Public school · Newport-Mesa Unified

Early College High — Rating & test scores

2990 Mesa Verde Drive, Costa Mesa · 177 students · Grades 9–12

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Campus map · © OpenStreetMap

Drawn from OpenStreetMap. Volunteers map it, so a new building may be missing. Buildings with no mapped height are drawn one storey high.

A picture of the campus, not an attendance boundary or a rating.

Schools maintain a closed campus policy. For students’ safety, visitors may enter a campus only with the school’s official permission; this drawing implies no permission to enter.

Scope Score 97

StrongScope Score · 99th percentile. Higher than 99 in 100 of the 1,498 California public high schools we score.

75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state. How the score is built

In 2024–25, 100% of the class graduated in four years (51 of 51); across California, 89%.

Source for this line
Source
CDE four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR), 2024–25
Students
students who started 9th grade together: 51
Comparison
California: graduates divided by students who started 9th grade together, across 2,281 public schools’ rows (our combination, not CDE’s published state rate; 432,702 of 487,177).

Overview

Is Early College a good high school?

Strong. Early College is higher than most California high schools on test results and attendance.

From spring 2026, the state calls its top two levels “Proficient or Advanced” (formerly “Met or Exceeded”).

Test results, spring 2025

English, Proficient or Advanced9895%
Math, Proficient or Advanced9775%
English, Advanced9762%
Math, Advanced9858%

Showing up, 2024–25

Attendance8312 in 100
Early College’s place among California high schools, out of 100Newport-Mesa Unified’s other high schoolsBar colour, from the lowest quarter of schools to the highest

One more thing to know

In grade 11, spring 2026, 66% scored Proficient or Advanced in math, against 32% across California.

Each bar is Early College’s place among 1,498 California public high schools we score. Our calculation from California Department of Education records, updated October 15, 2026.

How to read these bars, and their sources

A place counts the schools out of 100 with a lower figure. The dashed line is the middle. Test results are from spring 2025, grade 11, the latest year with a high school Scope Score. That year the state called these levels Met or exceeded and Exceeded. Attendance counts students who missed 10% or more of school days; fewer is better, so a higher place means fewer such students.

Source for the sentence
California’s state tests (CAASPP), California Department of Education, spring 2026. All students tested in grade 11. California: CDE’s grade 11 rows for the whole state combined, weighted by students tested (our calculation; 413,523 in math tested).

Nearby

How does it compare with schools nearby?

0 of the 8 high schools nearby have a higher Scope Score than Early College. Each school is compared with every California high school.

Scope Score

9 high schools within 3.0 miles, highest score first. Under each name is how the school takes students.

  1. Early CollegeScope Score 9799th
  2. Fountain ValleyHuntington Beach Union High · by addressScope Score 8992nd
  3. SegerstromSanta Ana Unified · by addressScope Score 7968th
  4. California Pacific Charter- Los AngelesCharter · its own lotteryScope Score 7550th
  5. Los AmigosGarden Grove Unified · by addressScope Score 7549th
  6. Costa MesaNeighborhood school · by addressScope Score 7548th
  7. EstanciaNeighborhood school · by addressScope Score 7547th
  8. California Pacific Charter - San DiegoCharter · its own lotteryScope Score 7341st
  9. CoastSchool of choice · by applicationScope Score 6920th
Newport-Mesa UnifiedA neighborhood school in another districtCharterMagnet or school of choice

A neighborhood school in another district takes students who live in its area. Ask that district about a transfer. A charter school takes applications from any family and holds a lottery when it has more applicants than seats. A magnet or other school of choice takes applications through its district.

Scope Score from California Department of Education state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025, grade 11. Distance is a straight line from this campus and is not an attendance boundary. See these schools on the map

Scores and family income

Further right, more students are from low-income families. Higher up, more students met or exceeded the standard in English.

50%75%0%25%50%75%100%

6 of 9 schools are named on the chart. Point at a dot or tap it to read any school.

English results: California Department of Education state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025, grade 11. Low-income is the share of students who qualified for free or reduced-price meals, 2024–25. The chart compares results, not causes.

Schools like it

How does Early College compare with schools like it?

Early College’s Scope Score is 97. 210 California high schools, counting Early College, have a similar share of students from low-income families. Their typical score is 74. Early College’s result is higher than 207 of them.

The five schools with the highest results of the 210

  1. Students from low-income families: 64%

    Scope Score 99Strong · 99th percentile

  2. Students from low-income families: 65%

    Scope Score 98Strong · 99th percentile

  3. Students from low-income families: 65%

    Early College High

    Costa Mesa · This school

    Scope Score 97Strong · 99th percentile

  4. Students from low-income families: 59%

    Scope Score 93Strong · 96th percentile

  5. Students from low-income families: 64%

    Scope Score 93Strong · 96th percentile

210 California public high schools where 59% to 71% of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. The chart compares results, not causes. Our calculation from California Department of Education records, spring 2025.

How the group is chosen

The group is every California public high school we score where 59% to 71% of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. That is within 6 points of Early College’s share. The count includes Early College. Typical means the median: half are higher and half are lower. Schools differ in more than family income, and no score is changed for it. Our calculation from California Department of Education records: state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025, and school meal eligibility, 2024–25.

Over time

Have results changed?

Results in both subjects were lower than in 2025. English went from 95% to 83% and math from 75% to 66%.

Share at the state’s top two test levels, 2017 to 2026

Grade 11. Point at a year, tap it or use the arrow keys to read its figures.

English

No comparable testsNo tests25%50%75%2017201820192022202320242025202666%87%83%Early CollegeThis school64%Newport-Mesa UnifiedDistrict57%CaliforniaCalifornia

Math

No comparable testsNo tests25%50%75%2017201820192022202320242025202643%61%66%Early CollegeThis school41%Newport-Mesa UnifiedDistrict32%CaliforniaCalifornia

The lines break where a year has no comparable state test results. Each spring tests a different group of students. Newport-Mesa Unified’s line combines its 5 high schools we score (our calculation). Faint lines are its other schools. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

Each year’s results

The top two levels were called Met or Exceeded before 2026 and are called Proficient or Advanced now. Newport-Mesa Unified’s figure weights each school by the students it tested.

English, grade 11: share at the top two levels
SpringEarly CollegeNewport-Mesa UnifiedCaliforniaTested here
201787%66%60%62
201890%63%56%49
201994%66%57%51
202296%63%55%51
202392%59%55%53
202492%65%56%52
202595%68%57%40
202683%64%57%47
Math, grade 11: share at the top two levels
SpringEarly CollegeNewport-Mesa UnifiedCaliforniaTested here
201761%43%32%62
201869%42%31%49
201967%42%32%51
202271%36%27%51
202368%35%27%53
202465%38%28%52
202575%40%30%40
202666%41%32%47

Tests

How did students here do on state tests?

Well above California in both subjects.

English

83%

scored Proficient or Advanced.

173647
Newport-Mesa Unified62%California57%

Math

66%

scored Proficient or Advanced.

15193234
Newport-Mesa Unified40%California32%
MinimalDeveloping levelProficientAdvanced

In grade 11, spring 2026, 83% scored Proficient or Advanced in English and 66% in math, against 57% and 32% across California.

The state published these results on October 15, 2026. What changed across California. Spring 2026, grade 11 combined. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

How does math compare with English?

In grade 11, spring 2026, math trails English by 17 percentage points in the share who scored Proficient or Advanced, against 25 points across California. The grade 11 cards above give each subject’s share.

All four test levels, with the number of students tested
Share of students tested at each level, spring 2026. The state’s test levels Advanced, Proficient, the Developing level (formerly Nearly met) and Minimal.
StudentsAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalTested
English, grade 11 · This school47%36%17%0%47
English, grade 11 · California27%30%21%22%414,559
English, grade 11 · Newport-Mesa Unified30%32%22%16%1,367
Math, grade 11 · This school34%32%19%15%47
Math, grade 11 · California16%16%20%48%413,523
Math, grade 11 · Newport-Mesa Unified20%20%25%35%1,366

Spring 2026, grade 11 combined: 47 tested in English, 47 tested in math. California combines the state’s results for the same grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

Who goes here

Who goes here?

Hispanic or Latino students are the largest group here, at 60% of students. 4 of 149 students missed 10% or more of school days.

Missing school, 2025–26

3in 100

students were chronically absent. That means they missed 10% or more of school days (4 of 149 students).

At the average Newport-Mesa Unified high school: 11 in 100. At the average California high school: 22 in 100.

Students, 2024–25

177

students in grades 9–12.

Hispanic or Latino 60%White 28%

Family income

65%

of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25, 115 of 177. California: 63%.

Teachers, 2024–25

19

teachers, with 10 years of experience on average.

5% were in their first year.

99% of teaching positions had the right credential, 2021–22.

Suspensions, 2025–26

0

students were suspended at least once. Average California high school 2.9%.

Sources: California Department of Education. Each tile names its year.

Full student mix, 2025–26
StudentsHere
Hispanic or Latino60%
White28%
Asian—
Black or African American—
Filipino—
Two or more races—
American Indian or Alaska Native—
Pacific Islander—
Not reported—
Where these figures come from

Attendance and suspensions: California Department of Education, 2025–26. Student mix: the students the state’s attendance file counts, 2025–26; a dash means our records hold no count. Student count: California Department of Education enrollment, 2024–25. Teachers: California Department of Education staffing files, 2024–25.

Teaching credentials: California’s School Accountability Report Card, 2024–25, measured in 2021–22: 10 of 10.1 full-time teaching positions. It counts positions, not individual teachers.

Student groups

How do kids like mine do here?

Hispanic or Latino and low-income students here scored well above the same groups across California.

This schoolThe same group, California
  • Low-incomeEnglish · 31 tested77%California 49%
  • Low-incomeMath · 31 tested55%California 23%
  • Hispanic or LatinoEnglish · 30 tested80%California 49%
  • Hispanic or LatinoMath · 30 tested60%California 21%

Both groups score below California’s rate for all students statewide. 80% of Hispanic or Latino students scored Proficient or Advanced in English and 60% in math (grade 11, spring 2026), against 49% and 21% for the same group across California. Low-income students: 77% in English and 55% in math, against 49% and 23% for the same group across California.

Share who scored Proficient or Advanced, grade 11, spring 2026. Each group is compared with the same group in the same grades. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

Every group’s results, with the district

Low-income is the state’s “socioeconomically disadvantaged” group.

Proficient or Advancedgrade 11 · spring 2026
Group and subjectHerevs Newport-Mesa Unifiedvs California
Low-income · 31 tested
English77%+2552%+2849%
Math55%+2926%+3223%
Hispanic or Latino · 30 tested
English80%+2951%+3149%
Math60%+3426%+3921%

Each gap is to the same group, grades and subject: in Newport-Mesa Unified, and across California. ■ Green: a group that is behind across California does much better here, by 10 points or more and more than twice the margin of error.

White students: fewer than 30 tested here. No published rate here for Asian, Black or African American, Filipino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, homeless and military-family students, students of two or more races, English learners, students with disabilities and foster youth. That can reflect privacy rules or small numbers; it isn’t evidence of a gap. This table covers groups by income, race or ethnicity, language and disability; girls and boys aren’t split out.

After high school

How many students here graduate, and where do they go next?

100% of students graduated in four years in 2024–25. That compares with 89% across California. 100% were ready for college or career (state measure) in 2024–25. 86% of the class of 2023 enrolled in college within 12 months.

ready for college or career (state measure), 2024–25

100%

Across California: 52%.

of graduates finished the UC/CSU course list, 2024–25

82%

At the average California high school: 56%.

Graduation, college and university records

Preparation · each measure describes a different student group

Graduated in four years

100%

Across California: 89%

2024–25 · 51 of 51 students who started 9th grade together

Ready for college or career (state measure)

100%

Across California: 52%

2024–25 · 51 of 51 students in the state’s measure

Finished the UC/CSU course list

82%

Average California high school: 56%

2024–25 · 42 of 51 graduates finished the UC/CSU course list

Destinations · class of 2023

Where students who finished high school went

86% enrolled in college within 12 months · 52 students who finished high school

  • University of California UC detail ↓10 · 19%
  • California State University CSU detail ↓11 · 21%
  • California community college18 · 35%
  • In-state private2 · 4%
  • Out-of-state, 4-year3 · 6%
  • Out-of-state, 2-year1 · 2%
  • Not enrolled7 · 13%

Source: CDE college-going records, class of 2023. Shares are our arithmetic: each count divided by all high-school completers (graduates and other students who finished), rounded together so they total 100. “Not enrolled” does not describe employment, military service or other routes.

Where the class of 2023 went
87%enrolled in college within a year

52 completers, class of 2023

  • University of California10 (19%)
  • California State University11 (21%)
  • California community college18 (35%)
  • In-state private2 (4%)
  • Out-of-state, 4-year3 (6%)
  • Out-of-state, 2-year1 (2%)
  • Not enrolled7 (13%)

Source: CDE’s college-going rate for the class of 2023 (enrolled in college within 12 months). Shares are our arithmetic: count ÷ completers, rounded together so they total 100. A dash means we have no figure for that row; it isn’t zero.

Where these figures come fromEach measure’s source, student group and definition
Graduated in four years
2024–25 · 51 of 51 students who started 9th grade together. California Department of Education, adjusted cohort graduation records. Comparison is SchoolScope’s combination of graduates and cohort counts across the reference schools, not CDE’s published state rate.
Ready for college or career (state measure)
2024–25 · 51 of 51 students in the state’s measure. California Department of Education, College/Career Indicator (CCI), overall “Prepared” rate, among the students in the indicator’s group. Prepared is CDE’s overall classification, not AP participation or a college admission rate.
Finished the UC/CSU course list
2024–25 · 42 of 51 graduates finished the UC/CSU course list. California Department of Education, A–G completion records (graduates who met the UC/CSU course requirements). Course completion is separate from college enrollment.
Where students who finished high school went
CDE college-going records, class of 2023. College enrollment is counted for 12 months after finishing high school and matched to college records, so this runs about two years behind. A dash is unavailable, not zero.
A closer look: UC and CSU admission recordsApplied, admitted and enrolled, from each university system’s own records

UC’s own records

University of California

Fall 2025 first-year entry · counts, not a school rating

Applied
34
Admitted
23
Enrolled
14

By campus · fall 2025

  • UC IrvineApplied 27 · Admitted 6 · Enrolled 3
  • UC Santa CruzApplied 23 · Admitted 13 · Enrolled 4
  • UCLAApplied 19 · Admitted under 3 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC RiversideApplied 15 · Admitted 9 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC San DiegoApplied 15 · Admitted 3 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC Santa BarbaraApplied 14 · Admitted 3 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC DavisApplied 13 · Admitted 7 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC BerkeleyApplied 11 · Admitted under 3 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC MercedApplied 8 · Admitted 7 · Enrolled under 3

These records don’t show the school’s effect on admission. A student can apply to several campuses, so campus counts don’t add up to the total. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees; “+” marks a partial count; a dash is unavailable. Source: UC admissions by source school.

Each fall since 2016

  • Fall 2025Applied 34 · Admitted 23 · Enrolled 14
  • Fall 2024Applied 41 · Admitted 31 · Enrolled 15
  • Fall 2023Applied 29 · Admitted 24 · Enrolled 12
  • Fall 2022Applied 26 · Admitted 14 · Enrolled 7
  • Fall 2021Applied 22 · Admitted 8 · Enrolled 5
  • Fall 2020Applied 36 · Admitted 24 · Enrolled 12
  • Fall 2019Applied 30 · Admitted 16 · Enrolled 11
  • Fall 2018Applied 36 · Admitted 26 · Enrolled 13
  • Fall 2017Applied 30 · Admitted 14 · Enrolled 9
  • Fall 2016Applied 33 · Admitted 25 · Enrolled 15

CSU’s own records

California State University

Fall 2025 first-year entry · counts, not a school rating

Applied
42
Admitted
42
Enrolled
13

By campus · falls 2021–2025 added together

Five years in each number, not one. CSU publishes campus counts only as five-year totals, so these aren’t comparable to the fall 2025 figures above or to UC’s one-fall campus bars.

  • Cal State FullertonApplied 128 · Admitted 115 · Enrolled 38
  • Cal State Long BeachApplied 120 · Admitted 33 · Enrolled under 6
  • San Diego StateApplied 66 · Admitted 11 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal Poly PomonaApplied 61 · Admitted 41 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State San MarcosApplied 49 · Admitted 49 · Enrolled —
  • Cal Poly San Luis ObispoApplied 44 · Admitted 10 · Enrolled under 6
  • Chico StateApplied 22 · Admitted 22 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State Dominguez HillsApplied 18 · Admitted 17 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State LAApplied 18 · Admitted 18 · Enrolled —
  • Fresno StateApplied 14 · Admitted 14 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State NorthridgeApplied 14 · Admitted 14 · Enrolled —
  • San José StateApplied 14 · Admitted 12 · Enrolled under 6
  • CSU BakersfieldApplied 12 · Admitted 11 · Enrolled —
  • Cal Poly HumboldtApplied 12 · Admitted 11 · Enrolled under 6
  • San Francisco StateApplied 10 · Admitted 10 · Enrolled —
  • Cal State San BernardinoApplied 7 · Admitted 7 · Enrolled —
  • Sacramento StateApplied 6 · Admitted 6 · Enrolled —
  • CSU Channel IslandsApplied under 6 · Admitted under 6 · Enrolled —
  • Cal State East BayApplied under 6 · Admitted under 6 · Enrolled —
  • Cal Poly Maritime AcademyApplied under 6 · Admitted under 6 · Enrolled —
  • Cal State Monterey BayApplied under 6 · Admitted under 6 · Enrolled —
  • Sonoma StateApplied under 6 · Admitted under 6 · Enrolled —

These records don’t show the school’s effect on admission. A student can apply to several campuses, so campus counts don’t add up to the total. CSU withholds counts under 6; a dash is unavailable. Students who reach CSU from a community college aren’t counted here. Source: CSU High School Success dashboard.

Each fall since 2021

  • Fall 2025Applied 42 · Admitted 42 · Enrolled 13
  • Fall 2024Applied 41 · Admitted 41 · Enrolled 17
  • Fall 2023Applied 36 · Admitted 36 · Enrolled 10
  • Fall 2022Applied 26 · Admitted 26 · Enrolled 7
  • Fall 2021Applied 27 · Admitted 22 · Enrolled 7
Advanced courses on record

What other courses and pathways are on record?

College courses in high school (dual enrollment)
189 students took one

2023–24

Students taking a college course for credit while in high school, often through a community college. Federal Civil Rights Data Collection, school-reported.

Family and staff answers

What would families and staff tell you?

Families can answer a short set of questions about Early College. These are not star ratings or reviews.

  1. Family answers show once 20 families have answered.Until then this page shows how many have answered.
  2. The questions are about the school, never a person.No question asks about a named teacher or staff member.
  3. Answers are never part of the Scope Score.They sit beside the state’s records and do not change a school’s score.

Families

No family answers yet

0 of 20 needed before answers show

  • Does the school tell you how your child is doing, in a way you understand, before report cards arrive?Usually · Sometimes · Rarely
  • When you contact the school with a question, do you hear back within two school days?Usually · Sometimes · Rarely · Haven’t contacted them
  • Can you get school information in the language you read best?Yes · Mostly · No
  • And 4 more questions.

Answer the family questionsResponder en españolHow family answers work

Staff

Staff can’t answer for this school yet

We don’t check staff emails for Newport-Mesa Unified yet. Tell us your district’s email domain and we’ll work on adding it.

Ask us to add your district

Money

Where does the money go?

$30,412 for each student in 2024–25. California’s high schools spent $20,309 for each student. Newport-Mesa Unified’s plan for 2026–27 covers $300 million.

$30,412

for each student at this school, 2024–25
Spent at the school
$16,310
The school’s share of district office costs
$14,102
Of the total, from federal funds
$1,154
  • Early College$30,412
  • Newport-Mesa Unified high schools$27,834
  • California high schools$20,309

The district and California figures combine their high schools, weighted by enrollment (our calculation, 1,655 California schools). Spending does not show how well money is used. Source: California Department of Education, per-school spending report, 2024–25. Funding records ↓

Newport-Mesa Unified’s yearly plan

$300million

in the district’s plan for 2026–27

$26million

planned for services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth

This is the district’s plan. It is not this school’s own budget. The plan has 6 goals. The district’s page lists each one. The plan covers $300 million of $544 million in total budgeted spending. Source: Newport-Mesa Unified Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), 2026–27. Read the district’s plan →

The neighborhood

What is the area around Early College like?

These figures are for everyone who lives in ZIP code 92626. They are not figures for the families at Early College.

Typical household income in a year

$114,249

Typical means half are higher and half are lower. The ZIP code is the school’s address, not its attendance area. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024, ZIP code area 92626.

Typical home value
$1,105,900
People who live in this ZIP code
50,708
Typical age
37.9 years
Adults 25 and older with a four-year college degree
47%

Questions to ask

What should I ask, and when?

Bring these 6 questions to Early College. Confirm anything about applying with the school itself.

On a tour

  1. What help do students get in math?66% in math and 83% in English scored Proficient or Advanced, grade 11, spring 2026 (47 students tested in each)
  2. Which courses and career pathways does the school run, and who can enroll?
  3. How do counselors help students plan for college, training or work?
  4. What support is available when a student falls behind on graduation requirements?

At the office

  1. What time does the day start and end, and is any day shorter?
  2. Is there care before or after school, and what does it cost?

Getting in

Which schools feed into Early College, and how do I get in?

Ask Newport-Mesa Unified which school serves your address.

  1. Elementary
    Adams Elementary
    Scope Score 81Strong · 76th percentile · 2026Nearby same-district option · distance estimate, not a confirmed feeder
  2. Middle
    Charles W. Tewinkle Middle
    Scope Score 74Developing · 42nd percentile · 2026Nearby same-district option · distance estimate, not a confirmed feeder
  3. High · this school
    Early College High
    Grades 9–12Scope Score 97Strong · 99th percentile

These links come from past records and from distance. Confirm your child’s school with the district. Each school’s standing compares it with California schools at its own level. Explore schools on the map

All recorded links and nearby alternatives

Elementary links

  • Adams Elementary

    Nearby same-district option · distance estimate, not a confirmed feeder

    Scope Score 81 · Strong · 76th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • California Elementary

    Nearby same-district option · distance estimate, not a confirmed feeder

    Scope Score 85 · Strong · 85th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Killybrooke Elementary

    Nearby same-district option · distance estimate, not a confirmed feeder

    Scope Score 80 · Solid · 73rd percentile · elementary · 2026

Middle-school links

  • Charles W. Tewinkle Middle

    Nearby same-district option · distance estimate, not a confirmed feeder

    Scope Score 74 · Developing · 42nd percentile · middle · 2026

  • Horace Ensign Intermediate

    Nearby same-district option · distance estimate, not a confirmed feeder

    Scope Score 86 · Strong · 89th percentile · middle · 2026

Links do not guarantee placement. Charter, magnet, transfer and other admission routes can differ. Each school’s percentile compares it with California schools at its own level (continuation and alternative schools only with their own kind); the stages are not one ranking.

Where it is

Where is Early College?

Address
2990 Mesa Verde Drive, Costa Mesa 92626Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)
Administrator
David MartinezAs the state’s school directory lists it, last updated February 9, 2023.

A school’s place on the map is its address in the state directory. It does not show which homes the school serves. See nearby schools on the map

Short answers to 8 common questions

How do I get in?

Ask Newport-Mesa Unified which school serves your address. See the details ↓

Is Early College a good high school?

Early College High has a Scope Score of 97. It scored higher than 99 in 100 of California’s 1,498 scored public high schools (Strong, 99th percentile, spring 2025). See the details ↓

How often do students miss school or get suspended?

In 2025–26, 3 in 100 students missed 10% or more of school days, against 11 in 100 at the average Newport-Mesa Unified high school. 0 of 149 students were suspended at least once in 2025–26, against 2.9% at the average California high school. See the details ↓

How does math compare with English?

In grade 11, spring 2026, math trails English by 17 percentage points in the share who scored Proficient or Advanced, against 25 points across California. See the details ↓

How do kids like mine do here?

In spring 2026, 77% of low-income students in grade 11 at Early College High in Costa Mesa scored Proficient or Advanced in English, against 49% for the same group across California. See the details ↓

What could my child study here?

189 students took a college course for credit in 2023–24, by the federal Civil Rights Data Collection. See the details ↓

Where do students go after finishing high school here?

86% of the class of 2023 enrolled in college within 12 months, by CDE’s college-going records. See the details ↓

What should I ask on a visit?

The questions drawn from this page are under Questions to ask, ready to copy. See the details ↓

The full record

Source records

This page is built from 16 sets of records from public data sources. Every figure keeps its source, grades, year and count.

Data updated

October 15, 2026

Record sets on this page
16
Sources
California Department of EducationU.S. Census BureauUniversity of CaliforniaU.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil RightsNational Student Clearinghouse
State test years
2017–2026

Results

Students

After high school

Money and staff

Place, downloads and method

Score factorssource values, index and weights · 2024–25 · ranked #15 of 1,498 California high schools we score · #1 of 5 in Newport-Mesa Unified
Score factors, 2024–25
FactorSchoolIndexWeight
Graduation rate100%6425%
Exceeded standardaverage of English and math60%9622%
Ready for college or career (state measure)100%8420%
Met or exceededaverage of English and math85%8518%
Chronically absent5 in 100655%
Suspension rate0 of 180625%

Index is where the school's value sits among the California high schools we score, from 0 to 100, where 50 is their average; it is not a percentile. School values are from 2024–25. Chronic absence and suspension are CDE's all-students school rates; the score uses an adjusted version of each that pulls small schools toward the average, so their index can sit nearer 50 than the rate suggests. The weights above add to 95%: English learners reaching the top level of the state’s English test has no value for this school, so its 5% weight is shared out among the measures above.

School patterns · 2024–25 · What patterns mean

High ceilingA high share of students here exceeded the standard, the state’s top level. The Exceeded standard row above gives the figure.
Broad baseMost students here met or exceeded the standard. The Met or exceeded row above gives the figure.
Scope Score by year2018–19 to 2024–25 · each year’s inputs, and the score for each year we could verify

The 2024–25 Scope Score, in the current-formula row below, uses the state’s college-or-career readiness measure, 2024–25. No verified earlier Scope Scores are available here.

Scope Score

School yearScope ScorePercentileRankComparison group
2024–259799#15California high schools · 1,498 schools · current formula

2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23 and 2023–24 have records on file but no Scope Score we could verify against that year’s source files, so no score is shown for them.

School yearChronic absenceSuspension
2018–195 in 1000.5% (1 of 189)
2021–22not on filenot on file
2022–23not on filenot on file
2023–244 in 1000 of 202
2024–255 in 1000 of 180

Chronic absence and suspension are CDE’s all-students school rates for each year.

No 2019–20 or 2020–21 records in this SchoolScope series
Results by gradeEnglish and math · grade 11 · spring 2026 · % of tested students

What each level means: California's level descriptions.

English · 2025–26 results by grade

Share of students tested, spring 2026
EnglishTestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalProficient or AdvancedCaliforniaDifference
Grade 114747%36%17%0%83%57%+26

California is CDE’s statewide English row for each grade, counting every student tested there; the comparisons in the chapters combine these rows for their grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

Math · 2025–26 results by grade

Share of students tested, spring 2026
MathTestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalProficient or AdvancedCaliforniaDifference
Grade 114734%32%19%15%66%32%+34

California is CDE’s statewide math row for each grade, counting every student tested there; the comparisons in the chapters combine these rows for their grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

A grade the school doesn't teach has no row. “Suppressed” marks a result CDE blanks because fewer than 11 students tested (CDE’s reporting rule); “none tested” marks a grade CDE lists with no students tested; “not on file” marks a result missing from the records we hold. None of them means zero.

Every tested year2017–2026 · rates, tested counts, and each grade

English and math by test year · all tested grades

Year · subjectStudents with scoresTop levelTop two levels
2026 · English4747%83%
2026 · Math4734%66%
2025 · English4062%95%
2025 · Math4058%75%
2024 · English5256%92%
2024 · Math5233%65%
2023 · English5360%92%
2023 · Math5340%68%
2022 · English5169%96%
2022 · Math5133%71%
2019 · English5161%94%
2019 · Math5122%67%
2018 · English4953%90%
2018 · Math4937%69%
2017 · English6252%87%
2017 · Math6235%61%

Each year names its school year end (2026 = 2025–26). “Students with scores” counts each subject on its own, so don’t add the English and math counts together. A dash is unavailable, not zero.

Earlier years · grade and subject

Year · grade · subjectStudents with scoresMet or exceeded
2025 · Grade 11 · English4095%
2025 · Grade 11 · Math4075%
2024 · Grade 11 · English5292%
2024 · Grade 11 · Math5265%
2023 · Grade 11 · English5392%
2023 · Grade 11 · Math5368%
2022 · Grade 11 · English5196%
2022 · Grade 11 · Math5171%
2019 · Grade 11 · English5194%
2019 · Grade 11 · Math5167%
2018 · Grade 11 · English4990%
2018 · Grade 11 · Math4969%
2017 · Grade 11 · English6287%
2017 · Grade 11 · Math6261%

Current 2025–26 grade results appear above. “Students with scores” counts the students tested in that grade, subject and year. A missing result is not zero, and each year’s row is a different group of children.

Science (CAST)schoolwide · spring 2026
Science (CAST)TestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimal
Schoolwide4734%30%36%0%

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.

Student groups: test resultsEnglish · spring 2026 · against the same group in the district and California
Group · EnglishTestedProficient or Advancedvs districtvs California
Low-income3177%+25+28
Hispanic or Latino3080%+29+31
Attendance and suspensionsState records · this school and each student group · 2018–19 and 2025–26

CDE’s all-students school rates for 2024–25 and 2025–26; the change is the difference between the two rates as printed.

Year-over-year school rates
Chronic absenteeism2024–25 · 5 in 100 → 2025–26 · 3 in 100 · −2 in 100
Suspension rate2024–25 · 0 of 180 → 2025–26 · 0 of 149 · 0.0 percentage points
Group2018–192025–26Change
Female6 in 1001 of 69—
Male3 of 713 of 78—
Asian2 of 14——
Hispanic or Latino5 in 1002 of 89—
White2 of 502 of 41—
English learners0 of 11——
Low-income5 in 1002 in 100−3 in 100
All students5 in 1003 in 100−2 in 100

Two reported school years only; no intervening-year result is implied. Where fewer than 100 students were counted, the cell shows the count and no change is printed. Source: CDE school-level chronic absenteeism by student group.

Graduation and readinessstate records · each rate for its own year and class of students
MeasureSource record
This school · CCI overall PreparedCDE College/Career Indicator · CCI source year 2025 · all students · all students in the current four-year graduation cohort, plus only Prepared fifth-year graduates from the prior cohort. Overall CCI Prepared rate 100% · numerator 51 students classified Prepared · denominator 51 CCI students.
California · CCI overall PreparedCDE statewide CCI cohort · CCI source year 2025 · all students · overall Prepared rate 52% · numerator 257,567 students classified Prepared · denominator 497,814 CCI students.
AP pathway among CCI Prepared studentsCDE College/Career Indicator · CCI source year 2025 · all students · AP pathway rate 0% · AP-pathway numerator 0 · denominator 51 (CCI Prepared students). This measure uses Prepared students as its denominator, not the whole CCI cohort; it is not an AP exam-taking rate or a count of AP courses offered. That cohort includes all students in the current four-year graduation cohort plus only Prepared fifth-year graduates from the prior cohort. In 2025 the pathway accepts two qualifying AP exams, two qualifying AP courses, or a combination of one of each in different subjects.

CDE's overall Prepared rate is the college-readiness factor in the Scope Score (20% of the high school score). The school rate is 51 of 51 CCI students, not the AP-only pathway or A–G completion rate. The California figure is CDE's statewide CCI student cohort, not an average of SchoolScope's comparable high schools or the SchoolScope school-rank pool.

Graduation rate
100%
AP route, among those ready for college or career
0%
2025 CDE CCI cohort · AP courses, exams, or both; share of students ready for college or career (CDE’s “Prepared”), not course offerings
Finished the UC/CSU course list (A–G)
82%
A–G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-going rate
86%

These source periods and populations differ: graduation uses an adjusted cohort, while A–G completion and college-going use separately reported groups. The rates are shown individually, without a shared performance tier.

UC admissions, universitywidefall 2016–2025 · applied, admitted, enrolled, mean GPA · summed across CEEB codes
YearAppliedAdmittedEnrolledMean GPA (applied)Mean GPA (admitted)Mean GPA (enrolled)
20253423143.743.933.97
20244131153.883.994.12
20232924123.893.944.05
2022261473.824.014.15
202122853.543.954.06
20203624123.633.803.98
20193016113.734.004.07
20183626133.803.934.10
2017301493.483.763.91
20163325153.653.833.81

Source: UC admissions by source school. Dated fall first-year UC applicants, admitted students, and enrollees. GPA is each group's mean weighted, capped high-school GPA for 10th/11th-grade college-preparatory courses. SchoolScope leaves GPA unavailable when several CEEB codes contribute rather than combining their means. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees, shown here as “under 5” or “under 3”; — means unavailable, and a reported zero remains zero. A + marks a partial SchoolScope sum of observed counts, not a complete total; missing contributions may be zero. No admit rate is computed here. Complete, matching counts can support a historical descriptive rate, but do not establish a school's effect or predict individual chances. Series shown from 2016.

UC admissions by campuslatest falls on file · each campus counted separately
CampusYearAppliedAdmittedEnrolled
Berkeley202511under 3under 3
Berkeley202410under 3under 3
Berkeley2023143under 3
Berkeley202212under 3under 3
Davis2025137under 3
Davis2024157under 3
Davis2023149under 3
Davis20227under 3under 3
Irvine20252763
Irvine202435136
Irvine20232493
Irvine20222185
Irvine2021196under 3
Los Angeles202519under 3under 3
Los Angeles20242133
Los Angeles20231765
Los Angeles202221under 3under 3
Los Angeles202116under 3under 3
Merced202587under 3
Merced202487under 3
Merced202355under 3
Riverside2025159under 3
Riverside20242418under 3
Riverside2023139under 3
Riverside2022136under 3
Riverside202111under 3under 3
San Diego2025153under 3
San Diego202412under 3under 3
San Diego2023198under 3
San Diego202215under 3under 3
San Diego2021123under 3
Santa Barbara2025143under 3
Santa Barbara2024167under 3
Santa Barbara2023156under 3
Santa Barbara202211under 3under 3
Santa Barbara20217under 3under 3
Santa Cruz202523134
Santa Cruz202419153
Santa Cruz20231514under 3
Santa Cruz20225under 3under 3
Santa Cruz20219under 3under 3
Universitywide2025342314
Universitywide2024413115
Universitywide2023292412
Universitywide202226147
Universitywide20212285

Source: UC admissions by source school. Dated fall first-year UC applicants, admitted students, and enrollees. Campus totals are not interchangeable with Universitywide; students can apply to several campuses. Universitywide is separately reported; never derive it by adding campus rows. Universitywide applicant and admit counts are unduplicated. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees, shown here as “under 5” or “under 3”; — means unavailable, and a reported zero remains zero. A + marks a partial SchoolScope sum of observed counts, not a complete total; missing contributions may be zero. No admit rate is computed here; these records do not establish a school's effect or predict individual chances.

Advanced coursework, federal snapshot2023–24 · Civil Rights Data Collection · dated historical snapshot
MeasureThis school
AP offerednot reported
AP course countnot reported
AP enrollment (male/female)not reported
IB participationnot reported
Dual enrollmentoffered · 189 enrolled
Algebra I in grade 8not reported
Calculus sections0
Physics sections2
Chemistry sections2
Reported male/female enrollment (CRDC)198

These counts aren’t part of the Scope Score. “Not reported” means the federal record has no value for that item; it isn’t a zero. Enrollment counts add the male and female students the survey reports.

College destinationsclass of 2023 · state college-going records, 12 months after graduation
DestinationCompleters% (derived)
University of California1019%
California State University1121%
California community college1835%
In-state private24%
Out-of-state, 4-year36%
Out-of-state, 2-year12%
Not enrolled713%

52 students who finished high school, class of 2023 · state-reported college-going rate 87% · % column is computed by SchoolScope (count ÷ all who finished high school; CDE calls them completers), not a CDE-native rate · an unavailable or suppressed cell is marked as missing; a reported zero remains distinct · 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 above.

Fundingschool and district spending, from state and federal finance records · each row names its fiscal year and measure

Per-pupil spending

District · current expense$17,937 per pupil

NCES F-33 · FY 2020–21 (2021) · fall district membership: 18,559 pupils

California · selected district mean$14,491 per pupil

NCES F-33 · FY 2020–21 (2021) · SchoolScope’s unweighted mean across 818 selected California district finance records

School-level federal expenditures$113 per pupil

CDE ESSA · school-attributed per-pupil record · FY 2024–25 (2025) · source denominator: 177

Central federal expenditures attributed here$1,041 per pupil

CDE ESSA · central expenditures attributed to this school · FY 2024–25 (2025) · source denominator: 177

District current expense · FY 2024–25$28,980 per ADA

CDE SACS Current Expense of Education · district fiscal year ending 2025 · average daily attendance denominator

These figures are not directly comparable: school ESSA attributed spending and NCES district current expense use different measures and populations. Their fiscal years are labeled above.

How the California mean was selected

SchoolScope starts with its selected California finance records, not every NCES California district. For FY 2020–21, it calculates an unweighted mean of NCES F-33 current expense per pupil. District records contribute once, regardless of enrollment. The calculation keeps records with positive per-pupil current expense, enrollment over 100, CCD agency type 1, and a recorded district name; it excludes names ending in County Office of Education, Department of Education, or Superintendent of Schools. This is a SchoolScope calculation, not a state-published spending average.

Selected General Fund operating costs · FY 2024–⁠25 · SchoolScope calculation
Instruction 56%Instruction support 15%Student services 8%Administration 8%Buildings & maintenance 12%Other 1%
The arithmetic behind these shares · FY 2024–25
GroupDollarsShare, to two decimalsPrinted
Instruction$270,043,63256.32%56%
Instruction support$70,734,15214.75%15%
Student services$35,734,0337.45%8%
Administration$40,261,9878.40%8%
Buildings & maintenance$57,328,61111.96%12%
Other$5,340,1691.11%1%
Total$479,442,584100.00%100%

These shares are our arithmetic: each group’s dollars divided by the $479,442,584 total of the groups shown, rounded to whole percents by largest remainder so they add up to 100. Dollar amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar, so they can differ from the total by a dollar. SchoolScope groups district-level CDE SACS UserGL actuals from Fund 01, using operating objects 1000–5999 and excluding retiree benefits, food and community services, facilities acquisition, other outgo, and nonagency goals. These shares use that filtered total; they do not exactly break down CDE's official current expense per ADA above. The school-level ESSA figure uses a separate source.

NCES F-33 district fiscal-year history, 2017–⁠2021; latest district record shown: 2021
2021$17,937 per pupil
2020$15,765 per pupil
2019$15,125 per pupil
2018$14,459 per pupil
2017$13,433 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

Staffing recordsstate teacher credential-and-placement and district salary records · each for its own year

Additional workforce records

Properly assigned intern credential holders0.0%

CDE 2024–25 SARC, Teacher Preparation and Placement table; measured school year 2021–22. Share of reported school teaching-position full-time equivalents assigned to properly assigned intern credential holders. A reported 0.0% is shown; unavailable rates are omitted. This is a position share, not a count of current teachers or of emergency permits.

The surrounding ZIP codeCensus Bureau survey, 2020–2024 · ZIP 92626 · not the school’s students
American Community Survey 5-year estimates · 2020–2024 · ZIP 92626 area
MeasureEstimate
Median household income$114,249
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)47%
ZIP-area population50,708
Median age37.9 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Median household income covers the past 12 months and is reported in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars. Bachelor's degree or higher uses adults age 25 and over as its population. A dash is unavailable, not zero; a reported zero remains zero. ZIP-area figures do not establish the school's attendance area or describe its enrolled students. These figures are not part of the Scope Score. See all schools in ZIP code 92626 →

Downloads, embed and methodologyCSV · embed code · sources · corrections

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Data sources: public data sources, including the California Department of Education · state tests (CAASPP) 2025–26 · Scope Score from 2024–25 results, compared across 1,498 high schools · attendance and suspensions by student group from 2018–19 and 2025–26 · district finance for the year each row names · Census survey (ACS) 2020–2024 · UC fall first-year source records — UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or 3 admits or enrollees; “+” marks a partial count; the all-campus total is reported separately · federal civil rights data (CRDC) 2023–24, a past snapshot · state college-going records, class of 2023, matched to National Student Clearinghouse enrollment · Data updated October 15, 2026

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