Elementary Schools in San Juan Capistrano, California: San Juan Capistrano schools average near the state. The 23.2-point spread is where the choice actually lives.
San Juan Capistrano, California has 6 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 38.9/100 — within 0.0 points of the state average of 38.9. The highest-scoring school is California Republic Leadership Academy Capistrano at 50/100, where 29.2% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. San Juan Capistrano schools average 20.1% 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, 1 Growth Engine stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 17.0% (near 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 San Juan Capistrano
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP · levels never mixed
Elementary Schools (6)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Republic Leadership Academy Capistrano Orange County Department of Education | 29.2% | 76th percentile · StrongScope Score 50/100 |
| 2 | Harold Ambuehl Elementary Capistrano Unified | 31.1% | 69th percentile · SolidScope Score 45/100 |
| 3 | Del Obispo Elementary Capistrano Unified | 21.7% | 68th percentile · SolidScope Score 44/100 |
| 4 | San Juan Elementary Capistrano Unified | 13.0% | 50th percentile · SolidScope Score 36/100 |
| 5 | California Connections Academy Southern California Capistrano Unified | 15.8% | 41st percentile · DevelopingScope Score 32/100 |
| 6 | Kinoshita Elementary Capistrano Unified | 9.7% | 25th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 26/100 |
Middle Schools (4)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Capistrano Home/Virtual Capistrano Unified | 38.0% | 93rd percentile · StrongScope Score 69/100 |
| 2 | Marco Forster Middle Capistrano Unified | 19.6% | 76th percentile · StrongScope Score 49/100 |
| 3 | OCASA College Prep Capistrano Unified | 15.5% | 54th percentile · SolidScope Score 38/100 |
| 4 | California Connections Academy Central Coast Cuyama Joint Unified | 3.6% | 27th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 26/100 |
High Schools (4)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Juan Hills High Capistrano Unified | 37.8% | 91st percentile · StrongScope Score 74/100 |
| 2 | California Preparatory Academy Capistrano Unified | 22.1% | 73rd percentile · SolidScope Score 61/100 |
| 3 | Capistrano Union High Capistrano Unified continuation high school | 2.4% | 96th percentile · StrongWithin its own school classScope Score 38/100 |
| 4 | Opportunities for Learning - Capistrano Capistrano Unified alternative school | 18.1% | 64th percentile · SolidWithin its own school classScope Score 26/100 |
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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 San Juan Capistrano
Hidden gems: 2 schools in San Juan Capistrano are classified as Growth Engine 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 San Juan Capistrano
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