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Excellent

#398 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 4% in state

Adams Elementary

Elementary School · Newport-mesa Unified · Costa Mesa, CA

A Newport-mesa Unified elementary school where students score 17 points above what's typical for similar communities.

2985 Bear St. Bldg. A, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

  • Math 41% vs CA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 56% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 15.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.9Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-0.38 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics8.6Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency39.9% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency55.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-5.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+12.8 pts
Overall Proficiency48% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)30% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+17.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile78th
Resources & Environment9.6Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.5:1
District spending per student$23,064
Chronic Absenteeism35%

Students at Adams Elementary score 48% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 30%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency41%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
38%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency56%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 20 points since 2020, reaching 48% in 2024.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
48%
ELA
53%
2010
Math
40%
ELA
44%
2011
Math
54%
ELA
50%
2012
Math
57%
ELA
50%
2014
Math
22%
ELA
33%
2015
Math
39%
ELA
46%
2016
Math
38%
ELA
51%
2017
Math
36%
ELA
49%
2018
Math
50%
ELA
59%
2019
Math
50%
ELA
59%
2020*
Math
32%
ELA
25%
2021*
Math
32%
ELA
25%
2022
Math
27%
ELA
47%
2024
Math
41%
ELA
56%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 48% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 36 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

78.2%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Adams Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Los Angeles map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 33Car-Dependent
  • Transit 27Some Transit
  • Bike 66Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,601/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Costa Mesa), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$117,627

Median home value

$1,037,700

Median rent

$2,520/mo

College educated

46.3%

Homeownership

42%

Poverty rate

8.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92626; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Renascence School InternationalPrivate · tuition8.6PK–90.4 mi140Compare →
Montessori Harbor Mesa ElementaryPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–60.8 mi14Compare →
The Pegasus SchoolPrivate · tuition7.3PK–80.9 mi557Compare →
Brood of BeesPrivate · tuitionNot rated1–71.1 mi7Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Newport-mesa Unified

Schools in district
32
Rank in district
#9 of 31
District spending per student
$23,064NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
9.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Adams Elementary is listed in Newport-Mesa Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Adams Elementary

Adams Elementary is a public elementary school in Costa Mesa, CA, part of Newport-mesa Unified, serving approximately 326 students in grades Kindergarten-6th with a 15.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.9 out of 10 and ranks #398 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Adams Elementary

What grades does Adams Elementary serve?

Adams Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Adams Elementary?

Adams Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 326 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Adams Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Adams Elementary is 15.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Adams Elementary rank in CA?

Adams Elementary ranks #398 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Adams Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Adams Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.9 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Adams Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Adams Elementary has 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Adams Elementary a charter school?

No, Adams Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Adams Elementary a Title I school?

No, Adams Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Adams Elementary?

78.2% of students at Adams Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 6th
Enrollment
326
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
21
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Orange County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
35.0%
Area population (ZIP 92626)
50,569
Area average commute
22.2 min
Area median age
37.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 92626; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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