School Profile · Laguna Niguel
Marian Bergeson Elementary: High scores, real growth, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.
Marian Bergeson posts 50.2% exceeding the standard — versus 21.6% 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.
25302 Rancho Niguel Road, 92677·Capistrano Unified·Laguna Niguel·Grades K-5·423 students·30% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(949) 643-1540·Website
Scope Score
71
⭐ High Ceiling · Strong
ranked #452 statewide · #12 of 35 in Capistrano Unified
Marian Bergeson Elementary scores 71 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 91st percentile of 5,230 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 “70% proficient” and call it done. Marian Bergeson deserves a closer read. The school sits in Laguna Niguel, where one in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 50.2% of students scored in the top band on the state test. The California average is 21.6%.
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.
51%
8%
41%
Grade 3 · 59% proficient
48%
21%
31%
Grade 4 · 69% proficient
61%
18%
21%
Grade 5 · 79% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding rises 9.8pp across grades; the floor rises 20.0pp. 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.
54.8%
Low-income · ELA · met standard
Marian Bergeson's most underrated number
54.8% 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.
Marian Bergeson low-income: 54.8%State low-income: 38.2%
The 6 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
50.2%
State 21.6%
28.6pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
70.4%
State 42.9%
27.5pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+3.6pp
State -3.0pp
Scores improve across grades
Chronic absenteeism
7.3%
State 18.1%
10.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.8%
State 1.7%
0.9pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
20.5%
State 17.7%
2.8pp above state avg
Worth a school visit
Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Marian Bergeson Elementary
71/100
This school
Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.
Planning ahead? 5 licensed preschools near this school →
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 69
Laguna Niguel Elementary
Capistrano Unified · 0.9 mi
Strong
72/100
Moulton Elementary
Capistrano Unified · 2.7 mi
Solid
69/100
Carl Hankey Elementary
Capistrano Unified · 2.3 mi
Solid
67/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
Anneliese'S Schools
Laguna Canyon Rd · Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K · 400 students
16:1Private4.5 mi
Fairmont San Juan Capistrano
Oso Rd · Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-12 · 360 students
9:1Private2.8 mi
Fairmont Private School
Oso Rd · Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-12 · 338 students
8:1Private2.8 mi
Vandamme Academy
Liberty · Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-8 · 132 students
9:1Private2.4 mi
Mcdowell School
Aloma Ave · Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-5 · 78 students
3:1Private0.9 mi
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic15.8%
White19.9%
Asian31.4%
Black0.7%
Other32.1%
GenderFemale 52.0%Male 48.0%
Resources & Access
Enrollment
423
Near CA avg (~480)
Free/Reduced Lunch
30%
34pp below CA avg (64%)
Student-Teacher Ratio
24:1
3 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$18,437
District avg: $12,431 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
20.5% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$65,219 – $130,638
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Marian Bergeson Elementary in Laguna Niguel, 54.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 55.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Marian Bergeson Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 0.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (55.4% Math proficient); Asian students (82.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 17.4 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 73 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Homeless+20.7pp
28.0% vs 7.3% overall · n=25
Math · Hispanic−19.3pp
52.6% vs 71.9% overall · n=19
3 more gaps by subject
ELA · Low-Income−17.4pp
51.5% vs 68.9% overall · n=73
ELA Exceeded · Low-Income−18.8pp
34.5% vs 53.3% overall · n=73
Math Exceeded · Low-Income−17.2pp
29.9% vs 47.1% overall · n=74
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income74 tested
ELA 54.8%·Math 55.4%· -0.4pp vs district
Asian57 tested
ELA 82.5%·Math 93.0%· -4.6pp vs district
Two or More Races51 tested
ELA 82.4%·Math 84.3%· +3.0pp 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.
Low-income student ELA proficiency rises by 30.8pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +4.8pp.
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
8.1 years avg experience
25 teachers · 8% first-year · 4% second-year
Teacher Credentials
96% 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%
50.2%
↑ vs CA 21.6% · 77th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
70.4%
↑ vs CA 42.9% · 71th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
+3.6pp
↑ vs CA -3.0pp · 52th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
7.3%
↑ vs CA 18.1% · 68th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.8%
↑ vs CA 1.7% · 57th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
20.5%
↑ vs CA 17.7% · 77th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 53 | 51% | 8% | 26% | 15% | 58% | +15 |
| Grade 4 | 77 | 48% | 21% | 14% | 17% | 69% | +24 |
| Grade 5 | 79 | 61% | 18% | 14% | 8% | 78% | +31 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 53 | 49% | 32% | 6% | 13% | 81% | +35 |
| Grade 4 | 79 | 46% | 22% | 27% | 6% | 67% | +25 |
| Grade 5 | 79 | 47% | 22% | 16% | 15% | 68% | +33 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 79 | 35% | 33% | 28% | 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 | 73 | 54.8% | −0 | +17 |
| Asian | 57 | 82.5% | −5 | +8 |
| Two or More Races | 51 | 82.4% | +3 | +21 |
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marian Bergeson Elementary ← | — | 71 | 50.2% | 70.4% | +3.6 | 0.8% |
| Laguna Niguel Elementary | 0.9 mi | 72 | 52.3% | 75.5% | −15.3 | 0.7% |
| Moulton Elementary | 2.7 mi | 69 | 46.3% | 69.8% | −14.3 | 1.1% |
| Carl Hankey Elementary | 2.3 mi | 67 | 35.9% | 63.9% | +17.9 | 1.3% |
| California average | — | 44 | 21.6% | 42.9% | −3.0 | 1.7% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #879 → #671 → #471 → #900 → #452
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,230 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
Frequently asked questions
Is Marian Bergeson Elementary a good elementary school?
Marian Bergeson Elementary has a Scope Score of 71 out of 100, placing it in the 91st percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #452 statewide. 50.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 28.6 percentage points above the California average of 21.6%. 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 Marian Bergeson Elementary's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 70.4% of students at Marian Bergeson Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 50.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 20.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 50.2% 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. 420 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Marian Bergeson Elementary rank in California?
Marian Bergeson Elementary ranks #452 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 91st 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 Marian Bergeson Elementary getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Marian Bergeson Elementary increases by 3.6 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 growth. This upward trajectory suggests the school is adding measurable value — students leave with higher proficiency rates than they entered with. 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 Marian Bergeson Elementary?
7.3% of students at Marian Bergeson Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 18.1%. The suspension rate is 0.8%, 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 Marian Bergeson Elementary compare to other schools in Laguna Niguel?
Marian Bergeson Elementary scores 71/100 (91st 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 423 students. Use the schools in Laguna Niguel page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Marian Bergeson Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Marian Bergeson Elementary in Laguna Niguel, 54.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 55.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Marian Bergeson Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 0.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (55.4% Math proficient); Asian students (82.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 17.4 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 73 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.