Elementary Schools in Lake Forest, California: Lake Forest schools average 10.9 points above the state — but the range is 47.4 points wide.
Lake Forest, California has 7 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 49.8/100 — 10.9 points above the state average of 38.9. The highest-scoring school is Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley at 74/100, where 53.1% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Lake Forest schools average 28.9% exceeded standard (state: 21.4%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. Of 7 schools, 3 Growth Engines and 1 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 10.7% (below the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
Start with your child’s school level
The overview describes elementary schools. The lists below separate elementary, middle and high schools, so each school’s standing stays within its own comparison group. Open a profile to see the underlying results, student support and questions to ask on a visit.
Every school in Lake Forest
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP · levels never mixed
Elementary Schools (7)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley Orange County Department of Education | 53.1% | 96th percentile · StrongScope Score 74/100 |
| 2 | Rancho Canada Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | 28.6% | 81st percentile · StrongScope Score 54/100 |
| 3 | La Madera Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | 33.1% | 79th percentile · StrongScope Score 52/100 |
| 4 | Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | 31.1% | 75th percentile · StrongScope Score 49/100 |
| 5 | Lake Forest Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | 24.5% | 73rd percentile · SolidScope Score 48/100 |
| 6 | Ralph A. Gates DLI Magnet Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | 17.0% | 70th percentile · SolidScope Score 46/100 |
| 7 | Olivewood Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | 14.6% | 26th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 27/100 |
High Schools (1)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Toro High Saddleback Valley Unified | 24.7% | 77th percentile · StrongScope Score 63/100 |
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Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
Elementary school archetypes in Lake Forest
Hidden gems: 5 schools in Lake Forest are classified as Growth Engine (3) or On the Rise (2) — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Private Schools in Lake Forest
Private schools don't participate in California's standardized testing (CAASPP) and cannot be scored or ranked. Showing enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and affiliation where available.
Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access. Full methodology