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Capistrano Unified Schools
Capistrano Unified is a public school district in California, based in Orange County (San Juan Capistrano). SchoolGrade grades 59 of its schools on actual versus projected test scores; every school below has its own page.
Capistrano Unified on the map
District boundary from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Each marker is a graded school; click it for its grade and scores.
SchoolGrade summary for Capistrano Unified
13 of 59 schools in Capistrano Unified carry a SchoolGrade (46 have too little test data to grade). Grade distribution:
A: 6B: 2D: 4F: 1
Best schools in Capistrano Unified
Statewide rankings: all 1051 high schools in California · all 513 middle schools in California · all 1758 elementary schools in California
The ten highest SchoolGrades in the district. Grades reward actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact.
- A California Preparatory Academy (High school, greatly exceeds expectations)
- A Tesoro High (High school, meets expectations)
- A- Aliso Niguel High (High school, meets expectations)
- A- San Clemente High (High school, exceeds expectations)
- A- San Juan Hills High (High school, meets expectations)
- A- Capistrano Valley High (High school, exceeds expectations)
- B+ Dana Hills High (High school, meets expectations)
- B Philip J Reilly Elementary (Elementary school, meets expectations)
- D+ Marco Forster Middle (Middle school, doesn't meet expectations)
- D+ Newhart Middle (Middle school, doesn't meet expectations)
Every school in Capistrano Unified
High schools (7)
- A- Aliso Niguel High, Aliso Viejo
- D- Capistrano Union High, San Juan Capistrano
- A- Capistrano Valley High, Mission Viejo
- B+ Dana Hills High, Dana Point
- A- San Clemente High, San Clemente
- A- San Juan Hills High, San Juan Capistrano
- A Tesoro High, Las Flores
Middle and junior high schools (13)
- Aliso Viejo Middle, Aliso Viejo
- Arroyo Vista Middle, Rancho Santa Margarita
- Bernice Ayer Middle, San Clemente
- Carl Hankey Middle, Mission Viejo
- Don Juan Avila Middle, Aliso Viejo
- Esencia Middle, Rancho Mission Viejo
- Ladera Ranch Middle, Ladera Ranch
- Las Flores Middle, Las Flores
- D+ Marco Forster Middle, San Juan Capistrano
- D+ Newhart Middle, Mission Viejo
- D+ Niguel Hills Middle, Laguna Niguel
- Shorecliffs Middle, San Clemente
- Vista Del Mar Middle, San Clemente
Elementary and primary schools (34)
- Arroyo Vista Elementary, Rancho Santa Margarita
- Bathgate Elementary, Mission Viejo
- Canyon Vista Elementary, Aliso Viejo
- Carl Hankey Elementary, Mission Viejo
- Castille Elementary, Mission Viejo
- Chaparral Elementary, Ladera Ranch
- Clarence Lobo Elementary, San Clemente
- Concordia Elementary, San Clemente
- Del Obispo Elementary, San Juan Capistrano
- Don Juan Avila Elementary, Aliso Viejo
- George White Elementary, Laguna Niguel
- Harold Ambuehl Elementary, San Juan Capistrano
- Hidden Hills Elementary, Laguna Niguel
- John Malcom Elementary, Laguna Niguel
- Kinoshita Elementary, San Juan Capistrano
- Ladera Ranch Elementary, Ladera Ranch
- Laguna Niguel Elementary, Laguna Niguel
- Las Flores Elementary, Rancho Santa Margarita
- Las Palmas Elementary, San Clemente
- Marblehead Elementary, San Clemente
- Marian Bergeson Elementary, Laguna Niguel
- Moulton Elementary, Laguna Niguel
- Oak Grove Elementary, Aliso Viejo
- Oso Grande Elementary, Ladera Ranch
- Palisades Elementary, Capistrano Beach
- B Philip J Reilly Elementary, Mission Viejo
- Richard Henry Dana Elementary, Dana Point
- San Juan Elementary, San Juan Capistrano
- Tijeras Creek Elementary, Rancho Santa Margarita
- Truman Benedict Elementary, San Clemente
- Viejo Elementary, Mission Viejo
- Vista Del Mar Elementary, San Clemente
- Wagon Wheel Elementary, Coto De Caza
- Wood Canyon Elementary, Aliso Viejo
Other schools and academies (5)
- Bridges Community Day, San Juan Capistrano
- A California Preparatory Academy, San Juan Capistrano
- Capistrano Homevirtual, San Juan Capistrano
- Esencia, Rancho Mission Viejo
- F Richard Henry Dana Exceptional Needs, Dana Point
Where Capistrano Unified schools are
Cities and towns served (10)
- San Clemente (10)
- San Juan Capistrano (10)
- Mission Viejo (8)
- Aliso Viejo (7)
- Laguna Niguel (7)
- Ladera Ranch (4)
- Rancho Santa Margarita (4)
- Dana Point (3)
- Capistrano Beach (1)
- Coto De Caza (1)
About this district
- State: Best schools in California
- County: Orange County
- Type: regular local school district
- Setting: large suburb (NCES locale of the district office)
- Enrollment: 40,836 students with 1,882 full-time-equivalent teachers and 3,969 total staff FTE (NCES CCD, 2023-24)
- NCES district ID: 0607440
- Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model: each school's actual proficiency against the level projected for its student context. How SchoolGrade works
Nearby school districts
- Saddleback Valley Unified (33 schools, 10 mi)
- Laguna Beach Unified (4 schools, 10 mi)
- Irvine Unified (43 schools, 14 mi)
- Fallbrook Union Elementary (9 schools, 16 mi)
- Fallbrook Union High (3 schools, 16 mi)
- Newport-Mesa Unified (31 schools, 17 mi)
- Tustin Unified (28 schools, 19 mi)
- Orange Unified (40 schools, 19 mi)
Questions about Capistrano Unified
How many schools are in Capistrano Unified?
SchoolGrade grades 59 public schools in Capistrano Unified, across 10 cities and towns. Every one of them is listed on this page with a link to its own report.
Which cities does Capistrano Unified serve?
The largest by graded schools: San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel and 5 more.
How good are the schools in Capistrano Unified?
Across the 13 graded schools, the average SchoolGrade is B-, with 46.4% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 52%. 62% of schools meet or exceed the expectation for their student context.
How many students attend Capistrano Unified?
40,836 students were enrolled in Capistrano Unified in the 2023-24 school year, about 21.7 students per full-time teacher (NCES Common Core of Data).
Where is Capistrano Unified?
Capistrano Unified is in California, based in Orange County, with its district office in San Juan Capistrano. Its boundary covers about 157 sq mi.