A
Capistrano Unified School District
Public school districtGrades K–12Regional · 7 towns
Serves Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Juan Capistrano and Dana Point.
Students
40,251
Schools
59
Spent per student
$17,395
CA $21,206
Students per teacher
23:1
Free or reduced lunch
35%
Debt
$29.8M
fiscal 2024
What stands out about Capistrano Unified School District
- School Grade A: better than 87% of California districts
- Math proficiency 17 pts above the state
- Reading / language arts 24 pts above the state
- Graduation rate (4-year) 8 pts above the state
- Spends 18% less per student than the CA average
- 23 students per teacher
- Enrollment down 7.6% since 2020
- Debt of $29.8M, about $740 per student
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Avalon.
K–12Avalon K-12Long Beach Unified School District
Test scores vs. CA
2020–21Math proficiency50%
State average 33.4%
Reading / language arts72%
State average 48.5%
Graduation rate (4-year)96%
State average 87.6%
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$17,395 per student · 18% below CA
Spending
Classroom instruction 65%Support & administration 32%Other 2%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 62%State 32%Federal 5%
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
43,568’20
42,606’21
41,719’22
40,733’23
40,251’24
Down 7.6% since 2020.
Students
White 51%Hispanic 27%Two or more races 12%Asian 9%Black <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%
Schools in the district
59 public schools.
Esencia
D−996 students27:1
Oso Grande Elementary
867 students27:1
Las Palmas Elementary
743 students26:1
Vista del Mar Elementary
692 students27:1
Don Juan Avila Elementary
672 students27:1
San Juan Elementary
662 students26:1
Chaparral Elementary
604 students23:1
Truman Benedict Elementary
602 students25:1
Ladera Ranch Elementary
580 students24:1
Bathgate Elementary
570 students26:1
Oak Grove Elementary
569 students24:1
John Malcom Elementary
553 students24:1
Moulton Elementary
538 students24:1
Canyon Vista Elementary
533 students24:1
Concordia Elementary
533 students27:1
Arroyo Vista Elementary
508 students24:1
Castille Elementary
482 students23:1
Richard Henry Dana Elementary
461 students18:1
Laguna Niguel Elementary
D−456 students23:1
Viejo Elementary
447 students25:1
Wagon Wheel Elementary
441 students23:1
Wood Canyon Elementary
D−425 students22:1
Marian Bergeson Elementary
423 students24:1
Philip J. Reilly Elementary
A−421 students22:1
George White Elementary
378 students24:1
Palisades Elementary
D−332 students22:1
Hidden Hills Elementary
330 students21:1
Clarence Lobo Elementary
328 students21:1
Las Flores Elementary
328 students25:1
Harold Ambuehl Elementary
D−324 students23:1
Tijeras Creek Elementary
315 students26:1
Del Obispo Elementary
310 students21:1
Kinoshita Elementary
302 students22:1
Carl Hankey Elementary
284 students24:1
Marblehead Elementary
195 students24:1
Capistrano Home/Virtual
82 students17:1
Fred Newhart Middle
C1,105 students22:1
Ladera Ranch Middle
1,064 students23:1
Marco Forster Middle
C930 students20:1
Bernice Ayer Middle
919 students22:1
Don Juan Avila Middle
863 students24:1
Aliso Viejo Middle
803 students22:1
Niguel Hills Middle
C693 students20:1
Shorecliffs Middle
D−634 students20:1
Las Flores Middle
593 students21:1
Vista del Mar Middle
499 students22:1
Esencia Middle
349 students22:1
Arroyo Vista Middle
329 students21:1
Carl Hankey Middle
181 students16:1
San Clemente High
A2,740 students24:1
San Juan Hills High
A2,641 students23:1
Aliso Niguel High
A2,563 students24:1
Tesoro High
A2,030 students23:1
Capistrano Valley High
A1,991 students22:1
Dana Hills High
A−1,725 students22:1
California Preparatory Academy
A+198 students23:1
Capistrano Union High
C−103 students9:1
Bridges Community Day
12 students4:1
Early Childhood Center
0 students
Towns served
Nearby districts
Compare spending and schools next door.
District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES directory and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings are opinions.