Elementary Schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, California: Rancho Santa Margarita students aren't just reaching proficiency — many go beyond it.
Rancho Santa Margarita, California has 6 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 56.5/100 — 17.6 points above the state average of 38.9. The highest-scoring school is Las Flores Elementary at 75/100, where 51.8% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Rancho Santa Margarita schools average 37.6% exceeded standard (state: 21.4%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. Of 6 schools, 2 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 Rancho Santa Margarita
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP · levels never mixed
Elementary Schools (6)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Flores Elementary Capistrano Unified | 51.8% | 97th percentile · StrongScope Score 75/100 |
| 2 | Arroyo Vista Elementary Capistrano Unified | 38.4% | 88th percentile · StrongScope Score 61/100 |
| 3 | Tijeras Creek Elementary Capistrano Unified | 45.2% | 84th percentile · StrongScope Score 56/100 |
| 4 | Melinda Heights Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | 29.2% | 81st percentile · StrongScope Score 54/100 |
| 5 | Trabuco Mesa Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | 47.7% | 80th percentile · StrongScope Score 53/100 |
| 6 | Cielo Vista Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | 13.6% | 56th percentile · SolidScope Score 38/100 |
Middle Schools (1)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arroyo Vista Middle Capistrano Unified | 52.2% | 97th percentile · StrongScope Score 79/100 |
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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 Rancho Santa Margarita
Hidden gems: 3 schools in Rancho Santa Margarita are classified as Growth Engine (2) or On the Rise — 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 Rancho Santa Margarita
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