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Email BoardEsencia Middle
5 Aprender Street, Rancho Mission Viejo, CA 92694
Summary
Esencia Middle is an excellent school.
Reading and math results average to the 95th percentile among comparable California schools.
80.8% of students met California's reading standard, and it is trending up.
74.2% of students met California's math standard, which is strong statewide but is trending down.
Proficiency stats
| Current Reading Proficiency | 80.8% |
| Current Math Proficiency | 74.2% |
| Reading State Rank | 52/1,204 (96th percentile) |
| Math State Rank | 60/1,204 (95th percentile) |
School information
| Student / Teacher Ratio | 22:1 |
| Student enrollment (2024–25) | 349 |
| Low-Income Students | 78 (22.3%) |
| English Learners | 20 (5.7%) |
School Website
Great Schools
Niche
Ed-Data
CAASPP| Admissions | Open enrollment |
|---|---|
| Charter school | No |
| Magnet school | No |
Test score trends
Reading rose 1.6 points from last year and rose 3.2 points over the full period. Math rose 0.7 points from last year and fell 3.5 points over the full period.
•Math -3.5 percentage points (2024–2026)Reading Proficiency Scores
2026 state test results
Race and Ethnicity
Most students in every reported group meet the reading standard. Filipino and Two or more races students have the strongest results.
Distribution of Scores by Grade
The share meeting the reading standard ranges from 78.5% to 84.6% across the grades shown. Overall, the school’s reading results rank in the top 5% among California schools in the same grade-level category.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
The 21.1-point reading income gap is slightly wider than the 19.5-point gap at a typical California 6–8 school. It widened over the period shown.
•English Learners vs English Native
18.8% of English learners meet the reading standard, compared with 81.4% of English-only students. The gap narrowed as English-learner results rose and English-only results fell.
•Math Proficiency Scores
2026 state test results
Race and Ethnicity
Filipino students have the strongest math results at about 92% proficiency. The other reported groups range from about 50% to 85%.
Distribution of Scores by Grade
The share meeting the math standard ranges from 72.5% to 75.0% across the grades shown. Overall, the school’s math results rank in the top 5% among California schools in the same grade-level category.
Low-Income vs Non-Low-Income
The 22.9-point math income gap is slightly wider than the 19.2-point gap at a typical California 6–8 school. It narrowed slightly over the period shown.
•English Learners vs English Native
52.9% of English learners meet the math standard, compared with 74.4% of English-only students. The gap narrowed as English-learner results rose and English-only results held steady.
•Progress as students move up
2023–2026
How we compare income gaps
“Typical” means the median gap across 795 schools for reading and 796 for math. The comparison uses 2026 California 6–8 schools with at least 20 tested students in each income group and a reported low-income student population. Each school counts once. Its gap is non-low-income proficiency minus low-income proficiency, including negative gaps. California state test data
Understanding this school
How does Esencia Middle compare within the district?
Esencia Middle is No. 3 in reading and No. 2 in math proficiency among the 10 6–8 schools in Capistrano Unified with 2026 results.
Explore the district’s schoolsHow does Esencia Middle rank in California?
Esencia Middle ranks No. 52 of 1,204 in reading and No. 60 of 1,204 in math for 2026. These proficiency rankings compare California schools in the same grade-level category.
How do low-income students at Esencia Middle compare within the district?
Low-income students here rank No. 3 in reading and No. 2 in math among 10 6–8 district schools with reportable 2026 results for this group. 64.4% meet the reading standard and 56.5% meet the math standard.
See results by student groupHow does Esencia Middle compare with other schools in Orange County?
Esencia Middle is No. 4 in both reading and math proficiency among the 39 6–8 schools in Orange County with 2026 results.
Explore schools in Orange CountyWhich schools should I compare?
Schools serving 6–8 in the same district.
| School | Math | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Esencia MiddleThis school | 74.2% | 80.8% |
| Arroyo Vista Middle | 67.7% | 78.6% |
| Carl Hankey Middle | 51.0% | 69.7% |
