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Elementary Schools in Placentia, California: Placentia schools aren't just reaching proficiency — they're pushing students beyond it.

Above Average2024–25 data10 schools · avg 56.0/100

Placentia, California has 10 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 56.0/100 — 17.2 points above the state average of 38.8. The highest-scoring school is Golden Elementary at 94/100, where 70.1% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. Placentia schools average 36.5% exceeded standard (state: 21.3%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction reveals whether schools push students beyond proficiency or pace toward it. Of 10 schools, 1 Growth Engine and 2 High Ceiling stand out for their performance profiles. Chronic absenteeism averages 12.6% (below the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
56.0
State avg: 38.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
57.5
36.0 – 93.5
Avg Exceeded %
36.5%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
12.6%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
10
With Scope Scores
LevelSchoolsAvg ScoreExceededvs State
Elementary10Solid
56.0/100
36.5%+17.2
High4Solid
55.3/100
22.4%+8.7
Middle1Developing
30.6/100
8.2%-7.5

How Placentia schools compare

Placentia has 10 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 56.0/100 — 17.2 points above the state average of 38.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

The top-ranked school is Golden Elementary with a Scope Score of 94 and 70.1% of students exceeding standard.

These schools are pushing students past the bar, not just to it. Placentia schools average 36.5% exceeding standard — well above the statewide average of 21.3%.

Chronic absenteeism in Placentia averages 12.6% — below the state average of 17.9%.

How we score · Weighted composite of test performance, growth, and school climate · Full weights on the methodology page

School archetypes in Placentia

2 High Ceiling2 Solid Base2 Culture First2 On the Rise2 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 3 schools in Placentia are classified as On the Rise (2) or Growth Engine — 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

For the data nerds

Every school in Placentia

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

#SchoolExceededScore
1Golden Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified High Ceiling
70.1%Strong
94/100
2El Dorado High
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Strong All-Around
35.1%Strong
71/100
3Sierra Vista Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified High Ceiling
51.4%Strong
71/100
4Valencia High
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Strong All-Around
32.8%Solid
68/100
5Brookhaven Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Solid Base
44.8%Solid
60/100
6Charles Wagner Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Solid Base
41.6%Solid
59/100
7John O. Tynes Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Growth Engine
32.8%Solid
53/100
8Van Buren Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Culture First
39.4%Solid
52/100
9Parkview
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum
30.5%Solid
51/100
10Buena Vista Virtual Academy
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum
19.1%Solid
51/100
11Morse Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Culture First
29.3%Developing
46/100
12Ruby Drive Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified On the Rise
16.1%Developing
38/100
13Melrose Elementary
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified On the Rise
8.9%Developing
36/100
14El Camino Real Continuation High
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum
2.5%Developing
31/100
15Valadez Middle School Academy
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified Building Momentum
8.2%Developing
31/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 15 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools · Download this data (CSV)

Free to download, CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

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.

Private Schools in Placentia

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.

What Scope Scores can't tell you about Placentia

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

Frequently asked questions

Are the schools in Placentia good?
Placentia's 10 ranked elementary schools average a Scope Score of 56.0/100, which is 17.2 points above the state average. 36.5% of students exceed the state standard on average (state average: 21.3%). The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (42%), met or exceeded (proficient) (23%), grade 3-to-5 growth (20%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best elementary school in Placentia?
The highest-scoring elementary school in Placentia is Golden Elementary with a Scope Score of 94/100 and 70.1% of students exceeding the state standard. Rankings are based on SchoolScope's 2025 Scope Score, which measures academic performance and school climate using publicly available California data. See full methodology.
How do Placentia schools compare to the state average?
Placentia elementary schools average a Scope Score of 56.0/100 — 17.2 points above the state average of 38.8. The exceeded rate averages 36.5% vs. 21.3% statewide. Chronic absenteeism averages 12.6% vs. 17.9% statewide.
How many schools are in Placentia?
Placentia has 10 ranked elementary schools with Scope Scores. Schools are ranked using a weighted composite of CAASPP test performance, growth trajectory, chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Schools with insufficient testing data are not ranked.
What does the Scope Score measure?
The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on seven dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade 3–5 growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score separates students who "exceeded" from those who "met" the standard — revealing whether a school pushes students beyond proficiency or paces toward it. Full methodology and weights.