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Niguel Hills Middle

Q: Is Niguel Hills Middle a good school?

Niguel Hills Middle ranks 318 th of 2761 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

318^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,761 California Middle Schools

Better than 88% of California middle schools

Summary

Niguel Hills Middle is a well-regarded public school serving about 690 students in grades 6-8 within the strong Capistrano Unified district in Laguna Niguel, performing solidly above most schools in the state.

The school achieves good academic results, with about 70% of students proficient in English and 58% in math, while serving a more economically diverse student body than some neighboring schools. It shows particular strengths in supporting special education students and has historically excelled with Asian students. However, it faces a notable challenge with chronic student absenteeism, which at 18.7% is higher than top-performing schools like Esencia Middle (7.5%) and Ladera Ranch Middle (10.1%), and its science scores are an area for improvement compared to peers.

When compared within its district, Niguel Hills is a strong mid-to-upper tier school, significantly outperforming Marco Forster Middle but not quite reaching the elite status of schools like Ladera Ranch Middle (98th percentile). Its statewide ranking has slightly declined in recent years, and it experiences a noticeable dip in 7th-grade performance. Addressing attendance and supporting students in middle grades appear to be key opportunities for the school to maintain and improve its standing.

693

Students ?

19.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,684

Per pupil spending ?

44.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

29070 Shark Bay
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677-1542

(949) 234-5360

District: Capistrano Unified

Students who attend Niguel Hills Middle usually attend:

High:

Dana Hills High

Feeder schools for Niguel Hills Middle:

Elementary:	George White Elementary
	Hidden Hills Elementary
	John Malcom Elementary
	Moulton Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.4%

Hispanic:

30.6%

Two or more races:

7.6%

See top rated California middle schools

Compare Niguel Hills Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 93rd percentile in 2013 → 88th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (62% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 12% of California middle schools

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 5 percentile points since 2013

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

!Near the bottom of Capistrano Unified's ranking

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school62%

District avg65%

California avg41%

318^th of 2,761

California public middle schools ?

Top 12%▼ down 2 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of California Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

10^th of 13Middle Schools in the Capistrano Unified

193^rd of 1,543Capistrano 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
2025	87.6	318 of 2761	88.5%	★★★★☆
2024	92.4	219 of 2783	92.1%	★★★★★
2023	91.6	247 of 2781	91.1%	★★★★★
2022	90.6	265 of 2740	90.3%	★★★★★
2019	84.1	385 of 2715	85.8%	★★★★☆
2018	83.3	383 of 2480	84.6%	★★★★☆
2017	80.5	448 of 2508	82.1%	★★★★☆
2016	83.0	375 of 2497	85.0%	★★★★☆
2015	89.2	241 of 2477	90.3%	★★★★★
2013	85.5	177 of 2379	92.6%	★★★★★
2012	86.1	166 of 2259	92.7%	★★★★★
2011	87.7	135 of 2236	94.0%	★★★★★
2010	83.2	231 of 2179	89.4%	★★★★☆
2009	83.5	228 of 2063	88.9%	★★★★☆
2008	80.0	289 of 2005	85.6%	★★★★☆
2007	81.4	279 of 1999	86.0%	★★★★☆
2006	80.7	280 of 1804	84.5%	★★★★☆
2005	80.2	283 of 1777	84.1%	★★★★☆
2004	85.5	191 of 1769	89.2%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2023	89.0	13 of 715	98.2%	★★★★★
2019	45.3	462 of 745	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	60.3	339 of 700	51.6%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	86.4	119 of 1531	92.2%	★★★★★
2019	72.9	258 of 1491	82.7%	★★★★☆
2018	83.9	131 of 1369	90.4%	★★★★★

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	40.0	730 of 1478	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	47.1	513 of 1521	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	72.4	164 of 1540	89.4%	★★★★☆
2019	48.1	467 of 1442	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	51.8	392 of 1364	71.3%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	84.2	353 of 2533	86.1%	★★★★☆
2024	91.0	220 of 2551	91.4%	★★★★★
2023	91.5	213 of 2531	91.6%	★★★★★
2022	90.3	227 of 2509	91.0%	★★★★★
2019	84.7	329 of 2380	86.2%	★★★★☆
2018	84.0	328 of 2262	85.5%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	67.8	576 of 2395	75.9%	★★★★☆
2024	82.8	267 of 2388	88.8%	★★★★☆
2023	79.7	323 of 2374	86.4%	★★★★☆
2022	82.5	247 of 2359	89.5%	★★★★☆
2019	64.9	585 of 2213	73.6%	★★★★☆
2018	64.9	568 of 2072	72.6%	★★★★☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	66.3	103 of 477	78.4%	★★★★☆
2024	76.5	42 of 394	89.3%	★★★★☆
2023	68.4	65 of 320	79.7%	★★★★☆
2022	73.2	61 of 336	81.8%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	79.9	340 of 2542	86.6%	★★★★☆
2024	85.9	251 of 2579	90.3%	★★★★★
2023	87.8	196 of 2531	92.3%	★★★★★
2022	80.1	303 of 2458	87.7%	★★★★☆
2019	56.9	828 of 2369	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.4	545 of 2230	75.6%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	87.8	298 of 2534	88.2%	★★★★☆
2024	91.8	208 of 2552	91.8%	★★★★★
2023	90.0	247 of 2538	90.3%	★★★★★
2022	89.7	251 of 2527	90.1%	★★★★★
2019	81.6	395 of 2407	83.6%	★★★★☆
2018	80.6	400 of 2273	82.4%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	71.6	50 of 194	74.2%	★★★★☆
2024	86.6	16 of 192	91.7%	★★★★★
2023	66.7	65 of 197	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	69.1	50 of 193	74.1%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	74.1	182 of 726	74.9%	★★★★☆
2024	68.8	220 of 701	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	74.9	163 of 677	75.9%	★★★★☆
2022	55.0	298 of 665	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	61.1	245 of 554	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	65.7	170 of 462	63.2%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	71.5	255 of 1566	83.7%	★★★★☆
2024	86.3	118 of 1552	92.4%	★★★★★
2023	88.5	109 of 1531	92.9%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	81.8	209 of 1520	86.3%	★★★★☆
2024	88.4	97 of 1537	93.7%	★★★★★
2023	87.5	112 of 1543	92.7%	★★★★★
2022	88.6	91 of 1555	94.1%	★★★★★
2019	79.9	264 of 1602	83.5%	★★★★☆
2018	76.6	326 of 1496	78.2%	★★★★☆

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)

Asian (2023)98th percentile+7 vs school

Disabled (2022)92nd percentile~ school

Male (2025)88th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)87th percentile~ school

White (2025)86th percentile~ school

Female (2025)86th percentile~ school

Special Education (2025)84th percentile-5 vs school

Homeless (2025)78th percentile-10 vs school

Hispanic (2025)76th percentile-13 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)75th percentile-14 vs school

Military Connected (2025)74th percentile-14 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)51st percentile-42 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy70%+21 vs state

Mathematics58%+21 vs state

Science50%+18 vs state

★

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Schools Near Niguel Hills Middle

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
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%)	87.6	318^th of 2761 public middle schools	88.5%		92.4	219^th of 2783 public middle schools	92.1%	99	50.3	50.3	72.3	65.5	71.8	69.6	61.3	52.2	61.1	57.9	$20,684	$1,423	$19,261
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%)	86.9	338^th of 2761 public middle schools	87.8%		79.1	499^th of 2783 public middle schools	82.1%	161	51.7	51.7	69.1	73.7	65.5	69.4	73.2	44.8	57.9	58.5	$24,837	$1,745	$23,092
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%)	97.3	69^th of 2761 public middle schools	97.5%		98.1	42^nd of 2783 public middle schools	98.5%	27	65.2	65.2	84.1	80.6	82.2	82.3	75.2	74.9	79.2	76.5	$19,090	$1,273	$17,817
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%)	91.6	233^rd of 2761 public middle schools	91.6%		93.1	208^th of 2783 public middle schools	92.5%	25	55.2	55.2	70.5	70.7	72.9	71.4	62.7	65.2	66.8	65.0	$19,508	$1,401	$18,107
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%)	57.3	971^st of 2761 public middle schools	64.8%		59.3	902^nd of 2783 public middle schools	67.6%	69	36.3	36.3	44.4	48.7	53.2	48.8	32.0	36.6	43.2	37.3	$20,607	$2,219	$18,388
Don Juan Avila Middle	Public	6-8	26278 Wood Canyon Dr.	Aliso Viejo	92656	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 362-0348	863	36	24.1	29.7%	394 (45.7%)	14 (1.6%)	195 (22.6%)	171 (19.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	88 (10.2%)	93.1	197^th of 2761 public middle schools	92.9%		96.4	109^th of 2783 public middle schools	96.1%	88	69.2	69.2	67.6	71.9	78.9	73.1	60.8	65.5	71.4	66.1	$18,500	$1,379	$17,121
La Paz Intermediate	Public	7-8	25151 Pradera Dr.	Mission Viejo	92691	Orange County	Saddleback Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 830-1720	713	33	21.8	39.7%	310 (43.5%)	7 (1.0%)	223 (31.3%)	89 (12.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (11.5%)	90.2	274^th of 2761 public middle schools	90.1%		90.8	261^st of 2783 public middle schools	90.6%	13	57.1	57.1		75.4	64.1	69.5		70.4	55.7	62.8	$19,045	$1,362	$17,683
Fred Newhart Middle	Public	6-8	25001 Veterans Way	Mission Viejo	92692	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 855-0162	1,105	51	21.6	33.6%	466 (42.2%)	16 (1.4%)	295 (26.7%)	150 (13.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	174 (15.7%)	94.5	168^th of 2761 public middle schools	93.9%		94.6	167^th of 2783 public middle schools	94.0%	1	59.3	59.3	75.0	78.0	78.8	77.2	69.4	63.9	70.8	67.9	$19,113	$1,344	$17,769
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%)	96	115^th of 2761 public middle schools	95.8%		94.2	177^th of 2783 public middle schools	93.6%	62	70.2	70.2	74.0	77.2	78.8	76.7	72.0	74.9	77.1	74.7	$34,384	$1,134	$33,250
Las Flores Middle	Public	6-8	25862 Antonio Pkwy.	Rancho Santa Margarita	92688	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 589-6543	593	28	21.4	22.3%	332 (56.0%)	7 (1.2%)	92 (15.5%)	91 (15.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	70 (11.8%)	95.4	137^th of 2761 public middle schools	95.0%		96.3	113^th of 2783 public middle schools	95.9%	24	69.1	69.1	78.4	79.0	77.9	78.4	65.3	66.7	71.7	67.9	$20,308	$1,388	$18,920

Frequently Asked Questions about Niguel Hills Middle

What is the racial makeup of Niguel Hills Middle?

Students at Niguel Hills Middle are 55% White, 31% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 5% Asian, 1% African American.

Is Niguel Hills Middle a good school?

Niguel Hills Middle ranks 318^th of 2761 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of Niguel Hills Middle attend?

Students who attend Niguel Hills Middle usually go on to attend Dana Hills High

How many students attend Niguel Hills Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 693 students attended Niguel Hills Middle.

What district is Niguel Hills Middle in?

Capistrano Unified

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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.