Math
26%Grade 11 · Proficient or Advanced
Public high school
Costa Mesa High
High scores, healthy climate, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.
58% of tested students are Proficient or Advanced in English and 26% in math. 94.0% graduate in four years. Explore the evidence alongside the opportunities your child would use.
SchoolScope archetype
Building Momentum
What this means for your family
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.
How archetypes are assigned →Data sources · Methodology · State tests: 2025
Contact
Phone(714) 424-8700
Websitenmusd.us (opens in new tab)
DistrictNewport-Mesa Unified
PrincipalJeff Giles
Grades7-12
Enrollment1,730 students
English
58%Grade 11 · Proficient or Advanced
Students
1,730Total enrollment
Graduation
94.0%Four-year graduation rate
What are you trying to decide?
The overall score is a starting point.
Look at subject results, trends and student groups, then consider the opportunities your child would use.
View school performance →Start with your child’s daily experience.
Explore teaching, coursework and student-group results. A schoolwide average cannot predict an individual experience.
Explore student experience →Confirm the enrollment route.
Check the address, grade and enrollment requirements directly with the district or school.
Check attendance and enrollment →Compare the options you can access.
Use comparable evidence alongside entry requirements, cost and location.
Compare nearby schools →Academic performance
What do the results tell us?
2025 results · Grade 11 · weighted by students tested within each subject.
Proficient or Advanced combines Levels 3 and 4, formerly Standard Met and Standard Exceeded. California changed the names for 2025–26; the cut scores did not. About the labels →
Share at Proficient or Advanced
● Math┄ English
Gaps in the lines mark years without annual results.
Exact annual results
| Year | Math | English |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 27% | 56% |
| 2022 | 26% | 61% |
| 2023 | 23% | 51% |
| 2024 | 20% | 52% |
| 2025 | 26% | 58% |
Each year describes that year’s tested students. Changes between years do not follow the same children over time. Cohort-growth evidence, when available, is labeled separately below.
How achievement is distributed
AdvancedStandard Exceeded
9%ProficientStandard Met
17%DevelopingStandard Nearly Met
19%MinimalStandard Not Met
54%AdvancedStandard Exceeded
27%ProficientStandard Met
31%DevelopingStandard Nearly Met
20%MinimalStandard Not Met
21%Achievement-level percentages are not percentiles. “Developing” here is a test achievement level, separate from the SchoolScope performance band with the same name.
Annual results and the full academic record
Is it getting better · CAASPP 2019 to 2025
Has stayed near the 67th percentile since 2019.
Most rating sites would stop at “42% proficient” and call it done. Costa Mesa deserves a closer read. Two-thirds of its students qualify for free or reduced lunch (California: 64%) — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 73.5% of students leave measurably college-ready, versus 43.0% statewide.
807 tested · 1 of 1 grade published
Costa Mesa High scores 59 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 67th percentile of 1,647 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 42% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.
Percentile among 1,647 high schools statewide
ELAYellow(Increased)MathYellow(Increased)
ShowHide the by-grade tables, year by year
ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
| Grade | 2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | 54% | 45% | 46% | 49% | 42% |
| Grade 8 | 44% | 47% | 40% | 41% | 50% |
| Grade 11 | 56% | 61% | 51% | 52% | 58% |
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
| Grade | 2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | 36% | 32% | 37% | 40% | 27% |
| Grade 8 | 34% | 30% | 26% | 27% | 34% |
| Grade 11 | 27% | 26% | 23% | 20% | 26% |
Where students land · CAASPP 2024–25
Two in five of students here meet the standard. One in five clear it by a lot.
ELA50% met or exceeded
Exceeded 18%Met 31%Nearly Met 23%Not Met 28%
Math29% met or exceeded
Exceeded 15%Met 14%Nearly Met 24%Not Met 47%
Exceeded Met Nearly Met Not Met
California high schools · average20% exceeded · 43% met or exceeded
This school against the California average
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
| Scope | % Exceeded | % Met+ | Grad rate | College readiness | Absence | Suspension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | 59 | 18% | 42% | 94.0% | 73.5% | 20.4% | 3.9% |
| CA average · High School | 54 | 20% | 43% | 92.5% | 43.0% | 23.1% | 3.3% |
This schoolCA avg
Scope5954
% Exceeded18%20%
% Met+42%43%
Grad rate94.0%92.5%
College readiness73.5%43.0%
Absence20.4%23.1%
Suspension3.9%3.3%
California’s growth results and student groups
State growth model · CDE growth model 2024–25
California's own growth model places it near the 8th percentile of high schools.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
California runs its own growth model — it follows individual children in grades 4 through 8 and compares each one against a prediction from their own prior scores. On that measure this school sits well below the middle of California high schools in reading and math together. We show it; we don't score it.
— pts vs expected is scale-score points above or below what California's model predicted for these same children from their own prior-year scores. It is not a percentage and not a percent of anything. A typical California high school lands at −3 in reading, and the middle half of them fall between −13 and +5 — the spread is wide, so read the rank, not the sign. CDE blends two consecutive years into each published figure, so adjacent years share input data and no year-over-year trend can honestly be drawn from them. It covers grades 4-8 only, and it is not part of the Scope Score — we assessed it and left it out: it tracks school demographics roughly three times as strongly as our own growth measure does, and one published year is not enough to test how stable it is.
California's growth model, ranked against the schools it scores
State model · readingmatched students, grades 4-8California growth model, reading: −14 scale-score points versus the state's expectation, 10th percentile of 7,519 reported schools.10th pctile · −14 pts
State model · mathmatched students, grades 4-8California growth model, math: −19 scale-score points versus the state's expectation, 6th percentile of 7,518 reported schools.6th pctile · −19 pts
this school| the tick is the middle of the California field
Students & opportunity
Who shares in the school’s results?
Who it works for · CAASPP 2024–25
Low-income students here meet the ELA standard ahead of the same group statewide.
At Costa Mesa High in Costa Mesa, 42.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 47.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Costa Mesa High trails its district average for low-income students by 5.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (21.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (40.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 46.2 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 584 students tested.
Met or exceeded · reading and math combined
All students at this school: 40% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 40%, district —, state 43%40%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 32%, district 41%, state 32%32% · −8 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 30%, district 39%, state 32%30% · −9 vs school
MaleMale: this school 38%, district 56%, state 42%38% · −2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 41%, district 56%, state 44%41% · +2 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 60%, district 70%, state 56%60% · +21 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 3%, district 12%, state 11%3% · −37 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 10%, district 23%, state 15%10% · −29 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 23%, district 29%, state 22%23% · −17 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 60%, district 72%, state 56%60% · +20 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 77%, district 77%, state 72%77% · +38 vs school
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: this school 26%, district 45%, state 46%26% · −13 vs school
5 of 17 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.
this school district, same group California, same group
ShowHide California's growth model by student group
The state's growth model, by student group
California follows these children individually and predicts each one's score from their own prior year. Each row is read against the same group at a typical California high school — not against zero, and not against this school's all-students figure, because the state's expectation already differs by group.
Reading
Low-income students375 studentsLow-income students, reading: −17 scale-score points versus expectation, against −5 for the same group at a typical California high school, 375 students.−17 pts · −12 vs typical
Hispanic or Latino students367 studentsHispanic or Latino students, reading: −14 scale-score points versus expectation, against −3 for the same group at a typical California high school, 367 students.−14 pts · −11 vs typical
English Only280 studentsEnglish Only, reading: −10 scale-score points versus expectation, against −3 for the same group at a typical California high school, 280 students.−10 pts · −7 vs typical
English Learner146 studentsEnglish Learner, reading: −26 scale-score points versus expectation, against −8 for the same group at a typical California high school, 146 students.−26 pts · −18 vs typical
White84 studentsWhite, reading: −16 scale-score points versus expectation, against −4 for the same group at a typical California high school, 84 students.−16 pts · −12 vs typical
Math
Low-income students374 studentsLow-income students, math: −21 scale-score points versus expectation, against −15 for the same group at a typical California high school, 374 students.−21 pts · −6 vs typical
Hispanic or Latino students365 studentsHispanic or Latino students, math: −20 scale-score points versus expectation, against −13 for the same group at a typical California high school, 365 students.−20 pts · −7 vs typical
English Only283 studentsEnglish Only, math: −17 scale-score points versus expectation, against −12 for the same group at a typical California high school, 283 students.−17 pts · −5 vs typical
English Learner143 studentsEnglish Learner, math: −20 scale-score points versus expectation, against −11 for the same group at a typical California high school, 143 students.−20 pts · −9 vs typical
White86 studentsWhite, math: −14 scale-score points versus expectation, against −8 for the same group at a typical California high school, 86 students.−14 pts · −6 vs typical
this school typical California high school, same group| the centre tick is 0 = as predicted
— A group not listed at all had fewer than 11 students with a growth score, so California published nothing for it here. That is a privacy protection, not a judgment about those students. — Context only. None of this enters the Scope Score.
AP access · 2020-21 federal civil rights snapshot (structural, dated — newest published; biennial)
Shown, never scored
In the 2020-21 federal collection — the newest there is — Hispanic students were 63% of Costa Mesa's enrollment but 46% of its AP seats; ask the school what's changed since.
Hispanic45.9% AP · 62.9% enroll.
American Indian/Alaska Native0.0% AP · 0.2% enroll.
Asian17.5% AP · 7.2% enroll.
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander0.9% AP · 1.8% enroll.
Black0.6% AP · 1.2% enroll.
White30.9% AP · 23.0% enroll.
Two or more races4.1% AP · 3.8% enroll.
English learners3.1% AP · 19.3% enroll.
Students with disabilities0.9% AP · 12.6% enroll.
● share of AP enrollment vs share of total enrollment, this school only · not part of the Scope Score
Data source: U.S. Dept. of Education Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2020-21 (biennial; newest published)
Where graduates go
What happens after high school?
83%
Enrolled in college within a year
Class of 2023 · 217 of 263 completers · includes community colleges
263Completers
24%
Other colleges64 completers · Outside the California community college system
58%
California community colleges153 completers · Enrolled within a year
17%
Not recorded enrolled46 completers · No college enrollment in this reporting window
Destination data describes this earlier graduating class, separately from current-year test results and graduation. Percentages are rounded.
College destinations and the full graduate record
Where graduates go · 2024–25
Where graduates go
Context — never part of the Scope Score
83%
College-going rate, class of 2023
Where they went after graduation
Of Costa Mesa's class of 2023, 83% enrolled in college somewhere within a year — a CSU, a community college, a UC, or out of state.
College destination mix, class of 2023
Class of 2023: 263 completers, 83% enrolled somewhere within a year
9%
58%
17%
University of California 24 (9%)California State University 18 (7%)California community college 153 (58%)In-state private 15 (6%)Out-of-state, 4-year 7 (3%)Out-of-state, 2-year 0 (0%)Not enrolled 46 (17%)
Percentages are computed by SchoolScope (count ÷ completers) from CDE-reported counts, not a CDE-native rate. Data source: California Department of Education, 2023 cohort — the newest published; National Student Clearinghouse match.
UC application funnel — one destination of six, tracked in detail because UC is the only source with 30 years of history
In fall 2025, 21 of Costa Mesa's 281 graduates enrolled in the University of California system — Irvine the most common landing, with 8 enrollees.
Applied63fall 2025, universitywide
Admitted44
Enrolled21
ShowHide the UC campus list and the 2014–2025 trend
Where they landed (fall 2025)
7 of 9 campuses are masked below UC's privacy floor — a protection, not a verdict.
Campuses never sum to the universitywide figure — students apply to several.
UC enrollees, universitywide, 2014–2025
Peak: 25 enrolled, 2023
UC publishes this trend back to 1994 — no other destination has a comparable multi-year record.
UC is one road of many — the full destination mix for the class of 2023 is below. And who applied isn't who the school taught: the ratio between the two reflects the self-selected pool of students who chose to apply, not what happened in the classroom. By the state's 2023 count, 83% of this class's predecessors enrolled in college somewhere within a year. More of the class of 2023 enrolled at community colleges (153) than at UC (24).
Data source: University of California Office of the President (UC Information Center), fall 2025 admissions cycle · college-going rate: California Department of Education, 2023 cohort.
The daily experience
What is it like to be a student here?
Students per teacher
Student–teacher ratio is a schoolwide staffing measure, not an average class size.
Teacher experience
Average teacher experience in the published staffing record. It does not measure individual teacher effectiveness.
AP subjects authorized
Authorization does not mean every course runs every year. Ask about current offerings, prerequisites, scheduling and support.
Chronically absent
The share of students absent for at least 10% of their enrolled school days. Attendance reflects both school and out-of-school circumstances.
The people teaching · CDE staffing 2024–25
About 20 students for every teacher here.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
Costa Mesa's teachers are authorized to teach 22 of the 40 AP subjects the College Board offers — above the 14-subject median among California schools that offer AP at all — including Calculus BC, Calculus AB, and Physics 1.
Students per teacher20 · district 20
Teaching staff101 teachers
Avg. experience12.7 years
Fully credentialed90%
First-year teachers3%
PrincipalJeff Giles
ShowHide what the district pays
Teacher salary schedule$66,494 – $159,400
Principal salary$183,874 – $216,170
Superintendent salary$418,747
Pay is set by the district, not the school.
Course breadth
AP exam qualifiers119 studentsCCI, participation not authorization
CTE pathway completers40 students
Advanced coursework
AP subjects taught22
ShowHide the 22 AP courses by discipline
Math & Computer Science (5)Calculus AB · Calculus BC · Computer Science A · Computer Science Principles · Statistics
Sciences (4)Biology · Chemistry · Environmental Science · Physics 1
English (2)English Language and Composition · English Literature and Composition
History & Social Science (6)Human Geography · Macroeconomics · Psychology · U.S. Government and Politics · United States History · World History: Modern
World Languages & Cultures (2)Chinese Language and Culture · Spanish Language and Culture
Arts (3)2-D Art and Design · 3-D Art and Design · Drawing
Data source: College Board AP Course Audit, 2025 - 2026 audit year (authorization, not enrollment) · IB World Schools directory, name-matched · structural depth: 2020-21 federal snapshot, table 09
Attendance & discipline · 2024–25
Kids here show up more, and get suspended more, than the state average.
Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 20.4%, district 14.1%, state 23.1%20.4% · −2.7pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 3.9%, district —, state 3.3%3.9% · +0.6pp vs state
This schoolDistrictCalifornia
ShowHide attendance by student group and by grade
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 7–818.9%
Grades 9–1220.1%
Resources & neighborhood
What sits behind the school experience?
Explore school spending and the district budget
What gets spent · FY 2024–25
It spends $27,478 per student, more than the California average.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
$165 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.
The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.
Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $27,478, CA average $14,491$27,478 · spent at this school
Federal share$165 per student
District current expense · FY 2024–25$28,980 per student
This schoolDistrictCalifornia
Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction 56%Instruction support 15%Student services 7%Administration 8%Buildings & maintenance 12%Other 1%
District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.
ShowHide the district's spending year by year
district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$17,937 per pupil
2019$15,765 per pupil
2018$15,125 per pupil
2017$14,459 per pupil
2016$13,433 per pupil
Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →
The neighborhood · ACS 2024
Two-thirds of students here qualify for free or reduced lunch, versus three in five statewide.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
Worth knowing
On the state's science test (CAST), 33% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 and once in high school, and it never enters the Scope Score.
Hispanic or Latino70.2% · district 46.5% · CA 56.1%
White15.1% · district 38.6% · CA 19.9%
Asian5.2% · district 5.4% · CA 10.2%
Black1.2% · district 0.7% · CA 4.8%
Other8.3% · district 8.8% · CA 9.0%
Free or reduced lunch73.2% · CA 64%
Median income$114K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.11M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+47% · CA 35%
ZIP population50,708
Median age38 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Culture & philosophy
What is the school’s approach?
School-stated approach · questions for your visit
Look beyond the brochure
A source-reviewed culture summary is not available for this profile yet. Ask how teaching, student support and family communication work day to day.
Read the school’s own website ↗Family voices
What would you want another family to know about the daily experience here?
Ask a current family: “When your child needs help, how does the school respond?”
Educator voices
What should families understand about teaching, support and the school community?
Ask an educator: “How do you adapt a typical day for children with different needs?”
Compare nearby schools
What are the alternatives?
Compare schools serving the same grade stage. Private schools have no comparable state-test score.
2025 · high schools · combined reading and math measures. Percentiles compare schools within their enrollment group.
No nearby schools in this category are listed. The school being viewed stays visible for reference.
| School | Type | Performance band | Advanced | Proficient or Advanced | Distance | Select |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Mesa High | Public | Solid | 18% | 42% | School being viewed | |
| Corona del Mar High | Public | Strong | 33% | 64% | 3.0 mi | |
| Early College High | Public | Strong | 60% | 85% | 1.3 mi | |
| Segerstrom High | Public | Strong | 20% | 47% | 2.1 mi |
More nearby public and private options
Your other options
Your other options
Nearby public schools across grade levels, plus private options within 10 miles.
Private schools do not receive a Scope Score or statewide ranking on SchoolScope.
8 private schools within 10 miles
Not scored
What should I check before applying?
- District public
- Confirm the attendance boundary and any permit options.
- Charter
- Check applications, priorities and deadlines with each school.
- Private
- Confirm admission requirements, tuition and financial aid.
Moving & enrollment
Which schools could serve my child?
Check your address with the district
School location and nearby schools do not establish attendance eligibility. Confirm boundaries and permit requirements with Newport-Mesa Unified.
District information →School website →Schools across the K–12 journey
Elementary · K–5
Middle · 6–8
High school · 9–12
Source: proximity. Schools are grouped by grade stage. Nearby schools are not confirmed feeder links or address assignments. Verify the current path and eligibility with the district.
Plan your next step
What should I do next?
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 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.
- Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Costa Mesa High a good high school?
Costa Mesa High has a Scope Score of 59 out of 100, placing it in the 67th percentile of California high schools and ranked #549 statewide. 18.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is near the California average of 19.8%. 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 Costa Mesa High's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 42.4% of students at Costa Mesa High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 18.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 24.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 18.2% went beyond it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. 497 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Costa Mesa High rank in California?
Costa Mesa High ranks #549 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 67th 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 Costa Mesa High?
20.4% of students at Costa Mesa High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 23.1%. The suspension rate is 3.9%. 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 Costa Mesa High compare to other schools in Costa Mesa?
Costa Mesa High scores 59/100 (67th 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 1,730 students. Use the schools in Costa Mesa page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.
How does Costa Mesa High serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Costa Mesa High in Costa Mesa, 42.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 47.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Costa Mesa High trails its district average for low-income students by 5.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (21.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (40.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 46.2 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 584 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.
What AP courses are offered at Costa Mesa High?
Costa Mesa High's teachers are authorized to teach 22 of the 40 AP subjects the College Board offers, per the 2025 - 2026 AP Course Audit: 2-D Art and Design, 3-D Art and Design, Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Chinese Language and Culture, Computer Science A, Computer Science Principles, Drawing, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, Environmental Science, Human Geography, Macroeconomics, Physics 1, Psychology, Spanish Language and Culture, Statistics, U.S. Government and Politics, United States History, World History: Modern. Authorization means the school may teach a course, not that a section is running this year, and it's separate from AP exam pass rates. Data source: College Board AP Course Audit, analyzed by SchoolScope.
How many students from Costa Mesa High go to UC?
In fall 2025, 21 Costa Mesa High graduates enrolled at University of California campuses, universitywide. That figure can't be split into a per-campus sum — students apply to several UC campuses at once, so campus-level counts don't add up to the universitywide total. UC is one destination among many: this says nothing about graduates who chose a CSU, a private college, a community college, or work, and it is a count, not a rate or a ranking. Data source: University of California Office of the President (UC Information Center), fall 2025 admissions cycle.
Use the published evidence to prepare questions, then verify fit and access with the school.
Behind the evidence
Inspect the full record
Public sources, visible methods and the underlying school record. Source years and limitations stay attached to the evidence.
How the Scope Score is calculated
On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways to see the state comparison and weights.
What the score weighs · CAASPP 2024–25
College readiness carries this score. The test levels sit close to the state's.
73.5% of students leave measurably college-ready, versus 43.0% statewide.
| What we weigh | Here | State | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 94.0% | 92.5% | 25% |
| Exceeded standard | 18.2% | 19.8% | 22% |
| College readiness | 73.5% | 43.0% | 20% |
| Met or exceeded | 42.4% | 43.2% | 18% |
| Chronic absenteeism | 20.4% | 23.1% | 5% |
| Suspension rate | 3.9% | 3.3% | 5% |
| EL proficiency (ELPAC) | 14.6% | 18.0% | 5% |
Source CAASPP 2025 · California Department of Education. Measures graduation, test performance, college readiness, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How the score is built
A closer look at the evidence
Costa Mesa High: reading the evidence
Costa Mesa posts 42.4% meeting the standard — versus 43.2% statewide — with climate numbers better than most. That doesn't make it perfect. It makes it worth a visit to find what numbers can't measure.
Subject proficiency describes tested students, while graduation describes a graduating cohort. These figures are not successive stages followed by the same students.
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.
Explore the underlying data →Every number: score factors, grades, student groups and downloads
Every number · For the data nerds
Every number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and nearest schools.
Costa Mesa High is ranked #549 statewide · #4 of 6 in Newport-Mesa Unified.
01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
| Factor | School | State | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 94.0% | 92.5% | 25% |
| Exceeded standard | 18.2% | 19.8% | 22% |
| College readiness | 73.5% | 43.0% | 20% |
| Met or exceeded | 42.4% | 43.2% | 18% |
| Chronic absenteeism | 20.4% | 23.1% | 5% |
| Suspension rate | 3.9% | 3.3% | 5% |
| EL proficiency (ELPAC) | 14.6% | 18.0% | 5% |
- Graduation rate
- ↑ vs CA 92.5% · index 58 · 50 = CA high-school midpoint
- Exceeded standard
- ↓ vs CA 19.8% · index 52 · 50 = CA high-school midpoint
- College readiness
- ↑ vs CA 43.0% · index 73 · 50 = CA high-school midpoint
- Met or exceeded
- ↓ vs CA 43.2% · index 55 · 50 = CA high-school midpoint
- Chronic absenteeism
- ↑ vs CA 23.1% · index 58 · 50 = CA high-school midpoint · ▼ 1.1pp lower vs 2024
- Suspension rate
- ↓ vs CA 3.3% · index 49 · 50 = CA high-school midpoint · ▼ 0.5pp lower vs 2024
- EL proficiency (ELPAC)
- ↓ vs CA 18.0% · index 47 · 50 = CA high-school midpoint
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ShowHide table 02 — By grade & subgroup
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | 281 | 14% | 28% | 24% | 33% | 42% | −5 |
| Grade 8 | 279 | 15% | 35% | 23% | 27% | 50% | +4 |
| Grade 11 | 247 | 27% | 31% | 20% | 21% | 58% | +10 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | 282 | 16% | 12% | 29% | 43% | 27% | −6 |
| Grade 8 | 282 | 21% | 13% | 22% | 44% | 34% | +2 |
| Grade 11 | 250 | 9% | 17% | 19% | 54% | 26% | +3 |
We show the grade rows CDE publishes for this school. A missing grade or dash can mean the school does not serve that grade, that we hold no valid result for it, or that the tested group was too small to report. It does not mean zero.
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schoolwide | 538 | 9% | 25% | 58% | 9% |
CAST is tested in grades 5 and 8, then once in grade 10, 11, or 12. This row is the school's all-student aggregate. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 584 | 42.4% | −6 | +4 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 565 | 40.5% | −6 | +2 |
| White | 132 | 69.7% | −5 | +8 |
03Nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Mesa High ← | — | 59 | 18.2% | 42.4% | 3.9% |
| Corona del Mar High | 3 mi | 75 | 32.9% | 64.4% | 2.2% |
| Early College High | 1.3 mi | 74 | 60.0% | 85.0% | 1.0% |
| Segerstrom High | 2.1 mi | 64 | 19.9% | 46.6% | 3.5% |
| California average | — | 54 | 19.8% | 43.2% | 3.3% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
ShowHide table 04 — More measures
Graduation Rate
94.0%
AP Exam Prepared
73.5%
A-G Completion
50.5%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
82.5%
| Year | Scope | Pctile | Rank | Exc | Met+ | Absent | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 60 | 66 | #521 | 16.1% | 41.1% | 10.1% | 3.8% |
| 2022 | 59 | 71 | #466 | 17.1% | 43.3% | 24.6% | 5.4% |
| 2023 | 56 | 61 | #639 | 11.9% | 36.6% | 23.9% | 7.3% |
| 2024 | 56 | 62 | #629 | 12.8% | 35.7% | 21.5% | 4.4% |
| 2025 | 59 | 67 | #549 | 18.2% | 42.4% | 20.4% | 3.9% |
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
ShowHide table 05 — Climate by student group
| Group | 2019 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 9.6% | 20.3% | +10.7pp |
| Male | 8.7% | 19.2% | +10.5pp |
| Asian | 0.8% | 3.3% | +2.5pp |
| Black/African American | 24.0% | 18.2% | -5.8pp |
| Filipino | 4.2% | 15.8% | +11.6pp |
| Hispanic/Latino | 8.7% | 22.0% | +13.3pp |
| Pacific Islander | 19.2% | 30.4% | +11.2pp |
| Two or More Races | 8.8% | 13.8% | +5.0pp |
| White | 11.3% | 16.5% | +5.2pp |
| Students with Disabilities | 15.9% | 27.6% | +11.7pp |
| English Learners | 9.2% | 30.4% | +21.2pp |
| Foster Youth | 60.0% | 62.5% | +2.5pp |
| Homeless | 28.0% | 31.5% | +3.5pp |
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 10.8% | 22.0% | +11.2pp |
| All Students | 9.2% | 19.7% | +10.5pp |
06UC admissions, universitywide2014–2025 · summed across CEEB codes at query time
ShowHide table 06 — UC admissions, universitywide
| Year | Applied | Admitted | Enrolled | GPA (applied) | GPA (admitted) | GPA (enrolled) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 63 | 44 | 21 | 3.80 | 3.89 | 4.01 |
| 2024 | 45 | 35 | 18 | 3.99 | 4.03 | 4.10 |
| 2023 | 64 | 38 | 25 | 3.98 | 4.14 | 4.23 |
| 2022 | 57 | 40 | 22 | 3.97 | 4.03 | 4.12 |
| 2021 | 65 | 42 | 22 | 3.85 | 4.01 | 4.14 |
| 2020 | 53 | 35 | 17 | 3.81 | 4.00 | 4.11 |
| 2019 | 50 | 29 | 14 | 3.74 | 3.89 | 3.96 |
| 2018 | 53 | 28 | 16 | 3.72 | 3.94 | 3.96 |
| 2017 | 47 | 20 | 8 | 3.59 | 3.81 | 3.97 |
| 2016 | 47 | 33 | 20 | 3.83 | 4.00 | 4.02 |
| 2015 | 32 | 18 | 12 | 3.86 | 4.12 | 4.15 |
| 2014 | 43 | 31 | 22 | 3.89 | 3.99 | 4.04 |
‹n = UC masks counts below n · a missing year means zero or masked — never assume zero · GPA cells blank for years with more than one contributing CEEB code (a summed GPA would be fabricated math) · GPAs live here and nowhere else on this page · Applied/Admitted/Enrolled reflect who applied, not what the school taught — no admit rate is computed or implied by this table. Series shown from 2014; full record to 1994 at the UC Infocenter.
07UC admissions by campuslatest falls on file
ShowHide table 07 — UC admissions by campus
| Campus | Year | Applied | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | 2025 | 22 | 4 | ‹3 |
| Berkeley | 2024 | 23 | 4 | ‹3 |
| Berkeley | 2023 | 36 | 4 | ‹3 |
| Berkeley | 2022 | 25 | 4 | 3 |
| Berkeley | 2021 | 17 | ‹3 | ‹3 |
| Davis | 2025 | 13 | 6 | ‹3 |
| Davis | 2024 | 12 | 5 | ‹3 |
| Davis | 2023 | 22 | 11 | ‹3 |
| Davis | 2022 | 13 | 4 | ‹3 |
| Davis | 2021 | 19 | 10 | ‹3 |
| Irvine | 2025 | 52 | 13 | 8 |
| Irvine | 2024 | 37 | 17 | 10 |
| Irvine | 2023 | 45 | 15 | 12 |
| Irvine | 2022 | 45 | 16 | 7 |
| Irvine | 2021 | 48 | 22 | 13 |
| Los Angeles | 2025 | 38 | ‹3 | ‹3 |
| Los Angeles | 2024 | 35 | 4 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | 2023 | 49 | 4 | 4 |
| Los Angeles | 2022 | 38 | 4 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | 2021 | 35 | ‹3 | ‹3 |
| Merced | 2025 | 11 | 11 | ‹3 |
| Merced | 2022 | 7 | 7 | ‹3 |
| Merced | 2021 | 10 | 10 | ‹3 |
| Riverside | 2025 | 24 | 23 | ‹3 |
| Riverside | 2024 | 11 | 8 | ‹3 |
| Riverside | 2023 | 15 | 9 | ‹3 |
| Riverside | 2022 | 13 | 9 | 4 |
| Riverside | 2021 | 13 | 6 | ‹3 |
| San Diego | 2025 | 42 | 13 | 4 |
| San Diego | 2024 | 28 | 14 | ‹3 |
| San Diego | 2023 | 40 | 12 | ‹3 |
| San Diego | 2022 | 39 | 5 | ‹3 |
| San Diego | 2021 | 32 | 8 | ‹3 |
| Santa Barbara | 2025 | 28 | 8 | ‹3 |
| Santa Barbara | 2024 | 16 | 8 | ‹3 |
| Santa Barbara | 2023 | 32 | 10 | ‹3 |
| Santa Barbara | 2022 | 14 | 8 | ‹3 |
| Santa Barbara | 2021 | 33 | 9 | 3 |
| Santa Cruz | 2025 | 18 | 15 | ‹3 |
| Santa Cruz | 2024 | 12 | 11 | ‹3 |
| Santa Cruz | 2023 | 25 | 16 | ‹3 |
| Santa Cruz | 2022 | 14 | 11 | ‹3 |
| Santa Cruz | 2021 | 13 | 5 | ‹3 |
| Universitywide | 2025 | 63 | 44 | 21 |
| Universitywide | 2024 | 45 | 35 | 18 |
| Universitywide | 2023 | 64 | 38 | 25 |
| Universitywide | 2022 | 57 | 40 | 22 |
| Universitywide | 2021 | 65 | 42 | 22 |
Σ campuses ≠ universitywide — students apply to several campuses; the Universitywide row (muted) is its own independent count, never a sum of the rows above it.
08AP course catalog2025 - 2026
ShowHide table 08 — AP course catalog
| Subject | Taught by |
|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | this school |
| 3-D Art and Design | this school |
| Biology | this school |
| Calculus AB | this school |
| Calculus BC | this school |
| Chemistry | this school |
| Chinese Language and Culture | this school |
| Computer Science A | this school |
| Computer Science Principles | this school |
| Drawing | this school |
| English Language and Composition | this school |
| English Literature and Composition | this school |
| Environmental Science | this school |
| Human Geography | this school |
| Macroeconomics | this school |
| Physics 1 | this school |
| Psychology | this school |
| Spanish Language and Culture | this school |
| Statistics | this school |
| U.S. Government and Politics | this school |
| United States History | this school |
| World History: Modern | this school |
Authorization ≠ a section running this year — the Ledger records what the school may teach, not seat counts.
09Advanced coursework — 2020-21 federal civil-rights snapshotstructural, dated — newest published; biennial
ShowHide table 09 — Advanced coursework — 2020-21 federal civil-rights snapshot
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| AP offered | offered |
| AP course count | 21 |
| AP enrollment | 320 |
| IB participation | not offered |
| Dual enrollment | not offered |
| Algebra I in grade 8 | offered · 25 enrolled |
| Calculus sections | 2 |
| Physics sections | 3 |
| Chemistry sections | 9 |
| Total enrollment (CRDC) | 1,664 |
Shown, never scored — no entry to any composite. NULL/reserve codes render "not reported," never a fabricated zero. The equity block above this table (§4) is the per-subgroup view of this same collection.
10College destinationsclass of 2023 · CDE 12-mo College-Going Rate
ShowHide table 10 — College destinations
| Destination | Completers | % (derived) |
|---|---|---|
| University of California | 24 | 9.1% |
| California State University | 18 | 6.8% |
| California community college | 153 | 58.2% |
| In-state private | 15 | 5.7% |
| Out-of-state, 4-year | 7 | 2.7% |
| Out-of-state, 2-year | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not enrolled | 46 | 17.5% |
263 completers, class of 2023 · state-reported college-going rate 83% · % column is computed by SchoolScope (count ÷ completers), not a CDE-native rate · a missing cell is CDE suppression, never a fabricated zero · source: CDE 12-mo CGR, 2023 cohort (the newest published), National Student Clearinghouse match — a different, older vintage than the fall 2025 UC admissions rows in tables 06-07 above.
11California growth model, by student group2025 · scale-score points vs the state's prediction · shown, never scored
ShowHide table 11 — California growth model, by student group
| Group | Reading | n | CDE band | Math | n | CDE band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | −14 | 529 | Moderate | −19 | 529 | Moderate |
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | −17 | 375 | Moderate | −21 | 374 | Minimal |
| Hispanic or Latino | −14 | 367 | Moderate | −20 | 365 | Moderate |
| English Only | −10 | 280 | not categorised | −17 | 283 | not categorised |
| English Learner | −26 | 146 | Minimal | −20 | 143 | Moderate |
| White | −16 | 84 | Moderate | −14 | 86 | Moderate |
| Students with Disabilities | −17 | 83 | Moderate | −19 | 84 | Moderate |
| English Learners Only | −20 | 77 | not categorised | −21 | 74 | not categorised |
| Long-Term English Learner (grades 6-8 only) | −22 | 73 | Minimal | −25 | 71 | Minimal |
| Recently Reclassified Fluent-English Proficient Only | −32 | 69 | not categorised | −20 | 69 | not categorised |
| Homeless Youth | −21 | 40 | Minimal | −25 | 40 | Minimal |
| Two or More Races | −15 | 35 | Moderate | −15 | 35 | Moderate |
| Asian | −14 | 32 | Moderate | −12 | 32 | Moderate |
Whole scale-score points above or below what CDE's model predicted for these same children from their own prior-year scores — not a percentage, not a percentile. Statewide a typical school lands near +1 with a spread of about 13 points either side, so read a figure against its group's own typical value, not against zero. “Not categorised” is CDE assigning no band — English Only, Recently Reclassified, and English Learners Only receive a value and no band, for every school in the state. It is not a missing number. Long-Term English Learner counts cover grades 6-8 only (CDE), so that row is not comparable to the All Students row. Most figures blend two consecutive years, so adjacent published years share input data and no trend line can honestly be drawn across them. A group absent from this table had fewer than 11 students with a growth score and was never published. Grades 4-8 only. None of this enters the Scope Score — it is more strongly correlated with school demographics than our own growth measure, and one published year is not enough to test its reliability.
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EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=1,647 high schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · UC Infocenter (annual refresh, summer) — ‹5/‹3 = masked, never summed across campuses · AP Course Ledger 2025 - 2026 (November refresh; authorization not enrollment) · CRDC 2020-21 (biennial; next expected 2021-22) · CDE 12-mo CGR 2023 cohort, National Student Clearinghouse match · Data updated 2026-09-18
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