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Excellent

#34 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 1% in state

Early College High

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

A Newport-mesa Unified high school where students score 41 points above what's typical for similar communities.

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

  • Math 65% vs CA 32% (2024)
  • Reading 92% vs CA 52% (2024)
  • 90%+ 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress8.8Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data11
Annual Change-0.44 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics9.8Excellent25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency65.4% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency92.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+37.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+36.4 pts
Overall Proficiency79% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)38% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+40.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile98th
College Readiness9.7Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate90%+
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment9.7Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio18.2:1
District spending per student$23,064
Chronic Absenteeism6.5%

Students at Early College High score 79% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 38%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency65%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
32%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency92%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
52%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency has held near 79% across the 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 11 years
2009
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2010
Math
92%
ELA
87%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2015
Math
45%
ELA
75%
2016
Math
62%
ELA
87%
2017
Math
65%
ELA
95%
2018
Math
65%
ELA
95%
2019
Math
65%
ELA
95%
2020*
Math
55%
ELA
85%
2021*
Math
55%
ELA
85%
2024
Math
65%
ELA
92%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 66% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 87% (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 24 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

64%

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 Early College High 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 47Car-Dependent
  • Transit 30Some Transit
  • Bike 63Bikeable
  • 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

Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·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 · tuition8.6privatePK–90.1 mi140Compare →
Costa Mesa HighEnrollment path unverified7.87–121.4 mi1,761Compare →
Estancia HighEnrollment path unverified8.09–121.5 mi1,030Compare →
Corona Del Mar HighEnrollment path unverified7.77–12Not available2,042Compare →

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.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Newport-mesa Unified

Schools in district
32
Rank in district
#1 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

Early College High is listed in Newport-Mesa Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Early College High

Early College High is a public high school in Costa Mesa, CA, part of Newport-mesa Unified, serving approximately 200 students in grades 9th-12th with a 18.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 9.5 out of 10 and ranks #34 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 66% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 87% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Early College High

What grades does Early College High serve?

Early College High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Early College High?

Early College High has an enrollment of approximately 200 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Early College High?

The student-teacher ratio at Early College High is 18.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Early College High rank in CA?

Early College High ranks #34 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Early College High's MySchoolScout rating?

Early College High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.5 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 Early College High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Early College High has 66% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 87% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Early College High a charter school?

No, Early College High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Early College High a Title I school?

No, Early College High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Early College High?

64.0% of students at Early College High 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
9th – 12th
Enrollment
200
Student-Teacher Ratio
18.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
11
Type
alternative
Setting
Midsize City
County
Orange County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
6.5%
4-Year Graduation
90%+
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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