Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its California rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Marco Forster Middle

Q: Is Marco Forster Middle a good school?

Marco Forster Middle ranks 951 st of 2740 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

951^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,740 California Middle Schools

Better than 65% of California middle schools

Summary

Marco Forster Middle is a 930-student school serving grades 6–8 in San Juan Capistrano, within Capistrano Unified, with 10 nearby middle schools serving the same grades. The main concern for families comparing local options is that Marco Forster Middle had the lowest proficiency rates among those 11 schools in ELA, math, and science in 2025–26.

Marco’s results are mixed against state averages: its ELA proficiency was 52% and science was 39%, both above state results of 49% and 36%, while its 38% in math was just below the state’s 38%. It trailed Capistrano Unified in all three subjects: by 18 points in ELA, 24 in math, and 19 in science. The nearby-school averages were 74% in ELA, 64% in math, and 63% in science, putting Marco 22, 26, and 24 points lower, respectively. Even so, the school’s results have improved over time: since 2022–23, ELA rose 7 points, math 6, and science 8.

SchoolDigger ranks Marco at the 65th percentile with three stars, below nearby schools, which range from the 84th to 97th percentile and have four or five stars. Its ranking has recovered from the 54th percentile in 2021–22. In 2024–25, 75% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible, the highest share among nearby schools; its student-teacher ratio was 20.4, slightly below the local average of 20.7. SchoolDigger’s group rankings point to stronger statewide performance in serving homeless students (87th percentile) and lower performance for military-connected students (37th percentile), compared with Marco’s overall 65th percentile. Chronic absenteeism also improved, falling from 26% in 2021–22 to 17% in 2025–26, though it remained above the district’s 14% rate.

930

Students ?

20.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,151

Per pupil spending ?

75.1%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in California receive free school meals.

25601 Camino del Avion
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-4330

(949) 234-5907

District: Capistrano Unified

Students who attend Marco Forster Middle usually attend:

High:

San Juan Hills High

Feeder schools for Marco Forster Middle:

Elementary:	Del Obispo Elementary
	Harold Ambuehl Elementary
	Kinoshita Elementary
	Richard Henry Dana Elementary
	More...
	San Juan Elementary

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

70.0%

White:

23.2%

Two or more races:

5.3%

See top rated California middle schools

Compare Marco Forster Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 72nd percentile in 2015 → 65th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the California median (65th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 7 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Near the bottom of Capistrano Unified's ranking

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school44%

District avg65%

California avg42%

951^st of 2,740

California public middle schools ?

Top 35%▼ down 5 pts since 2016

From top 30% (2016) to top 35% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of California Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

13^th of 13Middle Schools in the Capistrano Unified

205^th of 1,530Capistrano Unified among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	59.2	951 of 2740	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	57.3	971 of 2761	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.3	902 of 2783	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.3	1046 of 2781	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	46.9	1256 of 2740	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	64.1	813 of 2715	70.1%	★★★★☆
2018	69.3	661 of 2480	73.3%	★★★★☆
2017	67.9	715 of 2508	71.5%	★★★★☆
2016	65.2	750 of 2497	70.0%	★★★★☆
2015	67.7	692 of 2477	72.1%	★★★★☆
2013	72.7	520 of 2379	78.1%	★★★★☆
2012	71.2	546 of 2259	75.8%	★★★★☆
2011	68.6	595 of 2236	73.4%	★★★★☆
2010	69.9	551 of 2179	74.7%	★★★★☆
2009	64.0	660 of 2063	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2008	61.9	661 of 2005	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2007	63.5	611 of 1999	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2006	63.4	572 of 1804	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2005	46.9	854 of 1777	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2004	54.5	694 of 1769	60.8%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	51.8	532 of 1531	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	67.9	299 of 1491	79.9%	★★★★☆
2018	57.0	389 of 1369	71.6%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	45.0	567 of 1478	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	39.1	810 of 1521	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.7	908 of 1540	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	37.9	759 of 1442	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.2	430 of 1364	68.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	60.0	850 of 2516	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	60.6	820 of 2533	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.5	853 of 2551	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.0	959 of 2531	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	46.5	1157 of 2509	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	61.9	796 of 2380	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.3	658 of 2262	70.9%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	49.4	1037 of 2357	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	51.2	990 of 2395	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.4	960 of 2388	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.0	1008 of 2374	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	45.4	1118 of 2359	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.1	775 of 2213	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	64.0	576 of 2072	72.2%	★★★★☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	76.4	56 of 442	87.3%	★★★★☆
2025	71.1	86 of 477	82.0%	★★★★☆
2024	63.4	91 of 394	76.9%	★★★★☆
2023	58.6	99 of 320	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.7	121 of 336	64.0%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	51.7	1045 of 2529	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	55.1	914 of 2542	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.5	1024 of 2579	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.0	990 of 2531	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	39.8	1339 of 2458	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	55.5	864 of 2369	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.0	673 of 2230	69.8%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	56.1	959 of 2514	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	51.3	1048 of 2534	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.1	860 of 2552	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.2	974 of 2538	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	46.9	1143 of 2527	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	64.2	721 of 2407	70.0%	★★★★☆
2018	70.4	579 of 2273	74.5%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	38.0	114 of 181	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.7	127 of 194	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.3	119 of 192	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	18.4	163 of 197	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.0	144 of 193	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	60.7	303 of 735	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	54.8	335 of 726	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.4	276 of 701	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.0	294 of 677	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.8	322 of 665	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	86.5	39 of 554	93.0%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	72.2	272 of 1605	83.1%	★★★★☆
2025	56.0	459 of 1566	70.7%	★★★★☆
2024	62.2	380 of 1552	75.5%	★★★★☆
2023	62.4	371 of 1531	75.8%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	80.5	227 of 1490	84.8%	★★★★☆
2025	75.6	313 of 1520	79.4%	★★★★☆
2024	80.6	227 of 1537	85.2%	★★★★☆
2023	68.8	439 of 1543	71.5%	★★★★☆
2022	51.9	735 of 1555	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	79.2	274 of 1602	82.9%	★★★★☆
2018	80.8	245 of 1496	83.6%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Homeless (2026)87th percentile+22 vs school

White (2026)85th percentile+19 vs school

Special Education (2026)83rd percentile+18 vs school

Female (2026)66th percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)65th percentile+11 vs school

Male (2026)62nd percentile-3 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)62nd percentile-6 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)59th percentile-7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)59th percentile-7 vs school

Hispanic (2026)56th percentile-9 vs school

Military Connected (2026)37th percentile-28 vs school

By subject vs California (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy52%+3 vs state

Science39%+3 vs state

Mathematics38%~ state avg

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★0

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

Rate Marco Forster Middle

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Saturday, September 24, 2016

My kids went to Marco and spent three crucial years doing nothing. They were in acc classes and still did pretty much nothing. Looking back, I would never send them to Marco again. They did not learn crucial skills they need in high school. Marco did not prepare them at all. (They were straight A students at Marco, of course) I would definitely not recommend this school if your child's academics are your priority. They will not only not gain any skills, they will also loose any skills they had prior to going to Marco. Hope this helps. Close Quote

Schools Near Marco Forster Middle

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CAST Science (2026)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2026)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Marco Forster Middle	Public	6-8	25601 Camino del Avion	San Juan Capistrano	92675	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 234-5907	930	46	20.4	75.1%	216 (23.2%)	0 (0.0%)	651 (70.0%)	10 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	49 (5.3%)	59.2	951^st of 2740 public middle schools	65.3%		57.3	971^st of 2761 public middle schools	64.8%	20	39.4	39.4	45.3	53.0	59.7	52.4	36.5	36.8	40.7	38.0	$21,151	$19,228	$1,923
Bernice Ayer Middle	Public	6-8	1271 Sarmentoso	San Clemente	92673	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 366-9607	919	41	22.4	39.4%	541 (58.9%)	0 (0.0%)	277 (30.1%)	16 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	84 (9.1%)	93.8	175^th of 2740 public middle schools	93.6%		93.5	194^th of 2761 public middle schools	93.0%	19	60.1	60.1	70.7	78.0	80.8	76.5	64.8	69.5	71.1	68.5	$17,613	$16,526	$1,087
Niguel Hills Middle	Public	6-8	29070 Shark Bay	Laguna Niguel	92677	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 234-5360	693	35	19.5	44.6%	384 (55.4%)	8 (1.2%)	212 (30.6%)	36 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (7.6%)	82.6	421^st of 2740 public middle schools	84.6%		87.6	318^th of 2761 public middle schools	88.5%	103	55.8	55.8	62.2	70.4	67.3	66.4	50.0	58.5	47.5	51.8	$21,881	$20,392	$1,489
Shorecliffs Middle	Public	6-8	240 Via Socorro	San Clemente	92672	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 498-1660	634	32	19.8	43.8%	370 (58.4%)	3 (0.5%)	189 (29.8%)	8 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (9.8%)	83.5	406^th of 2740 public middle schools	85.2%		77.8	525^th of 2761 public middle schools	81.0%	119	64.5	64.5	54.4	66.1	75.3	66.5	52.6	47.8	56.3	52.3	$24,018	$22,576	$1,442
Vista del Mar Middle	Public	6-8	1130 Avenue Talega	San Clemente	92673	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 234-5955	499	22	22.2	16.2%	368 (73.7%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (11.8%)	20 (4.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (10.2%)	95.5	127^th of 2740 public middle schools	95.4%		95	154^th of 2761 public middle schools	94.4%	27	61.5	61.5	85.5	87.9	77.9	83.4	69.5	71.0	66.2	68.8	$20,684	$19,556	$1,128
Ladera Ranch Middle	Public	6-8	29551 Sienna Pkwy.	Ladera Ranch	92694	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 234-5922	1,064	46	23.0	19.0%	680 (63.9%)	10 (0.9%)	121 (11.4%)	134 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	115 (10.8%)	97	79^th of 2740 public middle schools	97.1%		97.3	69^th of 2761 public middle schools	97.5%	10	69.7	69.7	84.8	81.6	78.9	81.9	74.7	77.0	76.2	75.9	$18,671	$17,582	$1,089
Esencia Middle	Public	6-8	5 Aprender St.	Rancho Mission Viejo	92694	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 234-9900	349	16	21.6	22.3%	192 (55.0%)	5 (1.4%)	56 (16.0%)	56 (16.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	37 (10.6%)	96.6	84^th of 2740 public middle schools	96.9%		94.4	174^th of 2761 public middle schools	93.7%	90	69.5	69.5	79.5	84.6	78.5	80.9	74.8	75.0	72.5	74.2	$23,722	$22,438	$1,284
Carl Hankey Middle	Public	6-8	27252 Nubles	Mission Viejo	92692	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 234-5315	181	12	15.6	49.7%	69 (38.1%)	3 (1.7%)	75 (41.4%)	18 (9.9%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (7.7%)	82	434^th of 2740 public middle schools	84.2%		86.9	338^th of 2761 public middle schools	87.8%	96	60.4	60.4	49.0	78.4	81.1	69.7	49.0	58.8	45.3	51.0	$29,389	$27,268	$2,121
Thurston Middle	Public	6-8	2100 Park Ave.	Laguna Beach	92651	Orange County	Laguna Beach Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 497-7785	524	31	16.6	17.7%	369 (70.4%)	6 (1.1%)	65 (12.4%)	29 (5.5%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	52 (9.9%)	95.3	130^th of 2740 public middle schools	95.3%		96	115^th of 2761 public middle schools	95.8%	15	71.9	71.9	74.0	83.8	72.5	76.6	66.7	76.7	77.8	73.7	$40,071	$38,934	$1,137
Aliso Viejo Middle	Public	6-8	111 Park Ave.	Aliso Viejo	92656	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 831-2622	803	36	22.3	35.4%	433 (53.9%)	16 (2.0%)	154 (19.2%)	109 (13.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	87 (10.8%)	87.2	312^th of 2740 public middle schools	88.6%		91.6	233^rd of 2761 public middle schools	91.6%	79	52.2	52.2	64.4	69.9	66.8	67.1	59.9	62.5	63.1	61.9	$19,053	$17,946	$1,107

Frequently Asked Questions about Marco Forster Middle

What high school do graduates of Marco Forster Middle attend?

Students who attend Marco Forster Middle usually go on to attend San Juan Hills High

What district is Marco Forster Middle in?

Capistrano Unified

Is Marco Forster Middle a good school?

Marco Forster Middle ranks 951^st of 2740 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Marco Forster Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 930 students attended Marco Forster Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Marco Forster Middle?

Students at Marco Forster Middle are 70% Hispanic, 23% White, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Rate Marco Forster Middle!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

CACalifornia Middle School Rankings

CACalifornia District Rankings

Schools in San Juan Capistrano, CA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Marco Forster Middle!

Latest California data All new data »

2013–14 through 2024–25 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesOct 15, 2026

2025–26 CAST, CSA Spanish & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresOct 15, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJul 1, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.