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Email BoardNewport-Mesa Unified
Orange County school performance
Reading and math results average to the 81st percentile among California school districts.
60.8% of students met California's reading standard, and it is trending up slightly.
51.8% of students met California's math standard, but it is slowly trending up.
| Current Reading Proficiency | 60.8% |
| Current Math Proficiency | 51.8% |
| District Reading Rank | 186 / 977 (81st percentile) |
| District Math Rank | 179 / 977 (82nd percentile) |
| Student / Teacher Ratio | 18:1 |
| Spend per Student | $25,967 |
| Schools in District | 29 |
| Student Enrollment | 17,540 |
| Low-Income Students | 8,963 (50.8%) |
| English Learners | 2,722 (15.4%) |
Test score trends
Reading fell 0.9 points from last year and rose 1.3 points over the full period. Math rose 1.5 points from last year and rose 3.7 points over the full period.
Board Members
| name | elected | up for re-election |
|---|---|---|
Leah Ersoylu President [email protected] | 2020 | 2028 |
Michelle Murphy Vice President [email protected] | 2022 | 2026This year! |
Lisa Pearson Clerk [email protected] | 2022 | 2026This year! |
Andrea McElroy Member [email protected] | 2025 | 2026This year! |
Ashley Anderson Member [email protected] | 2018 | 2026This year! |
Carol Crane Member [email protected] | 2020 | 2028 |
Krista Weigand Member [email protected] | 2020 | 2028 |
Expand for details on low-income and english learner performance
Reading Proficiency Scores
Comparison of low-income and English learner groups using district-level CAASPP proficiency data.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
Low-income students trail other students by 30.0 points in reading. It narrowed slightly over the period shown.
English Learners vs English Native
11.4% of English learners meet the reading standard, compared with 70.1% of English-only students. The gap narrowed as English-learner results rose and English-only results fell.
Math Proficiency Scores
Comparison of low-income and English learner groups using district-level CAASPP proficiency data.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
Low-income students trail other students by 34.2 points in math. It widened slightly over the period shown.
English Learners vs English Native
14.8% of English learners meet the math standard, compared with 61.1% of English-only students. The gap narrowed as English-learner results rose and English-only results rose.
District School Map
Schools in this district, color-coded by reading proficiency.
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Hover over a school marker to see details
Schools
Understanding this district
How does Newport-Mesa Unified rank in California?
Newport-Mesa Unified ranks No. 186 of 977 in reading and No. 179 of 977 in math for 2026. These proficiency rankings compare districts across all district types.
How much do results vary between Newport-Mesa Unified’s schools?
Among the 19 schools serving K–6, proficiency ranges from 27.8% to 86.6% in reading and 18.7% to 87.7% in math.
See the district’s schoolsAre results improving across Newport-Mesa Unified’s schools?
Over 2024–2026, reading proficiency rose at 16 of 29 schools with results covering that full period; math rose at 18 of 29.
Compare school trendsHow do low-income students in Newport-Mesa Unified compare with other districts?
Low-income reading proficiency is 46.1%, compared with 35.1% at a typical California unified district. In math, it is 35.1%, compared with 23.6%.
See student-group resultsWhich districts should I compare with Newport-Mesa Unified?
Unified districts in Orange County. Peers have the closest enrollment sizes.
| District | Math | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Newport-Mesa UnifiedThis district | 51.8% | 60.8% |
| Tustin Unified | 56.1% | 64.0% |
| Saddleback Valley Unified | 52.3% | 59.1% |
How we compare low-income results
“Typical” is the median across 339 California unified districts with 2026 results, a reported low-income population, and at least 20 low-income tested students in each subject. Each district counts once. This compares proficiency for low-income students, rather than the gap between income groups.
CAASPP