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

New rankings! California test scores for the 2025-26 school year were just released — SchoolDigger posted updated rankings this week.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Esencia

Public Grades K-5

489^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,804 California Elementary Schools

Better than 92% of California elementary schools

Summary

Esencia is a K–5 elementary school in Rancho Mission Viejo, serving 996 students in the Capistrano Unified district. Its overall 2025–2026 proficiency rates are well above state and district averages, but the most important academic concern is fifth-grade math: 61% of students were proficient, 16 points below the school’s fourth-grade rate and 2 points below the district’s fifth-grade rate.

The school is strong across all three tested subjects compared with state and district averages. ELA proficiency was 76%, versus 49% statewide and 71% in the district; math was 73%, versus 38% and 62%; and science was 62%, versus 36% and 59%. Among 10 nearby K–5 schools, including Esencia, it ranks fourth in ELA, sixth in math, and seventh in science. So, although its results exceed nearby-school averages, local competitors are often stronger—especially in science.

Results have shifted over time: science gained 6 percentage points from 2022–2023 to 2025–2026 but fell from its 2024–2025 peak; ELA rose 2 points across those years, while math declined by 1. Chronic absenteeism improved from 21% in 2021–2022 to 7% in 2025–2026, below district and state rates of 14% and 18%. Esencia is at the 92nd percentile statewide in SchoolDigger’s ranking (rank 489 of 5,804, five stars), though four of the 11 nearby schools rank higher. Its student-teacher ratio was 26.9 in 2024–2025, and 18% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible that year, the second-lowest share among the 11 schools; Oso Grande was lower. One subgroup result stands out: SchoolDigger’s statewide measure of how well the school serves Asian students was at the 46th percentile in 2025–2026, down 36 points from the prior year and below the school’s overall 92nd percentile. These subgroup percentiles are group-specific rankings, not direct measures of individual students.

996

Students ?

26.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,841

Per pupil spending ?

17.6%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in California receive free school meals.

5 Aprender St.
Rancho Mission Viejo, CA 92694

(949) 234-9200

District: Capistrano Unified

Students who attend Esencia usually attend:

High:

Tesoro High

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.3%

Two or more races:

15.7%

Hispanic:

14.5%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Esencia to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 85th percentile in 2019 → 92nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (73% vs 42% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 8% of California elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 7 percentile points since 2019

Worth a look

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

!Large classes — about 27 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school73%

District avg65%

California avg42%

489^th of 5,804

California public elementary schools ?

Top 8%▲ up 7 pts since 2019

From top 15% (2019) to top 8% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

15^th of 38Elementary Schools in the Capistrano Unified

130^th of 968Capistrano 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	92.8	489 of 5804	91.6%	★★★★★
2025	95.3	305 of 5857	94.8%	★★★★★
2024	92.0	574 of 5869	90.2%	★★★★★
2023	92.8	516 of 5859	91.2%	★★★★★
2022	89.9	690 of 5883	88.3%	★★★★☆
2019	85.3	892 of 5789	84.6%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	56.8	655 of 1207	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	77.8	222 of 1203	81.5%	★★★★☆
2024	67.6	459 of 1205	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.3	513 of 1154	55.5%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	83.9	242 of 2227	89.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	92.6	421 of 5569	92.4%	★★★★★
2025	94.9	279 of 5597	95.0%	★★★★★
2024	91.5	533 of 5612	90.5%	★★★★★
2023	93.6	392 of 5609	93.0%	★★★★★
2022	90.4	618 of 5635	89.0%	★★★★☆
2019	85.3	804 of 5492	85.4%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	90.1	337 of 5085	93.4%	★★★★★
2025	91.0	301 of 5107	94.1%	★★★★★
2024	87.9	434 of 5107	91.5%	★★★★★
2023	92.5	260 of 5087	94.9%	★★★★★
2022	88.8	397 of 5084	92.2%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	89.3	369 of 5412	93.2%	★★★★★
2025	95.1	175 of 5460	96.8%	★★★★★
2024	96.3	186 of 5517	96.6%	★★★★★
2023	94.4	209 of 5363	96.1%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	90.8	520 of 5590	90.7%	★★★★★
2025	93.7	353 of 5628	93.7%	★★★★★
2024	88.5	687 of 5643	87.8%	★★★★☆
2023	88.9	679 of 5638	88.0%	★★★★☆
2022	85.9	829 of 5663	85.4%	★★★★☆
2019	82.2	955 of 5510	82.7%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	88.6	7 of 123	94.3%	★★★★★
2025	95.4	3 of 153	98.0%	★★★★★
2024	97.0	3 of 118	97.5%	★★★★★
2023	88.3	9 of 140	93.6%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	73.2	201 of 752	73.3%	★★★★☆
2025	76.0	155 of 718	78.4%	★★★★☆
2024	57.7	339 of 670	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	68.9	212 of 669	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.8	345 of 610	43.4%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	72.3	503 of 2920	82.8%	★★★★☆
2025	95.9	99 of 2847	96.5%	★★★★★
2024	90.2	187 of 2635	92.9%	★★★★★
2023	96.8	78 of 2420	96.8%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	78.3	460 of 2532	81.8%	★★★★☆
2025	84.0	272 of 2598	89.5%	★★★★☆
2024	76.5	571 of 2651	78.5%	★★★★☆
2023	74.1	651 of 2661	75.5%	★★★★☆
2022	72.5	713 of 2726	73.8%	★★★★☆
2019	68.8	872 of 2834	69.2%	★★★☆☆

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)

Military Connected (2026)94th percentile+3 vs school

Hispanic (2026)93rd percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)93rd percentile~ school

Female (2026)92nd percentile~ school

Male (2026)91st percentile~ school

Disabled (2022)89th percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)83rd percentile-9 vs school

White (2026)82nd percentile-10 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)73rd percentile-18 vs school

Asian (2026)46th percentile-46 vs school

By subject vs California (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy76%+26 vs state

Mathematics73%+35 vs state

Science62%+26 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Esencia and help other families decide.

Rate Esencia

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

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Esencia

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 Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CSA Spanish Overall (2026)				CSA Spanish Listening (2026)				CSA Spanish Writing (2026)				CSA Spanish Reading (2026)				CAST Science (2026)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2026)						Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)						% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	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	CSA Spanish Overall 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall All Grades	CSA Spanish Listening 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening All Grades	CSA Spanish Writing 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing All Grades	CSA Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading All Grades	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	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 All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Esencia	Public	K-5	5 Aprender St.	Rancho Mission Viejo	92694	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 234-9200	996	37	26.9	17.6%	561 (56.3%)	5 (0.5%)	144 (14.5%)	130 (13.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	156 (15.7%)	92.8	489^th of 5804 public elementary schools	91.6%		95.3	305^th of 5857 public elementary schools	94.8%	184																	61.9	61.9	72.7	80.4	73.8			75.5	77.3	81.8	61.3			73.2	97.7						$12,841	$12,054	$787
Oso Grande Elementary	Public	K-5	30251 Sienna Pkwy.	Ladera Ranch	92694	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 234-5966	867	32	27.0	13.8%	587 (67.7%)	3 (0.3%)	85 (9.8%)	69 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	123 (14.2%)	95.7	262^nd of 5804 public elementary schools	95.5%		95.6	274^th of 5857 public elementary schools	95.3%	12																	63.8	63.8	84.1	84.0	78.1			82.1	80.2	88.9	68.8			79.4	98.4			98.4	98.4	98.4	$17,031	$16,244	$787
Ladera Ranch Elementary	Public	K-5	29551 Sienna Pkwy.	Ladera Ranch	92694	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 234-5915	580	24	24.1	24.8%	336 (57.9%)	3 (0.5%)	85 (14.7%)	68 (11.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	88 (15.2%)	94.6	361^st of 5804 public elementary schools	93.8%		95	328^th of 5857 public elementary schools	94.4%	33																	67.0	67.0	68.9	75.3	81.4			75.4	77.8	77.1	81.3			78.7	95.8		97.5	98.3	97.5		$17,300	$16,350	$950
Chaparral Elementary	Public	K-5	29001 Sienna Pkwy.	Ladera Ranch	92694	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 234-5349	604	26	23.2	18.0%	350 (57.9%)	3 (0.5%)	82 (13.6%)	52 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	114 (18.9%)	97.8	80^th of 5804 public elementary schools	98.6%		97.7	96^th of 5857 public elementary schools	98.4%	16																	81.2	81.2	77.8	81.0	92.2			84.1	84.0	83.0	92.2			86.6	97.4	98.3		98.3	97.4	98.3	$19,063	$18,276	$787
Wagon Wheel Elementary	Public	K-5	30912 Bridle Path	Coto De Caza	92679	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 589-1953	441	19	23.2	20.0%	261 (59.2%)	2 (0.5%)	49 (11.1%)	60 (13.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	69 (15.6%)	92.2	533^rd of 5804 public elementary schools	90.8%		95.3	306^th of 5857 public elementary schools	94.8%	227																	63.8	63.8	78.6	61.5	80.0			74.8	84.5	60.4	72.5			73.5							$17,389	$16,602	$787
California Republic Leadership Academy Capistrano	Public, Charter	K-8	31711 San Juan Creek Rd.	San Juan Capistrano	92675	Orange County	California Republic Leadership Academy Capistrano District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 298-6040	260	10	25.8	17.7%	190 (73.1%)	2 (0.8%)	40 (15.4%)	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	22 (8.5%)	82.1	1043^rd of 5804 public elementary schools	82.0%		72.3	1505^th of 5857 public elementary schools	74.3%	462																	56.7	56.7	73.3	72.4	63.3	70.8	75.0	70.7	56.7	75.9	46.7	41.7	47.6	54.5							$24,514	$23,434	$1,080
Harold Ambuehl Elementary	Public	K-5	28001 San Juan Creek Rd.	San Juan Capistrano	92675	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 661-0400	324	14	23.1	35.2%	181 (55.9%)	3 (0.9%)	88 (27.2%)	6 (1.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (13.6%)	76.6	1290^th of 5804 public elementary schools	77.8%		75.8	1340^th of 5857 public elementary schools	77.1%	50																	37.2	37.2	59.1	60.7	65.1			61.2	59.1	65.6	51.2			59.4	92.0			94.0	96.0	94.0	$18,397	$17,294	$1,103
Las Flores Elementary	Public	K-5	25862 Antonio Pkwy.	Rancho Santa Margarita	92688	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 589-6935	328	13	25.2	26.5%	169 (51.5%)	3 (0.9%)	59 (18.0%)	59 (18.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (11.6%)	95	329^th of 5804 public elementary schools	94.3%		95.1	320^th of 5857 public elementary schools	94.5%	9																	69.4	69.4	66.7	85.4	85.5			80.0	70.5	82.9	79.0			77.6	95.9	97.3	97.3	97.3	97.3	97.3	$19,005	$18,218	$787
Carl Hankey Elementary	Public	K-5	27252 Nubles St.	Mission Viejo	92692	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 234-5315	284	12	23.6	57.0%	95 (33.5%)	2 (0.7%)	118 (41.5%)	20 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (17.3%)	77	1267^th of 5804 public elementary schools	78.2%		84	960^th of 5857 public elementary schools	83.6%	307																	44.4	44.4	56.4	51.0	66.7			58.5	79.5	57.1	53.7			62.0							$21,067	$19,758	$1,309
San Juan Elementary	Public	K-5	31642 El Camino Real	San Juan Capistrano	92675	Orange County	Capistrano Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(949) 493-4533	662	25	26.4	73.4%	70 (10.6%)	5 (0.8%)	557 (84.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.2%)	32.6	3763^rd of 5804 public elementary schools	35.2%		27.6	4161^st of 5857 public elementary schools	29.0%	398	3.2	8.3	3.5	5.2	41.9	11.1	24.1	25.0	3.2	22.9	6.9	11.6	0.0	8.6	3.5	4.2	16.9	16.9	27.6	41.4	38.6			35.2	37.4	40.4	21.7			34.2	95.7	97.4		96.6	97.4	97.4	$17,826	$16,994	$832

Frequently Asked Questions about Esencia

How many students attend Esencia?

In the 2024-25 school year, 996 students attended Esencia.

What schools do graduates of Esencia attend?

Students who attend Esencia usually go on to attend:

High : Tesoro High

Is Esencia a good school?

Yes. Esencia ranks in the top 8.4% of California elementary schools.

What district is Esencia in?

Capistrano Unified

What is the racial makeup of Esencia?

Students at Esencia are 56% White, 16% Two or more races, 14% Hispanic, 13% Asian.

Rate Esencia!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

CACalifornia Elementary School Rankings

CACalifornia District Rankings

Schools in Rancho Mission Viejo, CA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Esencia!

Latest California data All new data »

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

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

2024–25 school spending dataJul 1, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataMar 13, 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.