 42.6% push past it. Steady is worth something — and the gap between those two numbers is the thing to ask about.
29292 Crown Valley Parkway, 92677 (opens in new tab)·Capistrano Unified·Laguna Niguel·Grades K-8·780 students·13% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(949) 831-4272·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
66
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #662 statewide · #17 of 39 in Capistrano Unified
Community Roots Academy scores 66 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 88th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →
Most rating sites would stop at “69% proficient” and call it done. Community Roots Academy deserves a closer read. It sits at the 88th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.
The headline number: 53.7% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide.
As a charter, Community Roots Academy enrolls by application, not address — the score reads the same, the enrollment path doesn't.
The story this school is actually telling
The school, grade by grade
ELA · CAASPP 2024–25Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.
43%
33%
24%
Grade 3 · 76% proficient
47%
27%
26%
Grade 4 · 74% proficient
52%
25%
23%
Grade 5 · 77% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding rises 9.2pp across grades; the proficiency floor barely moves. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Kids here gain ground the longer they stay — the pattern you want to see. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.
53.7%
Low-income · ELA · met standard
Community Roots Academy's most underrated number
53.7% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide. That's the strongest kind of signal a school can post: it holds across income lines.
Community Roots Academy low-income: 53.7%State low-income: 38.2%
The 5 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
42.6%
State 21.3%
21.3pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
68.8%
State 42.7%
26.1pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-7.5pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Chronic absenteeism
7.4%
State 17.9%
10.5pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.9%
State 1.6%
0.7pp below state avg
Worth a school visit
Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
Planning ahead? 6 licensed preschools near this school →
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 75
Canyon Vista Elementary
Capistrano Unified · 2.9 mi
Strong
84/100
Laguna Niguel Elementary
Capistrano Unified · 1.5 mi
Strong
70/100
Marian Bergeson Elementary
Capistrano Unified · 1.3 mi
Solid
70/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic14.9%
White64.2%
Asian5.3%
Black0.1%
Other15.5%
GenderFemale 49.7%Male 50.3%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 13.5% (50pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
780
160 above CA avg (~620)
Transitional Kindergarten
TK status unconfirmed
No TK enrollment is on file with the state for this school — that isn't the same as “no TK.” Confirm directly with the district.
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
5 fewer students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$12,431
CA avg: $14,815 · District avg · NCES F-33
Teacher Salary Range
$65,219 – $130,638
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Community Roots Academy in Laguna Niguel, 53.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 55.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Community Roots Academy trails its district average for low-income students by 1.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (36.6% Math proficient); White students (72.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 25.6 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 41 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Math · Low-Income−28.7pp
26.7% vs 55.3% overall · n=15
3 more gaps by subject
ELA · Low-Income−25.6pp
46.7% vs 72.3% overall · n=15
ELA Exceeded · Low-Income−24.5pp
13.3% vs 37.8% overall · n=15
Math Exceeded · Low-Income−24.5pp
6.7% vs 31.2% overall · n=15
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income41 tested
ELA 53.7%·Math 36.6%· -1.5pp vs district
White312 tested
ELA 72.3%·Math 54.7%· -6.1pp vs district
Hispanic50 tested
ELA 68.0%·Math 42.0%· +16.2pp vs district
Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.
Subgroup Growth by Grade
Change in proficiency from lowest tested grade. Shows which groups are gaining ground.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$140K
$55K above CA median
Median Home Value
$1.19M
$532K above CA median
Bachelor's+
60%
25pp above CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
8.0 years avg experience
52 teachers · 6% first-year · 12% second-year
Teacher Credentials
83% fully credentialed
Source: CDE SARC, 2024-25
Community Profile provides context about who attends this school and the resources available. These factors are never part of the Scope Score. Learn why →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
For the data nerds
Every number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Exceeded standard · 43%
42.6%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 71th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
68.8%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 70th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
-7.5pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 55th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
7.4%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 67th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.9%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 56th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 88 | 43% | 33% | 19% | 5% | 76% | +33 |
| Grade 4 | 91 | 47% | 27% | 14% | 11% | 75% | +30 |
| Grade 5 | 84 | 52% | 25% | 12% | 11% | 77% | +29 |
| Grade 6 | 75 | 32% | 39% | 24% | 5% | 71% | +24 |
| Grade 7 | 70 | 24% | 34% | 34% | 7% | 59% | +11 |
| Grade 8 | 71 | 27% | 49% | 17% | 7% | 76% | +30 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 88 | 42% | 33% | 14% | 11% | 75% | +29 |
| Grade 4 | 91 | 31% | 20% | 37% | 12% | 51% | +9 |
| Grade 5 | 85 | 40% | 19% | 22% | 19% | 59% | +24 |
| Grade 6 | 75 | 23% | 28% | 31% | 19% | 51% | +16 |
| Grade 7 | 71 | 18% | 25% | 37% | 20% | 44% | +10 |
| Grade 8 | 70 | 33% | 20% | 23% | 24% | 53% | +21 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 156 | 31% | 25% | 40% | 4% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 41 | 53.7% | −1 | +15 |
| White | 310 | 72.3% | −6 | +10 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 50 | 68.0% | +16 | +29 |
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Roots Academy ← | — | 66 | 42.6% | 68.8% | −7.5 | 0.9% |
| Canyon Vista Elementary | 2.9 mi | 84 | 61.8% | 85.7% | −4.6 | 0.5% |
| Laguna Niguel Elementary | 1.5 mi | 70 | 52.3% | 75.5% | −15.3 | 0.7% |
| Marian Bergeson Elementary | 1.3 mi | 70 | 50.2% | 70.4% | +3.6 | 0.8% |
| California average | — | 43 | 21.3% | 42.7% | −2.9 | 1.6% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #945 → #1105 → #899 → #647 → #662
What we can't show
- — Scored here as an elementary school — other grade spans appear in the data appendix.
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
Frequently asked questions
Is Community Roots Academy a good elementary school?
Community Roots Academy has a Scope Score of 66 out of 100, placing it in the 88th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #662 statewide. 42.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 21.3 percentage points above the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (43%), met or exceeded (22%), grade 3-to-5 growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%), and suspension rate (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What are Community Roots Academy's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 68.8% of students at Community Roots Academy met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 42.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 26.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 42.6% 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. 527 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Community Roots Academy rank in California?
Community Roots Academy ranks #662 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 88th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 3 to grade 5 growth), 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.
Is Community Roots Academy getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Community Roots Academy decreases by 7.5 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 growth. This downward pattern doesn't necessarily mean the school is failing — it can reflect cohort differences, demographic shifts, or curriculum changes. A campus visit and conversation with teachers can reveal what the numbers can't. Growth trajectory is weighted at 15% in the elementary Scope Score because it measures what the school does, not just who walks in the door.
What is the attendance and school culture like at Community Roots Academy?
7.4% of students at Community Roots Academy are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.9%, indicating a low-discipline-incident environment. 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 Community Roots Academy compare to other schools in Laguna Niguel?
Community Roots Academy scores 66/100 (88th percentile) among California elementary 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 780 students. Use the schools in Laguna Niguel page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Community Roots Academy serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Community Roots Academy in Laguna Niguel, 53.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 55.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Community Roots Academy trails its district average for low-income students by 1.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (36.6% Math proficient); White students (72.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 25.6 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 41 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.