Public school · Santa Ana Unified · Santa Ana, California

Saddleback High — Rating & test scores

Santa Ana · 7–12 · 1,451 students (2024–25)

20thpercentileNeeds Support

The dots are California’s 1,498 scored public high schools, placed by Scope Score on spring 2025 tests. Why not spring 2026? High school scores include graduation and college-readiness records, which the state publishes a year after the tests. How it’s built →

Scope Score
46

Weighted composite · 2024–25
A weighted mix of seven measures.

See this school’s score factors ↓
Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100
Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100
Needs Support25 in 100Developing25 in 100Solid25 in 100Strong25 in 100

In 2024–25, 98% of the class graduated in four years (322 of 330); across California, 89%.

Source
Source
CDE four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR), 2024–25
Students
students who started 9th grade together: 330
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).

This rating covers grade 11. Saddleback High teaches 7–12: grades 7 and 8 results ↓

How to enroll
Compare

Compare schools

Choose up to four high schools.

Type at least two characters to search.

Save

Sign in to save this school

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.

In grades 7 and 8, spring 2026, 66% scored Proficient or Advanced in English (reading and writing), against 50% across California.

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

Sources
The sentence above
California’s state tests (CAASPP), California Department of Education, spring 2026. All students tested in grades 7 and 8. California: CDE’s grade 7 and 8 rows for the whole state combined, weighted by students tested (our calculation; 838,600 in English tested).

Common questions

How do I get in?

Ask Santa Ana Unified which school serves your address. Evidence ↓

Is Saddleback a good high school?

Saddleback High scores higher than 20 in 100 of California’s 1,498 scored public high schools: 20th percentile, Needs Support, spring 2025. Evidence ↓

How often do students miss school or get suspended?

In 2025–26, 25 in 100 students missed 10% or more of school days, against 20 in 100 at the average Santa Ana Unified high school. 3.7% of students (54 of 1,460) were suspended at least once in 2025–26, against 2.9% at the average California high school. Evidence ↓

More questions (5)

How does math compare with English?

In grade 11, spring 2026, math trails English by 19 percentage points in the share who scored Proficient or Advanced, against 25 points across California. Evidence ↓

How do kids like mine do here?

In spring 2026, 43% of low-income students in grades 7, 8 and 11 at Saddleback High in Santa Ana scored Proficient or Advanced in English, against 43% for the same group across California. Evidence ↓

What could my child study here?

The College Board approved this school to teach 17 AP courses in 6 subjects for 2025–26.

  • 110 students took a college course for credit in 2023–24, by the federal Civil Rights Data Collection

Evidence ↓

Where do students go after finishing high school here?

73% of the class of 2023 enrolled in college within 12 months, by CDE’s college-going records. Evidence ↓

What should I ask on a visit?

The questions drawn from this page are under Next steps, ready to copy. Evidence ↓

Academic achievement

How did students here do on state tests?

Well below California in both subjects.

State tests (CAASPP), grade 11, spring 2026

In grade 11, spring 2026, 32% scored Proficient or Advanced in English and 13% in math, against 57% and 32% across California.

Source
Source
California’s state tests (CAASPP), California Department of Education, spring 2026
Students
all students tested in grade 11: 261 in English, 262 in math
Comparison
California: CDE’s grade 11 rows for the whole state combined, weighted by students tested (our calculation; 414,559 in English, 413,523 in math tested). The comparisons use the same grade and year.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standard

English

Grade 11 · spring 2026 · 261 tested

Advanced
11%
Proficient
21%
Below the standard
68%
This school32%
California57%
Santa Ana Unified45%

32% Proficient or Advanced in grade 11.

Math

Grade 11 · spring 2026 · 262 tested

Advanced
3%
Proficient
10%
Below the standard
87%
This school13%
California32%
Santa Ana Unified19%

13% Proficient or Advanced in grade 11.

Results for each grade, spring 2026English and math · grades 7, 8 and 11 · every level, with tested counts

What each level means: California's level descriptions.

English

English, grades 7 and 8: share of students tested, spring 2026
MeasureGrade 7Grade 8
Proficient or Advanced62%71%
Advanced12%10%
Proficient50%61%
Developing level21%24%
Minimal17%5%
Tested6559
California51%49%
Difference+11+22
English, grade 11: share of students tested, spring 2026
MeasureGrade 11
Proficient or Advanced32%
Advanced11%
Proficient21%
Developing level28%
Minimal40%
Tested261
California57%
Difference−25

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

Math, grades 7 and 8: share of students tested, spring 2026
MeasureGrade 7Grade 8
Proficient or Advanced34%32%
Advanced5%5%
Proficient29%27%
Developing level40%36%
Minimal26%32%
Tested6559
California38%36%
Difference−4−4
Math, grade 11: share of students tested, spring 2026
MeasureGrade 11
Proficient or Advanced13%
Advanced3%
Proficient10%
Developing level17%
Minimal70%
Tested262
California32%
Difference−19

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.

New to these scores? Read CAASPP scores explained: how to read your child’s report →

How do the middle grades do?

Well above California in English; near it in math. In grades 7 and 8, spring 2026, 66% scored Proficient or Advanced in English and 33% in math, against 50% and 37% across California.

English

Grades 7 and 8 · spring 2026 · 124 tested

Advanced
11%
Proficient
55%
Below the standard
34%
This school66%
California50%
Santa Ana Unified34%

66% Proficient or Advanced in grades 7 and 8.

Math

Grades 7 and 8 · spring 2026 · 124 tested

Advanced
5%
Proficient
28%
Below the standard
67%
This school33%
California37%
Santa Ana Unified23%

33% Proficient or Advanced in grades 7 and 8.

How does math compare with English?

In grade 11, spring 2026, math trails English by 19 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.

Have results changed?

Results in both subjects were similar to 2025. English went from 30% to 32% and math from 10% to 13%.

Ask: What extra help do students who are behind get, and how do you know it’s working?

All four levelsThe state’s test levels Advanced, Proficient, the Developing level (formerly Nearly met) and Minimal, with tested counts
Share of students tested at each level, spring 2026
StudentsAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalTested
English, grade 11 · This school11%21%28%40%261
English, grade 11 · California27%30%21%22%414,559
English, grade 11 · Santa Ana Unified16%29%26%29%2,691
Math, grade 11 · This school3%10%17%70%262
Math, grade 11 · California16%16%20%48%413,523
Math, grade 11 · Santa Ana Unified6%13%22%59%2,706
English, grades 7 and 8 · This school11%55%23%11%124
English, grades 7 and 8 · California19%31%23%27%838,600
English, grades 7 and 8 · Santa Ana Unified9%25%29%37%5,343
Math, grades 7 and 8 · This school5%28%38%29%124
Math, grades 7 and 8 · California21%16%23%40%838,896
Math, grades 7 and 8 · Santa Ana Unified10%13%23%54%5,333

Below the standard combines the state’s Developing and Minimal levels, its two lowest. Data source: California Department of Education, spring 2026. The state comparison combines CDE’s rows for the same grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation). The district row combines its public schools in the same grades, weighted by students tested.

Grade 11 tests are one part of the picture. Graduation, readiness and college destinations answer different questions below.

Each grade’s results: English ↑ · Math ↑

Results since 20178 tested years shown · English and math have stayed well below California in every tested year since 2017

Chart and table: 2017–2026.

English top two levels, grade 11
This schoolCalifornia
0%50%100%20172022202632%57%
Math top two levels, grade 11
This schoolCalifornia
0%50%100%20172022202613%32%

The lines break across the COVID years, when state testing was waived or optional.

In grade 11, the share at the state’s top two levels in English went from 34% in 2017 to 32% in 2026. In math, it went from 14% in 2017 to 13% in 2026. Each year is a different group of students.

Each year’s results and tested counts

English · top two levels · grade 11
YearThis schoolCalifornia
201734%
308 tested
60%
444,040 tested
201833%
367 tested
56%
439,134 tested
201925%
290 tested
57%
439,947 tested
202240%
336 tested
55%
427,007 tested
202331%
328 tested
55%
442,128 tested
202431%
326 tested
56%
435,296 tested
202530%
312 tested
57%
432,651 tested
202632%
261 tested
57%
414,559 tested
Math · top two levels · grade 11
YearThis schoolCalifornia
201714%
309 tested
32%
442,457 tested
201819%
366 tested
31%
437,883 tested
201915%
290 tested
32%
438,107 tested
202216%
335 tested
27%
424,390 tested
20239%
331 tested
27%
440,912 tested
202412%
326 tested
28%
434,711 tested
202510%
313 tested
30%
431,903 tested
202613%
262 tested
32%
413,523 tested

What you can do

Who can act on Saddleback’s results?

Santa Ana Unified’s board decides Saddleback’s plan.

The state hasn’t placed Saddleback in a support program. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26. Source 

When is the plan set, and how can you take part?

Santa Ana Unified’s board must adopt its yearly plan (LCAP) by July 1, after at least one public hearing at an earlier meeting.

How to take part

  • Watch the board’s agenda: the hearing is posted at least 72 hours ahead.
  • Send written comments on the actions and spending the plan proposes.
  • Raise questions through the district’s parent advisory committee; the superintendent must answer its comments in writing.
  • Read the midyear report, due by February 28.
  • Read Santa Ana Unified’s 2026–27 plan (LCAP, PDF) 

Life at school

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

98% of students graduated in four years in 2024–25.

State graduation, readiness, college-going, attendance and suspension records

That compares with 89% across California. 52% were ready for college or career (state measure) in 2024–25. 73% of the class of 2023 enrolled in college within 12 months.

Preparation · each measure describes a different student group

Graduated in four years

98%

Across California: 89%

2024–25 · 322 of 330 students who started 9th grade together

Ready for college or career (state measure)

52%

Across California: 52%

2024–25 · 170 of 330 students in the state’s measure

Finished the UC/CSU course list

45%

Average California high school: 56%

2024–25 · 146 of 322 graduates finished the UC/CSU course list

Destinations · class of 2023

Where students who finished high school went

73% enrolled in college within 12 months · 337 students who finished high school

  • University of California UC detail ↓23 · 7%
  • California State University CSU detail ↓25 · 7%
  • California community college180 · 53%
  • In-state private17 · 5%
  • Out-of-state, 4-year0 · 0%
  • Out-of-state, 2-year2 · 1%
  • Not enrolled90 · 27%

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.

What could my child study here?

AP courses the school is approved to teach

The College Board approved this school to teach 17 AP courses in 6 subjects for 2025–26.

College Board AP Course Audit Ledger · 2025–26. Authorization doesn’t show which courses run or who can take them; ask the school.

  • Math & Computer Science3
  • Sciences2
  • English2
  • History & Social Science6
  • World Languages & Cultures2
  • Arts2
Every approved AP course17 courses in 6 subjects
Math & Computer Science 3
  • Calculus AB
  • Calculus BC
  • Precalculus
Sciences 2
  • Biology
  • Environmental Science
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
  • Spanish Language and Culture
  • Spanish Literature and Culture
Arts 2
  • 2-D Art and Design
  • Drawing

International Baccalaureate

  • Diploma Programme

Matched IB World Schools directory record · retrieved 2026-08-13. Confirm current programme availability with the school.

What other courses and pathways are on record?

College courses in high school (dual enrollment)
110 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.

Ask: How does the school help students who don’t go to college plan what comes next?

Where these figures come fromEach measure’s source, student group and definition
Graduated in four years
2024–25 · 322 of 330 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 · 170 of 330 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 · 146 of 322 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
66
Admitted
45
Enrolled
16

By campus · fall 2025

  • UC IrvineApplied 52 · Admitted 9 · Enrolled 3
  • UCLAApplied 45 · Admitted 6 · Enrolled 5
  • UC San DiegoApplied 36 · Admitted 16 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC RiversideApplied 35 · Admitted 24 · Enrolled 3
  • UC Santa BarbaraApplied 31 · Admitted 12 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC BerkeleyApplied 20 · Admitted under 3 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC DavisApplied 20 · Admitted 8 · Enrolled 3
  • UC MercedApplied 19 · Admitted 16 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC Santa CruzApplied 13 · Admitted 4 · 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 66 · Admitted 45 · Enrolled 16
  • Fall 2024Applied 72 · Admitted 43 · Enrolled 20
  • Fall 2023Applied 73 · Admitted 48 · Enrolled 24
  • Fall 2022Applied 76 · Admitted 43 · Enrolled 13
  • Fall 2021Applied 52 · Admitted 28 · Enrolled 14
  • Fall 2020Applied 62 · Admitted 32 · Enrolled 9
  • Fall 2019Applied 89 · Admitted 54 · Enrolled 25
  • Fall 2018Applied 74 · Admitted 37 · Enrolled 19
  • Fall 2017Applied 85 · Admitted 36 · Enrolled 17
  • Fall 2016Applied 69 · Admitted 36 · Enrolled 17

CSU’s own records

California State University

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

Applied
116
Admitted
105
Enrolled
42

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 415 · Admitted 313 · Enrolled 102
  • Cal State Long BeachApplied 355 · Admitted 102 · Enrolled 12
  • Cal Poly PomonaApplied 169 · Admitted 82 · Enrolled under 6
  • San Diego StateApplied 163 · Admitted 23 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State Dominguez HillsApplied 121 · Admitted 96 · Enrolled —
  • Cal State LAApplied 107 · Admitted 86 · Enrolled under 6
  • San Francisco StateApplied 56 · Admitted 49 · Enrolled under 6
  • CSU BakersfieldApplied 53 · Admitted 41 · Enrolled —
  • Cal State San MarcosApplied 49 · Admitted 45 · Enrolled under 6
  • Chico StateApplied 47 · Admitted 37 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal Poly San Luis ObispoApplied 47 · Admitted 10 · Enrolled —
  • Cal State NorthridgeApplied 46 · Admitted 38 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State San BernardinoApplied 34 · Admitted 28 · Enrolled —
  • CSU Channel IslandsApplied 33 · Admitted 24 · Enrolled —
  • San José StateApplied 32 · Admitted 28 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State East BayApplied 27 · Admitted 23 · Enrolled —
  • Fresno StateApplied 25 · Admitted 22 · Enrolled under 6
  • Cal State Monterey BayApplied 24 · Admitted 22 · Enrolled under 6
  • Sacramento StateApplied 20 · Admitted 19 · Enrolled —
  • Cal Poly HumboldtApplied 16 · Admitted 14 · Enrolled —
  • Stanislaus StateApplied 9 · Admitted 9 · Enrolled —
  • Sonoma StateApplied 7 · Admitted 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 116 · Admitted 105 · Enrolled 42
  • Fall 2024Applied 110 · Admitted 102 · Enrolled 29
  • Fall 2023Applied 113 · Admitted 97 · Enrolled 25
  • Fall 2022Applied 90 · Admitted 76 · Enrolled 25
  • Fall 2021Applied 80 · Admitted 76 · Enrolled 13

How often do students miss school or get suspended?

25 in 100 students were chronically absent in 2025–26. That means they missed 10% or more of school days. At the average Santa Ana Unified high school, 20 in 100 were. 3.7% of students were suspended at least once in 2025–26, against 2.9% at the average California high school.

Source
Source
CDE chronic absenteeism and suspension files, 2025–26
Students
chronic absence: 359 of 1,438 students counted for it; suspension: 54 of 1,460 students enrolled during the year
Comparison
Each comparison is the rate at the average school (our average of school rates), not a pooled rate. Also: suspensions at the average Santa Ana Unified high school 3.2%.

Chronically absent, 2025–26

25 in 100This school
20 in 100At the average Santa Ana Unified high school
22 in 100At the average California high school

359 of 1,438 students were chronically absent, meaning they missed 10% or more of school days.

Suspensions, 2025–26

3.7%

of students were suspended at least once (54 of 1,460). Average California high school 2.9%.

Ask: When a child starts missing school, who calls the family, and how soon?

Chronic absence by grade2025–26 · per 100 students, with counts
  • Grades 7–8: 2 in 100, 2 of 124
  • Grades 9–12: 27 in 100, 357 of 1,314
Ask families and staff yourselfWhat to ask the people at Saddleback

Ask current families how the school keeps them informed, and what happened when their child needed help. Ask staff how long teachers tend to stay.

Questions for your visit ↓

Work here? Answer the staff questions.

Every learner

How do kids like mine do here?

Three student groups scored below the same groups across California in English.

Student groups, grade 11, spring 2026

30% of Hispanic or Latino students scored Proficient or Advanced in English (grade 11, spring 2026), against 49% for the same group across California. Low-income students and English learners also scored below the same groups across California; the chart gives their figures. Every group’s math results are in the table below.

Source
Source
California Department of Education, CAASPP research file, spring 2026
Students
grade 11; each row gives its tested count. Low-income is CDE’s “socioeconomically disadvantaged”.
Comparison
California: the same group in the same grades, CDE’s rows for the whole state combined and weighted by students tested (our calculation).
SaddlebackSame group, California
  • Low-income250 tested33%Same group, California 49%
  • Hispanic or Latino251 tested30%Same group, California 49%
  • Homeless32 tested22%Same group, California 35%
  • Students with disabilities45 tested11%Same group, California 19%
  • English learners80 tested1%Same group, California 8%

Proficient or Advanced, grade 11 English, spring 2026. In math the same groups run from 0% to 17%; every value is in the table below.

Who are the students?

2025–26 · students counted
1. Hispanic or Latino: 95%2. Asian: 2%3. White: <1%4. Filipino: <1%Unallocated share: 1%. 100% minus available shares; not a student group.Reported shares2025–26
  1. Hispanic or Latino95%
  2. Asian2%
  3. White<1%
  4. Filipino<1%
  5. Black or African American—
  6. Two or more races—
  7. American Indian or Alaska Native—
  8. Pacific Islander—
  9. Not reported—
  10. Unallocated share1%
A dash means the share isn’t available; it isn’t zero. The unallocated share is what’s left after the shares we have; it isn’t a student group. Source and comparisons: the full student mix below.

Are English learners moving up on the state’s English test?

37% of English learners here moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top, spring 2025 to spring 2026.

Spring 2025 to spring 2026 · English learners with state English test (ELPAC) scores in both years

This school · 117 of 313 English learners37%
Santa Ana Unified · 4,026 of 9,32543%
California · 355,274 of 748,91647%

It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent. Data source: California Department of Education, 2026 Dashboard ↗.

Who are the families and teachers?

94%of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25, 1,364 of 1,451. California: 63%.

102teachers, 2024–25

12 yearsaverage experience, 2024–25

1%in their first year, 2024–25

70%of teaching positions with proper credential and placement, 2021–22

Ask: What extra help is there in English for Hispanic or Latino students and other student groups, and how does the school check that it works?

All group results, district comparisons and sources
Proficient or Advancedgrade 11 · spring 2026
Group and subjectHerevs Santa Ana Unifiedvs California
Low-income · 250 tested in English, 251 in math
English33%−1144%−1649%
Math12%−618%−1123%
Hispanic or Latino · 251 tested in English, 252 in math
English30%−1444%−1949%
Math13%−518%−821%
English learners · 80 tested in English, 78 in math
English1%−34%−78%
Math1%−12%−78%
Students with disabilities · 45 tested in English, 43 in math
English11%−112%−819%
Math0%−44%−88%
Homeless · 32 tested in English, 30 in math
English22%−1335%−1335%
Math17%−421%+215%

Each gap is to the same group, grades and subject: in Santa Ana Unified, and across California. No group that is behind across California does 10 or more points better here.

Military-family students: fewer than 30 tested here. No published rate here for Asian, Black or African American, Filipino, White, American Indian or Alaska Native and Pacific Islander students, students of two or more races 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.

Full student mix, comparisons and sources, 2025–26
Students, 2025–26Here
Hispanic or Latino95%
Asian2%
White<1%
Filipino<1%
Black or African American—
Two or more races—
American Indian or Alaska Native—
Pacific Islander—
Not reported—

Data source: California Department of Education chronic-absence file, 2025–26. Shares are of the students the file counts for attendance (CDE’s “eligible enrollment”); unavailable categories are shown as a dash.

How the credential rate is counted

CDE SARC report 2024–25, measured 2021–22: 70% of teaching positions, 57.1 properly credentialed teaching-position FTE out of 81.5 total position FTE. This measures positions, not individual teachers.

Next steps

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

From parts of Manuel Esqueda Elementary, McFadden Institute of Technology, Gerald P. Carr Intermediate and Julia C. Lathrop Intermediate.

Boundaries split some neighborhoods. Each school’s standing compares it with California schools at its own level.

Middle · part of its area

Split: some of its area goes to another high school

Middle · part of its area

Split: some of its area goes to another high school

Fed by 4 elementary schools

Middle · part of its area
Gerald P. Carr Intermediate 9th · Needs Support · 2026

Split: some of its area goes to another high school

Fed by 2 elementary schools

Middle · part of its area
Julia C. Lathrop Intermediate 16th · Needs Support · 2026

Split: some of its area goes to another high school

Fed by 3 elementary schools

High · this school
Saddleback High

13 more elementary schools reach into this zone at its edges.

From the district’s 2026 attendance boundaries. Shares are our estimate of where the zone’s children live, from 2020 Census child counts, or land area where few children were counted; they describe children living in the zone, not a school’s enrolled students. A boundary doesn’t guarantee placement: transfers, permits, magnets and other programs can change the path. Check your child’s address and current assignment with the district. Explore schools on the map

All feeding elementary schools (19)Grouped by the middle school each one feeds, with each school’s standing

Into McFadden Institute of Technology

Into Gerald P. Carr Intermediate

  • Martin ElementarySplit: some of its area goes to Julia C. Lathrop Intermediate35th · Developing · 2026
  • Manuel Esqueda ElementarySplit: some of its area goes to McFadden Institute of Technology and Julia C. Lathrop Intermediate11th · Needs Support · 2026

Into Julia C. Lathrop Intermediate

Reaching this zone only at its edges

All recorded links and nearby alternatives

Elementary links

Middle-school links

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.

How do I get in?

Ask Santa Ana Unified which school serves your address.

School website: saddleback.sausd.us ↗Office: (714) 513-2900Administrator: Atikah Osman
2801 South Flower, Santa Ana 92707

Directory location · Explore nearby schools on the map. Confirm which school serves your address with Santa Ana Unified.

Questions for your visit

  1. How much of each day do English learners spend learning English, and how do families see their progress? 37% of English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top, spring 2025 to spring 2026 (117 of 313 students); California: 47%
  2. What extra help do students who are behind get, and how do you know it’s working? 68% in English and 87% in math scored at the Developing or Minimal level, grade 11, spring 2026 (261 tested in English, 262 in math); California: 43% and 68%
  3. How does the school help students who don’t go to college plan what comes next?
  4. When a child starts missing school, who calls the family, and how soon? 25 in 100 chronically absent, 2025–26 (359 of 1,438 students); average Santa Ana Unified high school: 20 in 100
  5. Which courses and career pathways does the school run, and who can enroll?
  6. What support is available when a student falls behind on graduation requirements?

Office (714) 513-29002801 South Flower, directions  (opens Google Maps in a new tab)

Nearby high schoolsClosest first, by straight-line distance

The closest high schools, by straight-line distance from this campus. Distance isn’t an attendance boundary.

Nearby high schoolsPercentile among California high schools, 2025

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.

Source records

Every figure on this page, with its source, grades, year and count.

Score factorssource values, index and weights · 2024–25 · ranked #1,193 of 1,498 California high schools we score · #8 of 9 in Santa Ana Unified
Score factors, 2024–25
FactorSchoolIndexWeight
Graduation rate98%6225%
Exceeded standardaverage of English and math6%3822%
Ready for college or career (state measure)52%5520%
Met or exceededaverage of English and math20%3818%
Chronically absent21 in 100575%
Suspension rate5.1% (77 of 1,502)445%
English learners: top level10%395%

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.

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
2024–254620#1193California 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
2018–1912 in 1006.1% (100 of 1,648)
2021–22not on filenot on file
2022–23not on filenot on file
2023–2420 in 1005.5% (85 of 1,546)
2024–2521 in 1005.1% (77 of 1,502)

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
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 · English38511%43%
2026 · Math3864%19%
2025 · English4238%33%
2025 · Math4246%17%
2024 · English41511%34%
2024 · Math4153%18%
2023 · English4009%36%
2023 · Math4033%15%
2022 · English40013%42%
2022 · Math3994%19%
2019 · English3556%31%
2019 · Math3554%22%
2018 · English4349%35%
2018 · Math4337%22%
2017 · English3528%38%
2017 · Math3532%16%

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 7 · English6245%
2025 · Grade 8 · English4937%
2025 · Grade 11 · English31230%
2025 · Grade 7 · Math6239%
2025 · Grade 8 · Math4931%
2025 · Grade 11 · Math31310%
2024 · Grade 7 · English5044%
2024 · Grade 8 · English3954%
2024 · Grade 11 · English32631%
2024 · Grade 7 · Math5038%
2024 · Grade 8 · Math3941%
2024 · Grade 11 · Math32612%
2023 · Grade 7 · English3959%
2023 · Grade 8 · English3361%
2023 · Grade 11 · English32831%
2023 · Grade 7 · Math3956%
2023 · Grade 8 · Math3324%
2023 · Grade 11 · Math3319%
2022 · Grade 7 · English3070%
2022 · Grade 8 · English3441%
2022 · Grade 11 · English33640%
2022 · Grade 7 · Math3060%
2022 · Grade 8 · Math3421%
2022 · Grade 11 · Math33516%
2019 · Grade 7 · English3355%
2019 · Grade 8 · English3262%
2019 · Grade 11 · English29025%
2019 · Grade 7 · Math3352%
2019 · Grade 8 · Math3256%
2019 · Grade 11 · Math29015%
2018 · Grade 7 · English3749%
2018 · Grade 8 · English3047%
2018 · Grade 11 · English36733%
2018 · Grade 7 · Math3743%
2018 · Grade 8 · Math3033%
2018 · Grade 11 · Math36619%
2017 · Grade 7 · English2864%
2017 · Grade 8 · English1669%
2017 · Grade 11 · English30834%
2017 · Grade 7 · Math2825%
2017 · Grade 8 · Math1625%
2017 · Grade 11 · Math30914%

Current 2025–26 grade results are under Academic achievement, in Results for each grade. “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
Schoolwide3273%16%69%11%

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-income35743%+70
Hispanic or Latino36641%+5−2
English learners (grade 11 only)801%−3−7
Student groups: the state’s growth measureCalifornia School Dashboard 2025 · points above or below what the state expected · shown, not part of the score
GroupEnglishnCDE categoryMathnCDE category
All students−33111Minimal−24111Minimal
Hispanic or Latino−32101Minimal−25101Minimal
Low-income−3398Minimal−2898Minimal
English learners−4437Minimal−3237Minimal
English-only students−2635not categorized−1435not categorized
Recently reclassified as fluent in English−4833not categorized−4033not categorized
Homeless−4617Minimal−2417Minimal

CDE reports scale-score points against the state’s expected score — not a percentage or percentile. The table keeps the group records SchoolScope imported for this school, including rows below our narrative display threshold. Muted rows have fewer than 30 students with a valid growth score. SchoolScope uses that threshold for the shorter narrative view; the reported values stay visible here. “Not categorized” means this imported CDE row has a growth value without a performance category. At least one estimate here is a CDE weighted estimate; that describes how CDE combines years, not a year-over-year trend. A group absent from this table has no imported record shown here. Its absence alone does not establish its size or performance. CDE growth covers grades 4–8; here that is grades 7 and 8. SchoolScope does not use these CDE figures in its Scope Score.

Growth recordsthe state’s student-by-student measure
California growth model · points vs expected

State model · English−33 pts vs expected

matched students, grades 7 and 8

CDE California growth model · 2025 Dashboard

Weighted school estimate; assessments from 2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25

All students, grades 7 and 8

111 students

CDE growth category: Minimal

California growth model, English: −33 scale-score points versus the state's expectation, CDE category Minimal, against SchoolScope's +1-point median for California high school records.

State model · math−24 pts vs expected

matched students, grades 7 and 8

CDE California growth model · 2025 Dashboard

Weighted school estimate; assessments from 2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25

All students, grades 7 and 8

111 students

CDE growth category: Minimal

California growth model, math: −24 scale-score points versus the state's expectation, CDE category Minimal, against SchoolScope's −6-point median for California high school records.

Source notes. CDE reports scale-score points against the state’s expected score for matched students, never a percentage. Among SchoolScope's retained California high school records, the median English estimate is +1 and the middle half fall between −9 and +7 scale-score points — the spread is wide, so read the figure against it, not its sign alone. CDE's 2025 Dashboard weighted school estimate uses assessments from 2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25; adjacent reporting editions should not be read as independent annual changes. The CDE measure covers grades 4–8; here that is grades 7 and 8, and it is not part of the Scope Score.

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 · 21 in 100 → 2025–26 · 25 in 100 · +4 in 100
Suspension rate2024–25 · 5.1% (77 of 1,502) → 2025–26 · 3.7% (54 of 1,460) · −1.4 percentage points
Group2018–192025–26Change
Female11 in 10028 in 100+17 in 100
Male13 in 10023 in 100+10 in 100
Asian3 in 10017 in 100+14 in 100
Filipino0 in 10033 in 100+33 in 100
Hispanic or Latino12 in 10025 in 100+13 in 100
White21 in 10025 in 100+4 in 100
Students with disabilities17 in 10030 in 100+13 in 100
English learners14 in 10030 in 100+16 in 100
Foster youth40 in 100——
Homeless16 in 10033 in 100+17 in 100
Low-income12 in 10026 in 100+14 in 100
All students12 in 10025 in 100+13 in 100

Two reported school years only; no intervening-year result is implied. 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 52% · numerator 170 students classified Prepared · denominator 330 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 68% · AP-pathway numerator 116 · denominator 170 (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 170 of 330 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
98%
AP route, among those ready for college or career
68%
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)
45%
A–G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-going rate
73%

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)
20256645163.543.783.98
20247243203.543.753.84
20237348243.633.854.05
20227643133.433.824.03
20215228143.413.683.87
2020623293.363.693.92
20198954253.593.823.92
20187437193.473.703.70
20178536173.353.623.69
20166936173.533.793.88

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
Berkeley202520under 3under 3
Berkeley202425under 3under 3
Berkeley2023317under 3
Berkeley2022234under 3
Berkeley202113under 3under 3
Davis20252083
Davis2024215under 3
Davis2023138under 3
Davis2022206under 3
Davis2021188under 3
Irvine20255293
Irvine202462116
Irvine202363137
Irvine20226793
Irvine2021456under 3
Los Angeles20254565
Los Angeles20245233
Los Angeles202346under 3under 3
Los Angeles2022504under 3
Los Angeles20213544
Merced20251916under 3
Merced202499under 3
Merced202399under 3
Merced20221512under 3
Merced202174under 3
Riverside202535243
Riverside202434234
Riverside20232010under 3
Riverside20223319under 3
Riverside20212610under 3
San Diego20253616under 3
San Diego202442164
San Diego2023492710
San Diego202237157
San Diego20212554
Santa Barbara20253112under 3
Santa Barbara20242710under 3
Santa Barbara20232693
Santa Barbara2022299under 3
Santa Barbara20211510under 3
Santa Cruz2025134under 3
Santa Cruz2024136under 3
Santa Cruz20232510under 3
Santa Cruz20222611under 3
Santa Cruz202183under 3
Universitywide2025664516
Universitywide2024724320
Universitywide2023734824
Universitywide2022764313
Universitywide2021522814

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.

AP course catalog2025–26 · College Board course authorizations
SubjectAuthorization recorded for
2-D Art and Designthis school
Biologythis school
Calculus ABthis school
Calculus BCthis school
Drawingthis school
English Language and Compositionthis school
English Literature and Compositionthis school
Environmental Sciencethis school
Human Geographythis school
Macroeconomicsthis school
Precalculusthis school
Psychologythis school
Spanish Language and Culturethis school
Spanish Literature and Culturethis school
U.S. Government and Politicsthis school
United States Historythis school
World History: Modernthis school

Authorization ≠ a section running this year — the Ledger records what the school may teach, not seat counts.

Advanced coursework, federal snapshot2023–24 · Civil Rights Data Collection · dated historical snapshot
MeasureThis school
AP offeredoffered
AP course count8
AP enrollment (male/female)246
IB participationoffered · 91 enrolled
Dual enrollmentoffered · 110 enrolled
Algebra I in grade 8not reported
Calculus sections2
Physics sections4
Chemistry sections16
Reported male/female enrollment (CRDC)1,469

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 California237%
California State University257%
California community college18053%
In-state private175%
Out-of-state, 4-year00%
Out-of-state, 2-year21%
Not enrolled9027%

337 students who finished high school, class of 2023 · state-reported college-going rate 73% · % 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$15,998 per pupil

NCES F-33 · FY 2020–21 (2021) · fall district membership: 44,271 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$260 per pupil

CDE ESSA · school-attributed per-pupil record · FY 2024–25 (2025) · source denominator: 1,451

Central federal expenditures attributed here$596 per pupil

CDE ESSA · central expenditures attributed to this school · FY 2024–25 (2025) · source denominator: 1,451

District current expense · FY 2024–25$27,941 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 58%Instruction support 14%Student services 11%Administration 7%Buildings & maintenance 9%Other 1%
The arithmetic behind these shares · FY 2024–25
GroupDollarsShare, to two decimalsPrinted
Instruction$536,907,20757.63%58%
Instruction support$134,024,36614.39%14%
Student services$101,312,93710.88%11%
Administration$65,450,7347.03%7%
Buildings & maintenance$82,355,2268.84%9%
Other$11,546,4281.24%1%
Total$931,596,898100.00%100%

These shares are our arithmetic: each group’s dollars divided by the $931,596,898 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$15,998 per pupil
2020$15,219 per pupil
2019$14,679 per pupil
2018$12,971 per pupil
2017$12,258 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 holders1.8%

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 92707 · not the school’s students
American Community Survey 5-year estimates · 2020–2024 · ZIP 92707 area
MeasureEstimate
Median household income$105,168
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)18%
ZIP-area population58,695
Median age34.0 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 92707 →

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

Embed this scorecard

<iframe
  src="https://schoolscope.co/embed/school/saddleback-high-5821"
  width="100%" height="210" loading="lazy"
  style="border:0;border-radius:12px"
  title="Saddleback High — SchoolScope scorecard">
</iframe>

Free to embed with the credit link. Data updates automatically.

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 · AP courses the College Board approved, 2025–26 (approved to teach, not enrollment) · federal civil rights data (CRDC) 2023–24, a past snapshot · IB World Schools directory (matched by name at a 0.90 similarity cutoff) · state college-going records, class of 2023, matched to National Student Clearinghouse enrollment · Data updated October 15, 2026

How we analyze · Request a correction