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Public elementary school · Garden Grove Unified · Garden Grove, California

Thomas Paine Elementary

Thomas Paine Elementary rates 7.3, right at the middle of Garden Grove Unified's elementary schools, whose rated median is 7.0.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
7.3this school

7.3 on a one-to-ten scale; the Garden Grove Unified median is 7.0.

#2,630 of 9,557 schools in California · Garden Grove Unified: 44 elementary schools rated, median 7.0

The brief

A Garden Grove Unified elementary school where students score 40 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 2,630 of 9,557 schools in California and 29 of 64 in Garden Grove Unified.

Thomas Paine Elementary is listed in Garden Grove 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.

Math70%30 points above the California average of 40%2025 CAASPP
Reading73%26 points above the California average of 47%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency has held near 71% across the 17-year record (2009–2025).2025 CAASPP; 42 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
6.1
50% of the rating
Academics
9.6
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
6.7
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 68% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 69% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

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 92843; 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Thomas Paine Elementary 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
$82,009
Median home value
$665,900
Median rent
$1,878/mo
College educated
18.5%
Homeownership
49%
Poverty rate
14.9%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92843; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
50
Somewhat Walkable
Transit Score
41
Some Transit
Bike Score
70
Very Bikeable
City reported crime
1,324/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Garden Grove. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Garden Grove), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

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
79.7%
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. 8.0Compare →
  2. 7.8Compare →
  3. 7.7Compare →
  4. 7.6Compare →
  5. Thomas Paine Elementarythis school
    7.3
  6. 7.2Compare →
  7. 7.0Compare →
  8. 6.9Compare →
  9. 5.1Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and four rate higher than Thomas Paine Elementary.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.

The public record

What's said publicly about Thomas Paine Elementary

Sources:School's website

Synthesized from public, attributable sources. Updated May 2026.Reviewed for accuracy.

Thomas Paine Elementary School is located at 15792 Ward St., Garden Grove, CA 92843, and operates under the GGUSD district 1. The school has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School and a California Distinguished School 1. It is also designated as a Special Olympics of Southern California United Champion School 1. Mrs. Charise Santana serves as the principal 1. The school's educational focus aligns with district goals regarding academic skills, personal skills, and lifelong success 1. Recent activities include student performances at the 2025 Winter Concert and a Pancakes with Santa event 1. The school community celebrates events such as Teacher Appreciation Week, trimester awards, and 6th-grade promotions 1. Parents are required to confirm student data via the Parent Portal for returning students 1.
Sources (1)
  1. paine.ggusd.us
Generated by AI from public sources. Every claim is grounded in a cited source.Report inaccuracy

Questions families ask

What grades does Thomas Paine Elementary serve?

Thomas Paine Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Thomas Paine Elementary?

Thomas Paine Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 429 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Paine Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Paine Elementary is 22.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Thomas Paine Elementary rank in CA?

Thomas Paine Elementary ranks #2,630 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is Thomas Paine Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Thomas Paine Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.3 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 Thomas Paine Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Thomas Paine Elementary has 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 69% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Thomas Paine Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Thomas Paine Elementary a Title I school?

No, Thomas Paine Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

79.7% of students at Thomas Paine 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 facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 6th
Enrollment
429
Student-teacher ratio
22.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
19
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Orange County
Rank in district
#29 of 64
Schools in district
66
District spending per student
$20,026
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
17.2%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 92843)
46,553
Area average commute
27.6 min
Area median age
38.3

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.