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Miraleste Intermediate · Rancho Palos Verdes

Miraleste Intermediate: 66% of kids clear the bar — ahead of the state's 39%. But this year's 8th graders test below its 6th graders.

Miraleste Intermediate posts 66% meeting the standard, against 39% across the state. The number below is the one to ask about on a visit.

2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5943
% Exceeded36%17%
% Met+66%39%
Growth-3.6+1.5
Absence12.4%18.5%
Suspension4.3%3.7%
Scope Score
59
🏫 Solid Base · Solid
ranked #328 statewide · #3 of 3 in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified

Miraleste Intermediate scores 59 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 85th percentile of 2,238 California middle schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🏫 Solid Base — Ask what the school does for a kid who's already meeting the standard with room to spare — steady proficiency across the board doesn't tell you whether the strongest kids are being pushed further.

Most rating sites would stop at “66% proficient” and call it done. Miraleste Intermediate deserves a closer read. It sits at the 85th percentile of 2,238 California middle schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

Miraleste Intermediate's low-income kids hit 50.9% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

Has held the 85th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAOrange(Declined Significantly)MathYellow(Declined Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 66% meet the standard today, versus 69% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 676%66%70%69%74%
Grade 773%78%80%74%65%
Grade 868%77%70%74%67%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 669%48%59%66%62%
Grade 763%59%66%66%65%
Grade 865%66%65%68%62%

The story this school is actually telling

The floor · met or exceeded
65.7%

of students met or exceeded the standard, versus 39.3% statewide.

↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The trajectory · grade 6→8
3.6pp

proficiency runs 68% in this year's grade 6 against 64% in its grade 8. The state average falls by −0.5pp over the same span.

↓ the part no ranking site shows you

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

34%
39%
27%
Grade 6 · 73% proficient
26%
40%
34%
Grade 7 · 66% proficient
31%
35%
34%
Grade 8 · 66% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 2.9pp across grades; the floor slips 7.1pp. The state average falls 0.5pp over the same span. The school's 8th graders aren't posting a wider lead than its 6th graders. One question worth asking on a tour: are the strongest students being pushed, or coasting? A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

50.9%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Miraleste Intermediate's most underrated number

50.9% 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.

Miraleste Intermediate low-income: 50.9%State low-income: 38.2%

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
35.7%
State 16.8%
18.9pp above state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
-3.6pp
State +1.5pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
65.7%
State 39.3%
26.4pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
12.4%
State 18.5%
6.1pp below state avg
Suspension rate
4.3%
State 3.7%
0.6pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
26.3%
State 18.0%
8.3pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask the principal what changes between grade 6 and grade 8. Ask who teaches the older grades, and what the school does when a child starts falling behind.

  • Ask what changes between grade 6 and grade 8 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • 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.

How every group of students does here

At Miraleste Intermediate in Rancho Palos Verdes, 50.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 67.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Miraleste Intermediate trails its district average for low-income students by 16.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (43.1% Math proficient); White students (66.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 42.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 103 students tested.

All students at this school: 66% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 66%, district —, state 39%66%
MaleMale: this school 63%, district 78%, state 42%63% · −3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 68%, district 79%, state 44%68% · +3 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 65%, district 75%, state 56%65% · −1 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 46%, district 61%, state 32%46% · −20 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 86%, district 89%, state 72%86% · +21 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 77%, district 83%, state 56%77% · +11 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 47%, district 64%, state 32%47% · −19 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 26%, district 42%, state 15%26% · −40 vs school
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: this school 60%, district 59%, state 46%60% · −6 vs school

6 of 16 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group
Subgroup growth by grade

Change in proficiency from the lowest tested grade — which groups gain ground the longer they stay. Groups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Low-income student ELA proficiency falls by 26.1pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: -6.4pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 12.4%, district 9.5%, state 18.5%12.4% · −6.1pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 4.3%, district —, state 3.7%4.3% · +0.6pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–611.6%
Grades 7–812.6%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 21:1, district 22:121:1
Teaching staff38 teachers
Avg. experience18.7 years
Fully credentialed79%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$65,722 – $123,108
Principal salary$141,579 – $192,613
Superintendent salary$300,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $15,661, CA average $14,815$15,661 · spent at this school
District current expense · FY 2024–25$17,611 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction67%
Instruction support7%
Student services8%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other1%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$12,873 per pupil
2019$12,030 per pupil
2018$12,484 per pupil
2017$11,907 per pupil
2016$11,441 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White41.7%
District 37.3% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic23.3%
District 16.0% · CA 56.1%
Other16.8%
District 14.6% · CA 9.0%
Asian16.3%
District 30.1% · CA 10.2%
Black1.9%
District 2.0% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 14.2% (50pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$179K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.61M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+71% · CA 35%
ZIP population40,945
Median age49 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 63% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Miraleste Intermediate a good middle school?

Miraleste Intermediate has a Scope Score of 59 out of 100, placing it in the 85th percentile of California middle schools and ranked #328 statewide. 35.7% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 18.9 percentage points above the California average of 16.8%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for middle schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 6-to-8 growth (27%), met or exceeded (proficient) (20%), 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 Miraleste Intermediate's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 65.7% of students at Miraleste Intermediate met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 35.7% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 30.0% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 35.7% 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. 1,377 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Miraleste Intermediate rank in California?

Miraleste Intermediate ranks #328 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 85th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 6 to grade 8 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 Miraleste Intermediate getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Miraleste Intermediate decreases by 3.6 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth. This downward pattern doesn't necessarily mean the school is failing — it can reflect cohort differences, demographic shifts, or curriculum changes. A campus visit and conversation with teachers can reveal what the numbers can't. Growth trajectory is weighted at 15% in the middle 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 Miraleste Intermediate?

12.4% of students at Miraleste Intermediate are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 4.3%. 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 Miraleste Intermediate compare to other schools in Rancho Palos Verdes?

Miraleste Intermediate scores 59/100 (85th percentile) among California middle 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 720 students. Use the schools in Rancho Palos Verdes page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Miraleste Intermediate serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Miraleste Intermediate in Rancho Palos Verdes, 50.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 67.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Miraleste Intermediate trails its district average for low-income students by 16.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (43.1% Math proficient); White students (66.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 42.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 103 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.

Your other options

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.


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 · 38%
35.7%
↑ vs CA 16.8% · 71th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
-3.6pp
↓ vs CA +1.5pp · 47th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
65.7%
↑ vs CA 39.3% · 71th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
12.4%
↑ vs CA 18.5% · 59th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
4.3%
↓ vs CA 3.7% · 47th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
26.3%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 57th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 622434%39%17%9%74%+27
Grade 721526%40%21%14%65%+17
Grade 825131%35%15%18%67%+20
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 622342%20%22%16%62%+27
Grade 721340%25%23%12%65%+31
Grade 825141%21%19%19%62%+29
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1125129%34%34%2%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged10350.9%−17+13
White28766.9%−13+5
Hispanic/Latino16351.5%−17+13
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Miraleste Intermediate ←5935.7%65.7%−3.64.3%
Rudecinda Sepulveda Dodson Middle1.1 mi6235.7%63.8%−2.80.1%
Richard Henry Dana Middle2.3 mi4011.2%31.3%+3.60.1%
California average4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195986#29036.7%68.8%6.1%3.4%-5.8pp
20226994#13733.0%65.8%16.1%1.4%+14.9pp
20236992#16835.9%68.3%9.7%2.5%+2.9pp
20247395#11637.8%69.4%14.7%0.9%+3.5pp
20255985#32835.7%65.7%12.4%4.3%-3.6pp
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
Group20192025Δ
Female3.9%10.2%+6.3pp
Male8.1%14.2%+6.1pp
Asian3.6%5.9%+2.3pp
Black/African American11.4%7.1%-4.3pp
Filipino5.9%
White5.3%
Hispanic/Latino7.4%19.0%+11.6pp
Two or More Races1.9%12.5%+10.6pp
Students with Disabilities16.4%25.2%+8.8pp
English Learners12.5%11.1%-1.4pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged15.8%23.0%+7.2pp
All Students6.1%12.3%+6.2pp
Homeless8.7%
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,238 middle schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

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