Ortega High

Summary:

Ortega High is a public high school located in Lake Elsinore, California, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 487. The school is part of the Lake Elsinore Unified School District, which is ranked 1038 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ortega High has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of California high schools over the past decade, with its statewide ranking ranging from 1554 to 2041 out of over 2,000 schools. The school has received a 1-star or 0-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of this period, indicating it is among the lowest-performing schools in the state. Ortega High's proficiency rates in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics are significantly lower than the Lake Elsinore Unified School District and the state of California averages. The school's performance on the California Science Test (CAST) is also very low, with only 5.5% of 11th-grade students and 8.33% of 12th-grade students scoring proficient or better in 2023-2024.

While Elsinore High, Lakeside High, and Temescal Canyon High schools, which are also part of the Lake Elsinore Unified School District, have higher proficiency rates, graduation rates, and lower chronic absenteeism, Ortega High continues to struggle with low academic performance, high dropout rates, and very high chronic absenteeism. These challenges may be exacerbated by the school's high rates of poverty and English Language Learners, as evidenced by the school's high percentage of free/reduced-price lunch recipients (81.11% in 2022-2023).


Detail:

Public 9-12

 520 Chaney St. Bldg. 100
       Lake Elsinore, CA  92530-1230


(951) 253-7065

District: Lake Elsinore Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
2029th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,574 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  19.8 Help
Number of students:  488

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
73.0%
White:
16.6%
African American:
4.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  83% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Ortega High ranks worse than 87.3% of high schools in California. It also ranks last among 4 ranked high schools in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.88. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Ortega High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Ortega High has the smallest high school student body size in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (73%), White (16.6%), African American (4.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 83% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ortega High is 19.8, which is the lowest among 4 high schools in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District! (See more...)
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Compare Ortega High employs 24.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ortega High is $9,574, which is the highest among 4 high schools in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ortega High:

SchoolDigger ranks Ortega High 2029th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Ortega High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Lake Elsinore Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Lake Elsinore Unified 1038th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Ortega High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Ortega High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 19.45 1299th 1653 21.4%
2005 21.23 1353rd 1901 28.8%
2006 18.81 1482nd 1968 24.7%
2007 21.78 1427th 2063 30.8%
2008 22.46 1434th 2117 32.3%
2009 32.06 1298th 2238 42.0%
2010 24.50 1438th 2281 37.0%
2011 12.03 1975th 2367 16.6%
2012 13.82 1857th 2354 21.1%
2013 22.77 1554th 2426 35.9%
2015 11.56 1722nd 1994 13.6%
2016 11.46 1767th 2039 13.3%
2017 9.60 1877th 2021 7.1%
2018 10.59 1797th 2017 10.9%
2019 11.46 1950th 2133 8.6%
2022 11.45 1975th 2123 7.0%
2023 10.31 2041st 2348 13.1%
2024 9.88 2029th 2323 12.7%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ortega High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 28.08 857th 941 8.9%
2022 32.49 746th 1044 28.5%
2023 23.50 1166th 1323 11.9%
2024 23.17 1131st 1350 16.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ortega High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 19.14 1417th 1547 8.4%
2024 17.71 1427th 1534 7.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ortega High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.58 1701st 1862 8.6%
2019 11.57 1778th 1937 8.2%
2022 12.57 1768th 1943 9.0%
2023 9.87 2004th 2247 10.8%
2024 9.62 1993rd 2235 10.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Ortega High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 14.43 267th 290 7.9%
2023 11.86 401st 417 3.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ortega High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 7.51 1688th 1760 4.1%
2019 10.30 1671st 1833 8.8%
2022 9.23 1783rd 1858 4.0%
2023 8.61 1971st 2118 6.9%
2024 8.36 1944th 2098 7.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Ortega High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.73 970th 1052 7.8%
2019 25.86 862nd 1117 22.8%
2022 24.60 991st 1161 14.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ortega High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.46 1580th 1834 13.8%
2019 10.67 1744th 1880 7.2%
2022 11.85 1760th 1916 8.1%
2023 10.73 1910th 2207 13.5%
2024 10.50 1862nd 2172 14.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Ortega High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 13.20 487th 522 6.7%
2023 17.45 631st 720 12.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ortega High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.87 1599th 1742 8.2%
2019 11.11 1670th 1814 7.9%
2022 11.90 1707th 1861 8.3%
2023 10.11 1893rd 2142 11.6%
2024 9.31 1899th 2125 10.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Ortega High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 3.71 1131st 1173 3.6%
2019 4.06 1182nd 1222 3.3%
2022 4.13 1178th 1204 2.2%
2023 4.65 1343rd 1434 6.3%
2024 5.79 1279th 1406 9.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Ortega High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Ortega High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 187 5 0 45 0 n/a n/a 0 237
1991 167 1 1 39 0 n/a n/a 0 208
1992 74 2 0 32 0 n/a n/a 0 108
1993 88 9 1 44 0 n/a n/a 0 142
1994 77 4 0 49 0 n/a n/a 0 130
1995 131 8 2 58 0 n/a n/a 0 199
1996 131 8 2 58 0 n/a n/a 0 199
1997 82 4 0 69 0 n/a n/a 0 155
1998 83 8 3 69 3 n/a n/a 0 166
1999 97 8 5 92 3 n/a n/a 0 205
2000 102 4 7 74 1 n/a n/a 0 188
2001 119 5 8 96 2 n/a n/a 1 231
2002 113 5 7 102 5 n/a n/a 1 233
2003 113 5 7 102 5 n/a n/a 1 233
2004 124 10 6 93 3 n/a n/a 2 238
2005 129 11 5 128 4 n/a n/a 1 278
2006 119 11 7 138 2 n/a n/a 0 277
2007 59 6 2 90 1 n/a n/a 1 159
2008 68 12 3 92 n/a n/a n/a 0 175
2009 60 8 5 108 0 2 2 0 185
2010 63 14 0 134 2 1 2 0 216
2011 67 13 2 170 2 0 5 0 259
2012 51 13 3 166 1 2 4 0 240
2013 63 7 0 160 2 2 5 0 239
2014 49 11 4 164 2 2 4 0 236
2015 63 8 4 150 0 1 7 0 233
2016 28 8 1 150 2 0 1 0 190
2017 59 14 3 239 0 1 12 0 328
2018 72 23 4 209 3 1 9 0 321
2019 79 12 3 208 2 1 17 0 322
2020 78 17 3 240 1 1 13 0 353
2021 72 13 5 232 2 1 11 0 336
2022 84 19 11 324 2 0 15 0 455
2023 83 17 12 359 0 1 15 0 487
2024 81 23 12 356 0 5 11 0 488

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ortega High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 237 7.2 32.9 n/a
1991 208 7.0 29.7 n/a
1992 108 7.1 15.2 n/a
1993 142 7.1 20.0 0
1994 130 8.0 16.3 0
1995 199 8.0 24.9 0
1996 199 8.0 24.9 0
1997 155 7.0 22.1 0
1998 166 9.2 18.0 23.5
1999 205 9.7 21.1 26.8
2000 188 10.0 18.8 17
2001 231 10.0 23.1 0
2002 233 10.0 23.3 31.5
2003 233 10.0 23.3 31.5
2004 238 11.0 21.6 74.6
2005 278 12.0 23.2 73.3
2006 277 13.5 20.5 37.2
2007 159 12.0 13.3 98.7
2008 175 14.0 12.5 89.1
2009 185 13.0 12.3 54.6
2010 216 13.0 16.6 44
2011 259 n/a n/a 73.4
2012 240 14.9 16.1 n/a
2013 239 12.4 19.2 77
2014 236 12.9 18.2 75.8
2015 233 15.0 15.5 75.1
2016 190 13.0 14.6 77.4
2017 328 17.2 19.0 73.8
2018 321 17.6 18.2 68.5
2019 322 18.0 17.8 69.6
2020 353 n/a n/a 70.3
2021 336 18.0 18.6 66.4
2022 455 26.0 17.5 71.2
2023 487 27.6 17.6 81.1
2024 488 24.5 19.8 83

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Ortega High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 237 7.2 32.9 n/a
1991 208 7.0 29.7 n/a
1992 108 7.1 15.2 n/a
1993 142 7.1 20.0 0
1994 130 8.0 16.3 0
1995 199 8.0 24.9 0
1996 199 8.0 24.9 0
1997 155 7.0 22.1 0
1998 166 9.2 18.0 23.5
1999 205 9.7 21.1 26.8
2000 188 10.0 18.8 17
2001 231 10.0 23.1 0
2002 233 10.0 23.3 31.5
2003 233 10.0 23.3 31.5
2004 238 11.0 21.6 74.6
2005 278 12.0 23.2 73.3
2006 277 13.5 20.5 37.2
2007 159 12.0 13.3 98.7
2008 175 14.0 12.5 89.1
2009 185 13.0 12.3 54.6
2010 216 13.0 16.6 44
2011 259 n/a n/a 73.4
2012 240 14.9 16.1 n/a
2013 239 12.4 19.2 77
2014 236 12.9 18.2 75.8
2015 233 15.0 15.5 75.1
2016 190 13.0 14.6 77.4
2017 328 17.2 19.0 73.8
2018 321 17.6 18.2 68.5
2019 322 18.0 17.8 69.6
2020 353 n/a n/a 70.3
2021 336 18.0 18.6 66.4
2022 455 26.0 17.5 71.2
2023 487 27.6 17.6 81.1
2024 488 24.5 19.8 83

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Ortega High

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $9,574

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ortega High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1950th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 2041st of 2348 High schools
 4.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Ortega High)8.310.7
 2.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Lake Elsinore Unified)45.740.8
 4.9%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Ortega High)1.30.8
 0.5%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Lake Elsinore Unified)20.516.3
 4.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Ortega High)3.25.1
 1.9%
   11th Grade Science (Lake Elsinore Unified)2017.5
 2.5%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students322487
 51.2%
African American1217
 41.7%
American Indian20
 100%
Asian312
 300%
Hispanic208359
 72.6%
Pacific Islander11
White7983
 5.1%
Two or More Races1715
 11.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients69.6%81.1%
 11.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Ortega High

Ortega High ranks in the bottom 12.7% of California high schools.

In the 2023-24 school year, 488 students attended Ortega High.

Students at Ortega High are 73% Hispanic, 17% White, 5% African American, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races, 1% Pacific Islander.


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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.





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