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#5759 of 9,539 schools in CA

Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary

Elementary School · Murrieta Valley Unified · Murrieta, CA

A Murrieta Valley Unified elementary school where students score 10 points above what's typical for similar communities.

40121 Torrey Pines Rd., Murrieta, CA 92563

  • Math 54% vs CA 39% (2024)
  • Reading 48% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 25.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.5Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.61 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics8.3Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency54.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency48.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+8.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+5.5 pts
Overall Proficiency51% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)41% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+9.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile75th
Resources & Environment2.7Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio25.5:1
District spending per student$15,074
Chronic Absenteeism30%

Students at Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary score 51% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 41%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency54%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
39%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency48%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 7 points since 2018, to 51% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
71%
ELA
68%
2010
Math
78%
ELA
70%
2011
Math
75%
ELA
66%
2012
Math
75%
ELA
69%
2014
Math
48%
ELA
54%
2015
Math
51%
ELA
58%
2016
Math
55%
ELA
62%
2017
Math
55%
ELA
66%
2018
Math
55%
ELA
61%
2019
Math
55%
ELA
61%
2022
Math
45%
ELA
47%
2024
Math
54%
ELA
48%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 59% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 58% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 30 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

58.6%

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 Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 46Car-Dependent
  • Transit 22Minimal Transit
  • Bike 24Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated1,141/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Murrieta), 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

$118,519

Median home value

$615,700

Median rent

$2,588/mo

College educated

32.6%

Homeownership

74.6%

Poverty rate

4.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92563; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Abc Child Care VillagePrivate · tuitionNot ratedK0.6 mi72Compare →
Ysabel Barnett ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.7K–50.6 mi756Compare →
Alta Murrieta ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.2K–51.4 mi903Compare →
MethodschoolsCharter · enrollment unverified5.6K–121.5 mi361Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Murrieta Valley Unified

Schools in district
21
Rank in district
#17 of 19
District spending per student
$15,074NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
6.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary is listed in Murrieta Valley Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary

Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary is a public elementary school in Murrieta, CA, part of Murrieta Valley Unified, serving approximately 843 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 25.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.8 out of 10 and ranks #5,759 of 9,539 schools in CA.

State assessment records show 59% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 58% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary

What grades does Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary serve?

Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary?

Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 843 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary is 25.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary rank in CA?

Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary ranks #5,759 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.8 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 Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary has 59% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 58% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary a Title I school?

No, Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary?

58.6% of students at Daniel N. Buchanan 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 – 5th
Enrollment
843
Student-Teacher Ratio
25.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
33
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Riverside County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
30.0%
Area population (ZIP 92563)
77,860
Area average commute
38.2 min
Area median age
35.4
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 92563; this does not measure the attendance area.

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

About our data · How we calculate scores

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