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Excellent

#992 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 10% in state

Sonora Elementary

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

A Newport-mesa Unified elementary school where students score 16 points above what's typical for similar communities.

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

  • Math 38% vs CA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 55% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 19.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.2Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-0.7 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics8.4Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency38.2% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency55.5% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-7.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+12.7 pts
Overall Proficiency47% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)31% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+15.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile76th
Resources & Environment8.9Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio19.8:1
District spending per student$23,064
Chronic Absenteeism27.9%

Students at Sonora Elementary score 47% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 31%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency38%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
38%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency55%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 8 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 47% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
60%
ELA
49%
2010
Math
65%
ELA
60%
2011
Math
66%
ELA
60%
2012
Math
61%
ELA
59%
2014
Math
31%
ELA
45%
2015
Math
45%
ELA
58%
2016
Math
48%
ELA
60%
2017
Math
45%
ELA
63%
2018
Math
59%
ELA
65%
2019
Math
59%
ELA
65%
2020*
Math
44%
2021*
Math
44%
2022
Math
36%
ELA
50%
2024
Math
38%
ELA
55%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 48% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 57% (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 34 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

76.6%

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 Sonora 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 52Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 43Some 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

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
St John the Baptist Catholic SchoolPrivate · tuition7.1privateK–80.3 mi492Compare →
Maude B. Davis ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.9K–60.5 mi560Compare →
Paularino ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.6K–60.6 mi356Compare →
Christian Montessori School-costa MesaPrivate · tuition5.4privatePK–60.8 mi48Compare →

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
#13 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

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

About Sonora Elementary

Sonora Elementary is a public elementary school in Costa Mesa, CA, part of Newport-mesa Unified, serving approximately 376 students in grades Kindergarten-6th with a 19.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.4 out of 10 and ranks #992 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 48% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Sonora Elementary

What grades does Sonora Elementary serve?

Sonora Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Sonora Elementary?

Sonora Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 376 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Sonora Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Sonora Elementary is 19.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Sonora Elementary rank in CA?

Sonora Elementary ranks #992 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Sonora Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Sonora Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.4 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 Sonora Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Sonora Elementary has 48% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Sonora Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Sonora Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

76.6% of students at Sonora 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
376
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
19
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Orange County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
27.9%
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

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