Newport-Mesa Unified: Newport-Mesa Unified schools score 8.5 points above the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 2.6 points.
Newport-Mesa Unified has 28 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 53.3/100 — 8.5 points above the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Newport Heights Elementary at 75/100, where 47.4% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $17,937 per student (above the state average of $14,815). 5 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 16.1%, near the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Solid 53.4/100 | 21 | 32.0% | 12.3% |
| High | Solid 53.3/100 | 7 | 22.5% | 27.7% |
Newport-Mesa Unified's elementary schools average 53.4/100 — 8.5 points above the state average with a −2.6pp declining trajectory.
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Newport-Mesa Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Newport-Mesa Unified has 28 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 53.3/100 — 8.5 points above the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Strongest level: Newport-Mesa Unified's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 53.4.
District-wide elementary growth averages -2.6pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.
Score range of 52.9 points — showing significant variation between schools.
District chronic absenteeism averages 16.1%, 1.8pp near the state average of 17.9%.
District suspension rate averages 1.5%, near the state average of 1.6%.
Newport Heights Elementary leads the district at 75 with 47.4% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Newport-Mesa Unified
Hidden gems: 5 schools in Newport-Mesa Unified are classified as Growth Engine (5) — 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
Student demographics
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
Newport-Mesa Unified spends $17,937 per student in current expenditures — $3,122 above the state average of $14,815.
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Every school in Newport-Mesa Unified
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP
Elementary Schools (21)
Newport-Mesa Unified has 21 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 53.4 — 8.5 points above the state average of 44.8. 3 of 21 elementary schools score above 70.
Growth averages -2.6pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Newport Heights Elementary with a Scope Score of 75 and 47.4% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newport Heights Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Growth Engine | 47.4% | Strong 75/100 |
| 2 | Newport Coast Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified High Ceiling | 54.4% | Strong 73/100 |
| 3 | Roy O. Andersen Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified High Ceiling | 55.7% | Strong 72/100 |
| 4 | Maude B. Davis Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 49.7% | Solid 69/100 |
| 5 | Harbor View Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Strong All-Around | 46.6% | Solid 68/100 |
| 6 | Abraham Lincoln Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Growth Engine | 35.6% | Solid 66/100 |
| 7 | Mariners Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Growth Engine | 44.4% | Solid 65/100 |
| 8 | California Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Solid Base | 36.1% | Solid 61/100 |
| 9 | Adams Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 28.0% | Solid 59/100 |
| 10 | Heinz Kaiser Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Strong All-Around | 38.4% | Solid 59/100 |
| 11 | Newport Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Solid Base | 40.3% | Solid 59/100 |
| 12 | Eastbluff Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Growth Engine | 29.3% | Developing 49/100 |
| 13 | Sonora Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Culture First | 27.7% | Developing 48/100 |
| 14 | Everett A. Rea Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Growth Engine | 17.6% | Developing 47/100 |
| 15 | Killybrooke Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 31.9% | Developing 45/100 |
| 16 | Victoria Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 24.4% | Developing 43/100 |
| 17 | College Park Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 15.5% | Developing 41/100 |
| 18 | Paularino Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 21.2% | Developing 38/100 |
| 19 | Pomona Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 12.9% | Developing 36/100 |
| 20 | Wilson Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 6.5% | Needs Support 26/100 |
| 21 | Whittier Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 7.4% | Needs Support 22/100 |
High Schools (7)
Newport-Mesa Unified has 7 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 53.3 — 9.5 points above the state average of 43.7.
The highest-scoring high school is Early College High with a Scope Score of 68 and 60.0% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Early College High Newport-Mesa Unified Strong All-Around | 60.0% | Solid 68/100 |
| 2 | Corona del Mar High Newport-Mesa Unified Strong All-Around | 32.9% | Solid 68/100 |
| 3 | Newport Harbor High Newport-Mesa Unified Strong All-Around | 29.6% | Solid 62/100 |
| 4 | Costa Mesa High Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 18.2% | Solid 54/100 |
| 5 | Estancia High Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 16.9% | Solid 52/100 |
| 6 | Back Bay High Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 0.0% | Developing 41/100 |
| 7 | Monte Vista High/Cloud Campus Newport-Mesa Unified Building Momentum | 0.0% | Needs Support 29/100 |
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.
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 resources are distributed across schools within the district. Full methodology