Dana Hills High

Summary:

Dana Hills High is a public high school located in Dana Point, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,965 students. The school is part of the Capistrano Unified School District, which is ranked 204 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Dana Hills High consistently ranks among the top high schools in California, with a statewide ranking between 123 and 294 over the past several years. The school's performance on standardized tests is impressive, with 80.36% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, and 48.94% proficient or better in Mathematics in the 2023-2024 school year. These scores are significantly higher than the Capistrano Unified and California state averages. Dana Hills High also performs well in Science, with 56.38% of 11th-grade students and 55.3% of all students proficient or better on the CAST exam.

Dana Hills High outperforms its nearby counterparts, such as San Clemente High, Aliso Niguel High, and San Juan Hills High, in terms of academic performance, graduation rates, and student subgroup rankings. The only exception is Capistrano Union High, which has significantly lower test scores, graduation rates, and overall performance compared to Dana Hills High and the other nearby schools. Overall, Dana Hills High is a high-performing school that consistently ranks among the top high schools in California, with strong academic achievement, graduation rates, and student subgroup performance.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 33333 Golden Lantern
       Dana Point, CA  92629-1840


(949) 496-6666

District: Capistrano Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
153rd of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,570 Help


Feeder schools for Dana Hills High:

Elementary:    George White Elementary
    Hidden Hills Elementary
    John Malcom Elementary
    Moulton Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Niguel Hills Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  20.8 Help
Number of students:  1,965

Racial breakdown:

White:
55.0%
Hispanic:
32.0%
Two or more races:
8.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  39.3% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Dana Hills High ranks better than 93.4% of high schools in California. It also ranks 4th among 8 ranked high schools in the Capistrano Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 90.47. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Dana Hills 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.
Help
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 Racial makeup is: White (55%), Hispanic (32%), two or more races (8.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 39.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dana Hills High is 20.8, which is the 3rd best among 8 high schools in the Capistrano Unified School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Dana Hills High employs 94.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dana Hills High is $9,570. 6 high schools in the Capistrano Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Dana Hills High:

SchoolDigger ranks Dana Hills High 153rd of 2323 California public high schools. (See Dana Hills High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Capistrano Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Capistrano Unified 204th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Dana Hills High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 82.74 55th 1653 96.7%
2005 85.76 45th 1901 97.6%
2006 79.32 126th 1968 93.6%
2007 87.18 53rd 2063 97.4%
2008 88.57 30th 2117 98.6%
2009 86.30 34th 2238 98.5%
2010 87.51 54th 2281 97.6%
2011 85.70 68th 2367 97.1%
2012 85.85 69th 2354 97.1%
2013 84.14 85th 2426 96.5%
2015 89.88 183rd 1994 90.8%
2016 81.64 357th 2039 82.5%
2017 86.80 270th 2021 86.6%
2018 83.27 343rd 2017 83.0%
2019 87.43 232nd 2133 89.1%
2021 78.29 265th 1290 79.5%
2022 88.86 214th 2123 89.9%
2023 82.14 294th 2348 87.5%
2024 90.47 153rd 2323 93.4%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.86 225th 366 38.5%
2019 60.11 171st 422 59.5%
2022 79.13 83rd 515 83.9%
2023 63.62 225th 786 71.4%
2024 77.67 117th 804 85.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.24 919th 938 2.0%
2019 36.45 549th 941 41.7%
2021 54.71 148th 467 68.3%
2022 51.32 309th 1044 70.4%
2023 46.28 322nd 1323 75.7%
2024 41.25 431st 1350 68.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 54.02 407th 1547 73.7%
2024 52.69 452nd 1534 70.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.29 562nd 1862 69.8%
2019 68.09 499th 1937 74.2%
2021 67.96 302nd 1126 73.2%
2022 82.71 232nd 1943 88.1%
2023 73.08 385th 2247 82.9%
2024 84.40 217th 2235 90.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 85.03 23rd 290 92.1%
2023 69.12 90th 417 78.4%
2024 82.21 45th 451 90.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.35 252nd 1760 85.7%
2019 85.70 234th 1833 87.2%
2021 78.90 205th 1054 80.6%
2022 89.45 183rd 1858 90.2%
2023 83.60 243rd 2118 88.5%
2024 89.89 139th 2098 93.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.44 227th 1052 78.4%
2019 49.71 420th 1117 62.4%
2021 40.56 284th 555 48.8%
2022 41.27 551st 1161 52.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 43.50 94th 168 44.0%
2023 38.72 153rd 233 34.3%
2024 76.71 44th 234 81.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.77 443rd 1834 75.8%
2019 84.49 259th 1880 86.2%
2021 72.79 277th 1122 75.3%
2022 85.81 233rd 1916 87.8%
2023 77.08 356th 2207 83.9%
2024 89.41 163rd 2172 92.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.21 192nd 581 67.0%
2019 57.16 288th 582 50.5%
2022 60.89 260th 581 55.2%
2023 74.64 171st 731 76.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.78 497th 1742 71.5%
2019 82.83 215th 1814 88.1%
2022 85.04 191st 1861 89.7%
2023 72.02 385th 2142 82.0%
2024 84.60 177th 2125 91.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Dana Hills High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.03 337th 1173 71.3%
2019 75.20 253rd 1222 79.3%
2022 79.23 217th 1204 82.0%
2023 68.64 323rd 1434 77.5%
2024 85.31 100th 1406 92.9%
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.

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





Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

by a student
Sunday, February 20, 2022

Open Quote Going to this school was hell on earth. Glad I survived the elitist attitudes, exclusion of anyone different, extreme classism, and white dominated culture. Run. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Dana Hills High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 2121 23 87 141 3 n/a n/a 0 2375
1989 2099 20 106 183 1 n/a n/a 0 2409
1990 2102 20 148 218 1 n/a n/a 0 2489
1991 2145 21 187 310 1 n/a n/a 0 2664
1992 2167 32 194 324 0 n/a n/a 0 2717
1993 2093 35 204 323 0 n/a n/a 0 2655
1994 1637 23 141 282 1 n/a n/a 0 2084
1995 1659 17 106 333 2 n/a n/a 0 2117
1996 1659 17 106 333 2 n/a n/a 0 2117
1997 1845 18 116 341 2 n/a n/a 0 2322
1998 2014 26 124 403 2 n/a n/a 0 2569
1999 2217 36 126 399 5 n/a n/a 0 2783
2000 2382 29 119 433 6 n/a n/a 0 2969
2001 2349 31 111 441 6 n/a n/a 15 2953
2002 2142 24 108 476 4 n/a n/a 190 2944
2003 2142 24 108 476 4 n/a n/a 190 2944
2004 2068 23 111 461 4 n/a n/a 145 2812
2005 2162 23 126 452 5 n/a n/a 132 2900
2006 2180 25 130 463 7 n/a n/a 124 2929
2007 2274 33 124 527 9 n/a n/a 121 3088
2008 2228 31 129 536 9 n/a n/a 0 2933
2009 2106 28 145 537 9 6 116 0 2947
2010 1881 20 131 719 15 0 225 0 2991
2011 1821 16 143 669 18 1 187 0 2855
2012 1812 25 130 680 18 0 165 0 2830
2013 1822 22 123 688 19 0 177 0 2851
2014 1764 17 109 670 14 1 159 0 2734
2015 1718 25 109 695 10 1 158 0 2716
2016 1692 21 108 695 10 1 152 0 2679
2017 1681 20 102 701 7 2 160 0 2673
2018 1570 25 100 724 6 2 161 0 2588
2019 1450 16 100 682 6 1 142 0 2397
2020 1376 19 101 713 5 1 142 0 2357
2021 1277 15 97 688 4 0 138 1 2220
2022 1148 15 85 659 3 3 149 0 2062
2023 1080 10 80 629 4 2 159 1 1965

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 Dana Hills High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2375 99.7 23.8 n/a
1989 2409 100.6 23.9 n/a
1990 2489 107.0 23.2 n/a
1991 2664 116.2 22.9 n/a
1992 2717 118.1 23.0 7.1
1993 2655 110.1 24.1 9.9
1994 2084 93.7 22.2 11.8
1995 2117 86.7 24.4 14.1
1996 2117 86.7 24.4 14.1
1997 2322 91.2 25.5 17.1
1998 2569 100.4 25.6 10.2
1999 2783 110.6 25.2 9.5
2000 2969 117.8 25.2 10.6
2001 2953 119.6 24.7 11.4
2002 2944 117.2 25.1 9.6
2003 2944 117.2 25.1 9.6
2004 2812 112.9 24.9 11.7
2005 2900 112.5 25.8 12.3
2006 2929 109.4 26.8 11.8
2007 3088 113.3 27.3 12.2
2008 2933 123.0 23.8 12.1
2009 2947 104.5 26.5 15.7
2010 2991 108.6 27.5 15.9
2011 2855 n/a n/a 18.4
2012 2830 104.5 27.0 n/a
2013 2851 102.7 27.7 24.2
2014 2734 96.4 28.3 20.6
2015 2716 98.0 27.7 21.6
2016 2679 98.0 27.3 21.5
2017 2673 103.0 25.9 21.3
2018 2588 103.9 24.9 25.2
2019 2397 96.4 24.8 26.4
2020 2357 n/a n/a 29.7
2021 2220 86.4 25.6 28.8
2022 2062 97.3 21.1 28.2
2023 1965 94.2 20.8 39.3

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 Dana Hills High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2375 99.7 23.8 n/a
1989 2409 100.6 23.9 n/a
1990 2489 107.0 23.2 n/a
1991 2664 116.2 22.9 n/a
1992 2717 118.1 23.0 7.1
1993 2655 110.1 24.1 9.9
1994 2084 93.7 22.2 11.8
1995 2117 86.7 24.4 14.1
1996 2117 86.7 24.4 14.1
1997 2322 91.2 25.5 17.1
1998 2569 100.4 25.6 10.2
1999 2783 110.6 25.2 9.5
2000 2969 117.8 25.2 10.6
2001 2953 119.6 24.7 11.4
2002 2944 117.2 25.1 9.6
2003 2944 117.2 25.1 9.6
2004 2812 112.9 24.9 11.7
2005 2900 112.5 25.8 12.3
2006 2929 109.4 26.8 11.8
2007 3088 113.3 27.3 12.2
2008 2933 123.0 23.8 12.1
2009 2947 104.5 26.5 15.7
2010 2991 108.6 27.5 15.9
2011 2855 n/a n/a 18.4
2012 2830 104.5 27.0 n/a
2013 2851 102.7 27.7 24.2
2014 2734 96.4 28.3 20.6
2015 2716 98.0 27.7 21.6
2016 2679 98.0 27.3 21.5
2017 2673 103.0 25.9 21.3
2018 2588 103.9 24.9 25.2
2019 2397 96.4 24.8 26.4
2020 2357 n/a n/a 29.7
2021 2220 86.4 25.6 28.8
2022 2062 97.3 21.1 28.2
2023 1965 94.2 20.8 39.3

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 Dana Hills High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $9,570

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Dana Hills 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 232nd of 2133 High schoolsRanks 294th of 2348 High schools
 1.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Dana Hills High)72.666.4
 6.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Capistrano Unified)75.476.3
 0.8%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Dana Hills High)45.838.9
 6.9%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Capistrano Unified)50.549
 1.5%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
12th Grade Science (Dana Hills High)41.843.4
 1.6%
   12th Grade Science (Capistrano Unified)46.550.7
 4.2%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students23971965
 18%
African American1610
 37.5%
American Indian64
 33.3%
Asian10080
 20%
Hispanic682629
 7.8%
Pacific Islander12
 100%
White14501080
 25.5%
Two or More Races142159
 12%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients26.4%39.3%
 12.9%


Schools Near Dana Hills High









Frequently Asked Questions about Dana Hills High

Dana Hills High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : George White Elementary
Elementary : Hidden Hills Elementary
Elementary : John Malcom Elementary
Elementary : Moulton Elementary
Elementary : Richard Henry Dana Elementary
Middle : Niguel Hills Middle

Yes. Dana Hills High ranks in the top 6.6% of California high schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,965 students attended Dana Hills High.

Students at Dana Hills High are 55% White, 32% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 4% Asian.


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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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