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 El Modena.
K–828 schoolsOrange Unified School District
827 middle schoolsOrange Unified School District
85 middle schoolsOrange 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.