School Profile · Tustin
Peters Canyon Elementary: High scores, real growth, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.
Peters Canyon posts 53.1% 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.
26900 Peters Canyon Road, 92782·Tustin Unified·Tustin·Grades TK-5·399 students·31% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(714) 730-7540
Scope Score
76
⭐ High Ceiling · Strong
ranked #272 statewide · #4 of 18 in Tustin Unified
Peters Canyon Elementary scores 76 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 95th 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 “74% proficient” and call it done. Peters Canyon deserves a closer read. The school sits in Tustin, where one in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 53.1% 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.
57%
15%
28%
Grade 3 · 72% proficient
52%
23%
25%
Grade 4 · 75% proficient
52%
26%
22%
Grade 5 · 78% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding falls 5.3pp across grades; the floor rises 6.0pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.
57.4%
Low-income · ELA · met standard
Peters Canyon's most underrated number
57.4% 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.
Peters Canyon low-income: 57.4%State low-income: 38.2%
The 6 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
53.1%
State 21.6%
31.5pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
73.9%
State 42.9%
31.0pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+6.9pp
State -3.0pp
Scores improve across grades
Chronic absenteeism
10.0%
State 18.1%
8.1pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.1%
State 1.7%
1.5pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
55.6%
State 17.7%
37.8pp 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
Peters Canyon Elementary
76/100
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 88
Santiago Hills Elementary
Irvine Unified · 2.8 mi
Strong
92/100
Tustin Memorial Elementary
Tustin Unified · 1.6 mi
Strong
86/100
Orchard Hills
Tustin Unified · 1.4 mi
Strong
86/100
Nearby Middle Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 53
Pioneer Middle
Tustin Unified · 0.4 mi
Solid
67/100
Hewes Middle
Tustin Unified · 2.2 mi
Solid
53/100
C. E. Utt Middle
Tustin Unified · 2.5 mi
Developing
39/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
Fairmont Private School, North Tustin Campus
Newport Ave · Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-8 · 317 students
10:1Private2 mi
The Prentice School
Lassen Dr · Nonsectarian · Grades 2-8 · 149 students
5:1Private2.6 mi
Olive Crest Academy
N Canal St · Nonsectarian · Grades 2-12 · 134 students
9:1Private6.2 mi
Koguma Youchien
Warner Ave #d · Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-8 · 71 students
13:1Private4.9 mi
The Open School
N Tustin Ave · Nonsectarian · Grades N · 59 students
15:1Private3.9 mi
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic26.8%
White18.8%
Asian37.1%
Black1.8%
Other15.5%
GenderFemale 42.6%Male 57.4%
Resources & Access
Enrollment
399
81 below CA avg (~480)
Free/Reduced Lunch
31%
32pp below CA avg (64%)
Student-Teacher Ratio
25:1
4 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$15,364
District avg: $12,042 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
55.6% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$63,595 – $136,551
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Peters Canyon Elementary in Tustin, 57.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Peters Canyon Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 11.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (57.4% Math proficient); Asian students (87.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 32.1 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 61 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Disabilities+15.3pp
25.3% vs 10.0% overall · n=91
ELA · Disabilities−32.1pp
42.9% vs 75.0% overall · n=21
3 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · Hispanic−30.7pp
23.1% vs 53.8% overall · n=38
Math · Disabilities−25.7pp
47.6% vs 73.3% overall · n=21
Math Exceeded · Hispanic−29.0pp
23.3% vs 52.3% overall · n=38
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income61 tested
ELA 57.4%·Math 57.4%· +11.5pp vs district
Asian86 tested
ELA 87.2%·Math 91.5%· +0.5pp vs district
Hispanic50 tested
ELA 52.0%·Math 50.7%· +10.0pp 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 11.1pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +7.6pp.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$146K
$61K above CA median
Median Home Value
$1.15M
$490K above CA median
Bachelor's+
66%
31pp 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
17.4 years avg experience
17 teachers
Teacher Credentials
89% 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%
53.1%
↑ vs CA 21.6% · 80th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
73.9%
↑ vs CA 42.9% · 73th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
+6.9pp
↑ vs CA -3.0pp · 75th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
10.0%
↑ vs CA 18.1% · 63th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.1%
↑ vs CA 1.7% · 63th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
55.6%
↑ vs CA 17.7% · 49th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 61 | 57% | 15% | 15% | 13% | 72% | +29 |
| Grade 4 | 75 | 52% | 23% | 11% | 15% | 75% | +30 |
| Grade 5 | 73 | 52% | 26% | 11% | 11% | 78% | +30 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 34 | 53% | 12% | 18% | 18% | 65% | +19 |
| Grade 4 | 75 | 53% | 28% | 4% | 15% | 81% | +40 |
| Grade 5 | 73 | 51% | 22% | 14% | 14% | 73% | +37 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 73 | 25% | 36% | 29% | 11% |
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 | 61 | 57.4% | +11 | +19 |
| Asian | 86 | 87.2% | +1 | +13 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 50 | 52.0% | +10 | +13 |
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peters Canyon Elementary ← | — | 76 | 53.1% | 73.9% | +6.9 | 0.1% |
| Santiago Hills Elementary | 2.8 mi | 92 | 66.6% | 86.0% | +3.7 | 0.8% |
| Tustin Memorial Elementary | 1.6 mi | 86 | 60.7% | 88.3% | −0.1 | 0.7% |
| Orchard Hills | 1.4 mi | 86 | 65.2% | 86.0% | +7.0 | 1.4% |
| 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 #330 → #185 → #381 → #617 → #272
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 Peters Canyon Elementary a good elementary school?
Peters Canyon Elementary has a Scope Score of 76 out of 100, placing it in the 95th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #272 statewide. 53.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 31.5 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 Peters Canyon Elementary's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 73.9% of students at Peters Canyon Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 53.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 20.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 53.1% 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. 391 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Peters Canyon Elementary rank in California?
Peters Canyon Elementary ranks #272 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 95th 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 Peters Canyon Elementary getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Peters Canyon Elementary increases by 6.9 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 Peters Canyon Elementary?
10.0% of students at Peters Canyon 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 0.1%, 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 Peters Canyon Elementary compare to other schools in Tustin?
Peters Canyon Elementary scores 76/100 (95th 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 399 students. Use the schools in Tustin page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Peters Canyon Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Peters Canyon Elementary in Tustin, 57.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Peters Canyon Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 11.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (57.4% Math proficient); Asian students (87.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 32.1 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 61 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.