Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.
The elementary years
53 points separate Newport Coast Elementary (70) from Whittier Elementary (18) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.
53 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 21 elementary schools — the average hides more than it tells.
Newport Coast Elementary (70/100) holds the Strong band — 54.4% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 32.0%. 2 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.
53 points separate the top and bottom elementary schools — the district average won't predict the school in front of you.
The high school years
43 points separate Corona del Mar High (75) from Monte Vista High/Cloud Campus (32) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.
43 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 7 high schools — the average hides more than it tells.
1 continuation/alternative school not plotted — it ranks within its own class, not on this statewide axis.
Corona del Mar High (75/100) holds the Strong band — 32.9% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 22.5%. 2 schools classify as Strong All-Around — no weak dimension we measure.
27.7% of students are chronically absent (state: 23.1%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.
What it means for your family
Compare schools at your child’s level before deciding on an address. The strongest attendance-zone candidate is Newport Coast Elementary at 70/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.
No charters or magnets among the ranked schools here, so the main lever is an intra-district transfer — California districts run them on their own windows and criteria. If your zoned school sits low in the appendix below, ask the district office for this year's dates.
A band is a position, not a prophecy — 3 campuses here rank as Growth Engine (2) or On the Rise (1), their returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide. Ask your school two questions: what happens for a kid who arrives behind, and what the classroom looks like for one who arrives ahead.
The strongest-scoring run through the district:
Newport Coast Elementary 94th percentile · StrongScope Score 70/100Corona del Mar High 92nd percentile · StrongScope Score 75/100
Top scorers at each level — not necessarily one zoned sequence. Confirm feeder patterns and enrollment zones with the district, and visit before you decide.
What this page can't see: whether a campus feels safe and glad at 8 a.m. If a path above looks workable, the next step is a visit.