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Best Schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA has 31 public schools (5 high, 7 middle, 18 elementary) serving 23,730 students. On average they score 60% on state proficiency tests against a projected 54%, so schools in Rancho Santa Margarita exceed expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
The top high schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Tesoro High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Capistrano Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2217 Students
2. Capistrano Valley High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Capistrano Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2029 Students
3. Trabuco Hills High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2579 Students
4. Mission Viejo High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 1646 Students
5. El Toro High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2031 Students
Best Middle Schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
The top middle schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Arroyo Vista Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Capistrano Unified • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 301 Students
2. Las Flores Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Capistrano Unified • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 571 Students
3. Newhart Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Capistrano Unified • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 1038 Students
4. La Paz Intermediate
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 706 Students
5. Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 1041 Students
6. Serrano Intermediate
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 977 Students
7. Los Alisos Intermediate
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 656 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
The top elementary schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Portola Hills Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 742 Students
2. Castille Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Capistrano Unified • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 505 Students
3. Las Flores Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Capistrano Unified • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 352 Students
4. Trabuco Mesa Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 654 Students
5. Arroyo Vista Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Capistrano Unified • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 498 Students
6. Tijeras Creek Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Capistrano Unified • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 340 Students
7. Melinda Heights Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 959 Students
8. Trabuco Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 88 Students
9. Montevideo Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 500 Students
10. Del Lago Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Saddleback Valley Unified • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 355 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
City-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA has a total population of 47,941 with 25% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 95%, and 51% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
26.59 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
3.74 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
22.85 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
How many schools are in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA has 31 public schools: 5 high schools, 7 middle schools and 18 elementary schools, serving 23,730 students in total.
How do schools in Rancho Santa Margarita perform on state tests?
On average, 31 schools in Rancho Santa Margarita score 60% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 54%, so on average schools in Rancho Santa Margarita exceed expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Rancho Santa Margarita?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 56%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 63%
- Projected: 59%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 59%
- Projected: 52%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 58%
- Projected: 54%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 59%
- Projected: 59%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 51%
- Projected: 51%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 54%
- Projected: 52%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 71%
- Projected: 61%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 59%
- Projected: 54%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 59%
- Projected: 56%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Every school in Rancho Santa Margarita
8 of 8 schools in Rancho Santa Margarita carry a SchoolGrade. Grade distribution:
A: 7C: 1
All 8 public schools we grade in Rancho Santa Margarita. The ranked lists above show the top ten per level; every school has its own page.
Middle and junior high schools (2)
Elementary and primary schools (6)
- Arroyo Vista Elementary
- Cielo Vista Elementary
- Las Flores Elementary
- Melinda Heights Elementary
- Tijeras Creek Elementary
- Trabuco Mesa Elementary
Private schools (7)
Private schools have a SchoolGrade only where their state publishes their test results.