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Esencia Middle

Public Grades 6-8

174^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,761 California Middle Schools

Better than 94% of California middle schools

Summary

Esencia Middle is a consistently high-performing public school serving about 350 students in grades 6-8 in the Rancho Mission Viejo community, part of the Capistrano Unified School District.

The school excels in core academics, with student proficiency in English and Math significantly above both district and state averages, and it maintains an exceptionally low rate of chronic student absenteeism. A standout strength is its remarkable effectiveness in supporting diverse student groups, including students with special needs, Hispanic students, and military-connected families, with these groups ranking in the state's top percentiles. When compared to nearby schools like Ladera Ranch Middle, its closest peer, Esencia achieves similar strong results, though it does so with higher per-student spending. It also contrasts sharply with other district schools like Marco Forster Middle, which serves a much higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students and has lower academic performance.

While Esencia is a top-tier school, the analysis highlights a few areas for attention: science proficiency is notably below the district average, and there is a performance gap for its Asian student population. Additionally, the student-teacher ratio has increased in recent years, which is a trend worth watching. Overall, the school demonstrates that with focused strategies and a supportive environment, it can deliver excellent and equitable outcomes for its community.

349

Students ?

21.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$23,722

Per pupil spending ?

22.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

5 Aprender St.
Rancho Mission Viejo, CA 92694

(949) 234-9900

District: Capistrano Unified

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.0%

Asian:

16.0%

Hispanic:

16.0%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 91st percentile in 2022 → 94th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (73% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 6% of California middle schools

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school73%

District avg65%

California avg41%

174^th of 2,761

California public middle schools ?

Top 6%▲ up 3 pts since 2022

From top 9% (2022) to top 6% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^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	94.4	174 of 2761	93.7%	★★★★★
2024	96.9	94 of 2783	96.6%	★★★★★
2023	96.3	111 of 2781	96.0%	★★★★★
2022	90.9	257 of 2740	90.6%	★★★★★

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	54.6	396 of 739	46.4%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	94.4	136 of 2533	94.6%	★★★★★
2024	97.5	46 of 2551	98.2%	★★★★★
2023	98.3	29 of 2531	98.9%	★★★★★
2022	91.7	199 of 2509	92.1%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	92.9	104 of 2395	95.7%	★★★★★
2024	98.1	32 of 2388	98.7%	★★★★★
2023	92.8	106 of 2374	95.5%	★★★★★
2022	80.8	285 of 2359	87.9%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	87.7	211 of 2542	91.7%	★★★★★
2024	98.7	29 of 2579	98.9%	★★★★★
2023	95.4	80 of 2531	96.8%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	91.2	222 of 2534	91.2%	★★★★★
2024	95.2	132 of 2552	94.8%	★★★★★
2023	90.7	230 of 2538	90.9%	★★★★★
2022	88.0	296 of 2527	88.3%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	92.6	7 of 194	96.4%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	83.8	84 of 726	88.4%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	98.7	17 of 1566	98.9%	★★★★★
2024	96.5	40 of 1552	97.4%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	85.4	141 of 1520	90.7%	★★★★★
2024	89.1	86 of 1537	94.4%	★★★★★
2023	88.4	98 of 1543	93.6%	★★★★★
2022	79.6	256 of 1555	83.5%	★★★★☆

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)

Special Education (2025)99th percentile+5 vs school

Military Connected (2025)96th percentile+3 vs school

Hispanic (2025)96th percentile~ school

Female (2025)95th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)92nd percentile~ school

Male (2025)91st percentile~ school

White (2025)91st percentile-3 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)88th percentile-5 vs school

Asian (2025)46th percentile-47 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy79%+30 vs state

Mathematics74%+36 vs state

Science48%+15 vs state

★

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Schools Near Esencia Middle

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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 (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)				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/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
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%)	94.4	174^th of 2761 public middle schools	93.7%		96.9	94^th of 2783 public middle schools	96.6%	80	47.6	47.6	78.1	82.6	76.5	79.2	70.8	81.2	68.0	73.5	$23,722	$22,438	$1,284
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	$18,671	$17,582	$1,089
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	$19,439	$18,290	$1,149
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	$29,389	$27,268	$2,121
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	154^th of 2761 public middle schools	94.4%		96.1	126^th of 2783 public middle schools	95.5%	28	61.7	61.7	85.3	80.0	76.5	80.5	75.0	60.0	66.4	66.9	$20,684	$19,556	$1,128
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%)	93.5	194^th of 2761 public middle schools	93.0%		91.2	251^st of 2783 public middle schools	91.0%	57	57.0	57.0	73.3	75.1	73.1	73.8	65.9	67.0	74.2	69.0	$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%)	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	$21,881	$20,392	$1,489
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	$18,906	$17,846	$1,060
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	$21,151	$19,228	$1,923
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	$17,168	$16,240	$928

Frequently Asked Questions about Esencia Middle

What is the racial makeup of Esencia Middle?

Students at Esencia Middle are 55% White, 16% Asian, 16% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Is Esencia Middle a good school?

Yes. Esencia Middle ranks in the top 6.3% of California middle schools.

How many students attend Esencia Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 349 students attended Esencia Middle.

What district is Esencia 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.