Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.
The elementary years
One school defines the top: Golden Elementary sits 16 points clear of the field — the other 21 elementary schools are a different conversation.
68 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 22 elementary schools — the average hides more than it tells.
Golden Elementary (94/100) holds the Strong band — 70.1% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 38.4%. 2 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.
68 points separate the top and bottom elementary schools — the district average won't predict the school in front of you.
The middle years
33 points separate Yorba Linda Middle (64) from Valadez Middle School Academy (31) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.
33 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 3 middle schools — the average hides more than it tells.
Yorba Linda Middle (64/100) holds the Strong band — 39.7% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 24.4%. 1 school classifies as Strong All-Around — no weak dimension we measure.
33 points separate the top and bottom middle schools — the district average won't predict the school in front of you.
The high school years
The high schools average 60.4/100 — 6.5 points above the state average, with 5 of 6 in the Strong band.
43 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 6 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.
Yorba Linda High (74/100) holds the Strong band — 36.4% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 26.1%. 4 schools classify as Strong All-Around — no weak dimension we measure.
28.3% 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 Golden Elementary at 94/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.
1 of the 31 ranked schools is a charter — enrollment paths that don't depend on your address. If your zoned school sits low in the appendix below, those lotteries and applications are the levers worth the paperwork.
A band is a position, not a prophecy — 5 campuses here rank as On the Rise (3) or Growth Engine (2), 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:
Golden Elementary 99th percentile · StrongScope Score 94/100Yorba Linda Middle 90th percentile · StrongScope Score 64/100Yorba Linda High 91st percentile · StrongScope Score 74/100
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.