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Public elementary school · Capistrano Unified · Rancho Mission Viejo, California

Esencia

Esencia rates 8.3, among the strongest elementary schools in Capistrano Unified, where the rated median is 7.3.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
8.3this school

8.3 on a one-to-ten scale; the Capistrano Unified median is 7.3.

#757 of 9,557 schools in California · Capistrano Unified: 36 elementary schools rated, median 7.3

The brief

A Capistrano Unified elementary school where students score 9 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 757 of 9,557 schools in California and 12 of 57 in Capistrano Unified.

Esencia is listed in Capistrano Unified, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math75%34 points above the California average of 41%2025 CAASPP
Reading80%33 points above the California average of 47%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency has improved 11 points since 2019, reaching 78% in 2025, across a 8-year record (2018–2025).2025 CAASPP; 22 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
8.9
50% of the rating
Academics
9.1
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
5.8
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 70% (multi-year average, 2018-2025) · reading/ELA 76% (multi-year average, 2018-2025).

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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · 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 92694; 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, 2018-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Esencia and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$183,168
Median home value
$1,042,600
Median rent
$3,318/mo
College educated
65%
Homeownership
74.4%
Poverty rate
3.6%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92694; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
22
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
3
Somewhat Bikeable
County reported crime
1,579/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 county residents, counting every city police department, sheriff's office and county police department that reported a full year to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program. Shown only where those agencies cover at least 80% of the county's residents. Not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
13.4%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Esenciathis school
    8.3
  2. 8.1Compare →
  3. 7.6Compare →
  4. 7.3Compare →
  5. 7.2Compare →
  6. 6.6Compare →
  7. 6.1Compare →
  8. 5.9Compare →
  9. 5.0Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Esencia.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Esencia serve?

Esencia serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Esencia?

Esencia has an enrollment of approximately 904 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Esencia?

The student-teacher ratio at Esencia is 24.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Esencia rank in CA?

Esencia ranks #757 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is Esencia's MySchoolScout rating?

Esencia has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.3 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 Esencia?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Esencia has 70% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2018-2025) and 76% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2018-2025).

Is Esencia a charter school?

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

Is Esencia a Title I school?

No, Esencia is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Esencia?

13.4% of students at Esencia 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 facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
904
Student-teacher ratio
24.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
37
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Orange County
Rank in district
#12 of 57
Schools in district
59
District spending per student
$15,860
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
6.2%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 92694)
35,019
Area average commute
28.3 min
Area median age
36.6

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.