Elementary Schools in Orange, California: Orange schools average near the state. The 47.1-point spread is where the choice actually lives.
Orange, California has 19 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 39.3/100 — within 0.5 points of the state average of 38.9. The highest-scoring school is McPherson Magnet at 67/100, where 45.7% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Orange schools average 20.4% exceeded standard (state: 21.4%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. Of 19 schools, 1 Growth Engine stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 14.6% (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 Orange
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP · levels never mixed
Elementary Schools (19)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McPherson Magnet Orange Unified | 45.7% | 92nd percentile · StrongScope Score 67/100 |
| 2 | La Veta Elementary Orange Unified | 36.6% | 87th percentile · StrongScope Score 60/100 |
| 3 | Fletcher Mandarin Language & GATE Academy Orange Unified | 41.7% | 86th percentile · StrongScope Score 59/100 |
| 4 | Orange County Classical Academy Orange County Department of Education | 41.6% | 85th percentile · StrongScope Score 58/100 |
| 5 | Palmyra GATE Magnet Orange Unified | 22.9% | 68th percentile · SolidScope Score 44/100 |
| 6 | Linda Vista Elementary Orange Unified | 22.9% | 67th percentile · SolidScope Score 44/100 |
| 7 | Taft Elementary Orange Unified | 18.4% | 64th percentile · SolidScope Score 42/100 |
| 8 | Chapman Hills Elementary Orange Unified | 28.8% | 64th percentile · SolidScope Score 42/100 |
| 9 | Jordan Academy of Language and Computer Science Orange Unified | 18.1% | 57th percentile · SolidScope Score 38/100 |
| 10 | California iInspire Academy Orange Unified | 15.2% | 56th percentile · SolidScope Score 38/100 |
| 11 | Handy Elementary Orange Unified | 13.0% | 55th percentile · SolidScope Score 38/100 |
| 12 | Prospect Elementary Orange Unified | 16.0% | 44th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 33/100 |
| 13 | Olive Elementary Orange Unified | 12.8% | 42nd percentile · DevelopingScope Score 33/100 |
| 14 | West Orange Elementary Orange Unified | 13.6% | 36th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 30/100 |
| 15 | Sycamore Elementary Orange Unified | 11.1% | 30th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 28/100 |
| 16 | Esplanade Elementary Orange Unified | 7.2% | 29th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 28/100 |
| 17 | Tomorrow's Leadership Collaborative (TLC) Charter Orange County Department of Education | 8.1% | 16th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 23/100 |
| 18 | Explore Academy Orange County Department of Education | 8.8% | 15th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 22/100 |
| 19 | Cambridge Elementary Orange Unified | 4.5% | 10th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 20/100 |
Middle Schools (1)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OUSD EDGE Virtual Academy Orange Unified | 28.7% | 86th percentile · StrongScope Score 58/100 |
High Schools (3)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Modena High Orange Unified | 20.9% | 71st percentile · SolidScope Score 60/100 |
| 2 | Orange High Orange Unified | 8.6% | 36th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 49/100 |
| 3 | Richland Continuation High Orange Unified continuation high school | 0.0% | 98th percentile · StrongWithin its own school classScope Score 41/100 |
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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 Orange
Hidden gems: 5 schools in Orange are classified as On the Rise (4) or Growth Engine — 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 Orange
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