Middle Schools in Saddleback Valley Unified

The four middle schools in Saddleback Valley Unified all serve grades 7–8. In 2025–2026, their average proficiency was 60% in English language arts (ELA), 50% in math and 52% in science—about 11, 12 and 16 percentage points above state results, respectively. But school scores vary widely, with the largest spread in science: 38 points from highest to lowest. The clearest finding for families is that La Paz Intermediate led the group in all three subjects.

La Paz scored 75% in ELA, 65% in math and 71% in science, leading the next-highest school by 12, 8 and 17 points. At the other end, Los Alisos Intermediate had the lowest results—45%, 33% and 34%—and trailed the next-lowest school, Serrano Intermediate, by 13, 12 and 14 points. Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate ranked second in all three subjects; it and Serrano were above state results in every subject, while Los Alisos was below in all three. SchoolDigger’s rankings follow the same order: La Paz ranked 175th statewide and earned five stars, Rancho Santa Margarita ranked 404th with four stars, Serrano 650th with four stars, and Los Alisos 1,246th with three stars.

Recent progress was mixed: the four-school average rose 2 points in ELA and 3 in science, but fell 1 point in math from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026. La Paz posted the strongest gains, including a 14-point increase in science; math fell at Rancho Santa Margarita, Serrano and Los Alisos. Other differences may help families compare schools, but do not explain the test results: 2024–2025 free/reduced lunch eligible shares ranged from 29% at Rancho Santa Margarita to 75% at Los Alisos, with Serrano at 49% and La Paz at 40%. In 2025–2026, chronic absenteeism ranged from 8% at La Paz to 12% at Los Alisos, compared with 18% statewide; student-teacher ratios ranged from 20.5 at Los Alisos to 24 at Rancho Santa Margarita.