Elementary Schools in Placentia, California: Placentia students aren't just reaching proficiency — many go beyond it.
Placentia, California has 10 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 56.0/100 — 17.1 points above the state average of 38.9. The highest-scoring school is Golden Elementary at 94/100, where 70.1% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Placentia schools average 36.5% exceeded standard (state: 21.4%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. Of 10 schools, 1 Growth Engine and 2 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 12.6% (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 Placentia
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP · levels never mixed
Elementary Schools (10)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 70.1% | 99th percentile · StrongScope Score 94/100 |
| 2 | Sierra Vista Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 51.4% | 95th percentile · StrongScope Score 71/100 |
| 3 | Brookhaven Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 44.8% | 87th percentile · StrongScope Score 60/100 |
| 4 | Charles Wagner Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 41.6% | 86th percentile · StrongScope Score 59/100 |
| 5 | John O. Tynes Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 32.8% | 80th percentile · StrongScope Score 53/100 |
| 6 | Van Buren Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 39.4% | 79th percentile · StrongScope Score 52/100 |
| 7 | Parkview Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 30.5% | 78th percentile · StrongScope Score 51/100 |
| 8 | Morse Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 29.3% | 71st percentile · SolidScope Score 46/100 |
| 9 | Ruby Drive Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 16.1% | 56th percentile · SolidScope Score 38/100 |
| 10 | Melrose Elementary Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 8.9% | 51st percentile · SolidScope Score 36/100 |
Middle Schools (1)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valadez Middle School Academy Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 8.2% | 37th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 31/100 |
High Schools (4)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Dorado High Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 35.1% | 89th percentile · StrongScope Score 71/100 |
| 2 | Valencia High Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 32.8% | 85th percentile · StrongScope Score 68/100 |
| 3 | Buena Vista Virtual Academy Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified | 19.1% | 45th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 51/100 |
| 4 | El Camino Real Continuation High Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified continuation high school | 2.5% | 85th percentile · StrongWithin its own school classScope Score 31/100 |
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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 Placentia
Hidden gems: 3 schools in Placentia are classified as On the Rise (2) 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 Placentia
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