Best Public Schools in Costa Mesa, CA

The city of Costa Mesa, California is home to a diverse array of 26 schools, including 15 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 5 high schools, and 5 alternative schools. These schools are overseen by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, as well as the Orange County Department of Education.

Among the standout schools in the area are Early College High, which ranks among the top 43 high schools in California and boasts a 100% graduation rate and 0% dropout rate. Heinz Kaiser Elementary and Maude B. Davis Elementary also perform exceptionally well, ranking in the top 577 and 1,365 schools in the state, respectively, with high proficiency rates in English and math. In contrast, some schools like ACCESS County Community and ACCESS Juvenile Hall struggle with low test scores and high dropout rates.

The data reveals a wide range of performance across the schools in Costa Mesa, with graduation rates ranging from 87.5% to 100% and test proficiency rates varying from as low as 20% to as high as 76%. This disparity suggests that while the district is performing reasonably well overall, there is still work to be done to ensure equitable access to quality education for all students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.