Niguel Hills Middle

Summary:

Niguel Hills Middle is a public middle school located in Laguna Niguel, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 721 students. It 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.

Niguel Hills Middle consistently performs well on standardized tests, with a high percentage of students scoring proficient or better in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics compared to the Capistrano Unified School District and the state of California. The school also excels in the performance of certain student subgroups, such as White and Military Connected students, ranking among the top schools in the state. However, it struggles with the performance of other subgroups, such as English Language Learners and Multi-racial students. Additionally, the school has seen fluctuations in chronic absenteeism rates, and the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch has increased, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

Compared to nearby schools in the Capistrano Unified School District, Niguel Hills Middle generally outperforms schools like Las Flores Middle, Marco Forster Middle, and Don Juan Avila Middle in terms of academic achievement and student subgroup performance. However, it lags behind the top-performing school in the district, Ladera Ranch Middle, which consistently ranks among the top 5% of California middle schools.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 29070 Shark Bay
       Laguna Niguel, CA  92677-1542


(949) 234-5360

District: Capistrano Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
217th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,704 Help


Students who attend Niguel Hills Middle usually attend:

High:    Dana Hills High

Feeder schools for Niguel Hills Middle:

Elementary:    George White Elementary
    Hidden Hills Elementary
    John Malcom Elementary
    Moulton Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  19.1 Help
Number of students:  733

Racial breakdown:

White:
56.9%
Hispanic:
29.5%
Two or more races:
7.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  40.4% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Niguel Hills Middle ranks better than 92.2% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 8th among 12 ranked middle schools in the Capistrano Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.42. (See more...)
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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (56.9%), Hispanic (29.5%), two or more races (7.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 40.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Niguel Hills Middle is 19.1, which is the 4th best among 12 middle schools in the Capistrano Unified School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Niguel Hills Middle employs 38.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Niguel Hills Middle is $10,704, which is the 2nd highest among 12 middle schools in the Capistrano Unified School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Niguel Hills Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Niguel Hills Middle 217th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Niguel Hills Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle 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.)


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Rank History for Niguel Hills Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 85.47 191st 1769 89.2%
2005 80.17 283rd 1777 84.1%
2006 80.75 280th 1804 84.5%
2007 81.40 279th 1999 86.0%
2008 79.97 289th 2005 85.6%
2009 83.52 228th 2063 88.9%
2010 83.22 231st 2179 89.4%
2011 87.73 135th 2236 94.0%
2012 86.08 166th 2259 92.7%
2013 85.52 177th 2379 92.6%
2015 89.25 241st 2477 90.3%
2016 82.97 375th 2497 85.0%
2017 80.47 448th 2508 82.1%
2018 83.31 383rd 2480 84.6%
2019 84.12 385th 2715 85.8%
2022 90.65 265th 2740 90.3%
2023 91.57 249th 2802 91.1%
2024 92.42 217th 2777 92.2%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.69 170th 462 63.2%
2019 61.12 245th 554 55.8%
2022 55.00 298th 665 55.2%
2023 74.90 164th 678 75.8%
2024 68.79 219th 699 68.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.85 392nd 1364 71.3%
2019 48.05 467th 1442 67.6%
2022 72.44 164th 1540 89.4%
2023 47.11 514th 1529 66.4%
2024 40.02 730th 1477 50.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 88.53 110th 1538 92.8%
2024 86.25 117th 1550 92.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.44 545th 2230 75.6%
2019 56.91 828th 2369 65.0%
2022 80.10 303rd 2458 87.7%
2023 87.77 197th 2549 92.3%
2024 85.88 251st 2575 90.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 73.20 61st 336 81.8%
2023 68.37 65th 321 79.8%
2024 76.51 42nd 394 89.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.00 328th 2262 85.5%
2019 84.66 329th 2380 86.2%
2022 90.34 227th 2509 91.0%
2023 91.50 214th 2547 91.6%
2024 91.02 218th 2546 91.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.94 131st 1369 90.4%
2019 72.92 258th 1491 82.7%
2022 86.36 119th 1531 92.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 69.14 50th 193 74.1%
2023 66.73 65th 197 67.0%
2024 86.58 16th 191 91.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.63 400th 2273 82.4%
2019 81.58 395th 2407 83.6%
2022 89.72 251st 2527 90.1%
2023 89.97 250th 2558 90.2%
2024 91.84 206th 2547 91.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.27 339th 700 51.6%
2019 45.31 462nd 745 38.0%
2023 88.98 13th 718 98.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.86 568th 2072 72.6%
2019 64.88 585th 2213 73.6%
2022 82.50 247th 2359 89.5%
2023 79.68 324th 2391 86.4%
2024 82.83 266th 2383 88.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Niguel Hills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.57 326th 1496 78.2%
2019 79.95 264th 1602 83.5%
2022 88.64 91st 1555 94.1%
2023 87.53 113th 1552 92.7%
2024 88.44 97th 1535 93.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle 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.

Niguel Hills Middle 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 Niguel Hills Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 845 7 48 31 0 n/a n/a 0 931
1989 1025 14 85 60 2 n/a n/a 0 1186
1990 816 16 78 53 1 n/a n/a 0 964
1991 873 16 103 66 1 n/a n/a 0 1059
1992 1340 29 164 132 2 n/a n/a 0 1667
1993 1519 33 173 152 1 n/a n/a 0 1878
1994 968 20 106 119 1 n/a n/a 0 1214
1995 1172 23 100 125 1 n/a n/a 0 1421
1996 1172 23 100 125 1 n/a n/a 0 1421
1997 1340 25 97 130 1 n/a n/a 0 1593
1998 1468 26 94 135 0 n/a n/a 0 1723
1999 1538 25 107 139 0 n/a n/a 0 1809
2000 1482 24 111 143 1 n/a n/a 0 1761
2001 1307 17 105 143 2 n/a n/a 9 1583
2002 1245 15 84 172 1 n/a n/a 92 1609
2003 1245 15 84 172 1 n/a n/a 92 1609
2004 1255 16 75 177 2 n/a n/a 64 1589
2005 1171 17 83 184 1 n/a n/a 58 1514
2006 1100 13 93 187 2 n/a n/a 52 1447
2007 1080 19 109 191 0 n/a n/a 45 1444
2008 1062 22 120 205 1 n/a n/a 0 1410
2009 1061 18 95 202 2 2 61 0 1441
2010 920 7 70 280 4 2 106 0 1389
2011 878 7 51 255 2 1 91 0 1285
2012 878 14 52 265 1 0 92 0 1302
2013 838 18 60 287 2 1 81 0 1287
2014 796 18 62 291 3 2 81 0 1253
2015 755 12 57 292 2 3 71 0 1192
2016 708 7 62 333 1 1 72 0 1184
2017 675 10 68 328 0 0 58 0 1139
2018 649 7 56 298 0 0 62 0 1072
2019 585 7 47 274 0 0 72 0 985
2020 494 6 43 275 0 0 73 0 891
2021 423 5 44 267 0 3 76 0 818
2022 410 6 40 236 0 2 58 0 752
2023 401 6 35 226 0 2 51 0 721
2024 417 9 33 216 0 2 55 1 733

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 Niguel Hills Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 931 41.3 22.5 n/a
1989 1186 48.7 24.3 n/a
1990 964 51.8 18.6 n/a
1991 1059 45.7 23.1 n/a
1992 1667 46.4 35.9 5
1993 1878 73.4 25.6 9.2
1994 1214 54.7 22.2 9.9
1995 1421 60.7 23.4 8.8
1996 1421 60.7 23.4 8.8
1997 1593 69.1 23.1 10.1
1998 1723 74.3 23.2 8.2
1999 1809 76.2 23.7 6.6
2000 1761 74.2 23.7 8.8
2001 1583 71.4 22.2 9
2002 1609 68.4 23.5 11.6
2003 1609 68.4 23.5 11.6
2004 1589 65.2 24.4 8.7
2005 1514 64.1 23.6 8.7
2006 1447 60.4 24.0 8.7
2007 1444 56.3 25.6 10.4
2008 1410 58.6 24.1 11.6
2009 1441 55.5 24.0 15.1
2010 1389 55.3 25.1 16.9
2011 1285 n/a n/a 20.8
2012 1302 53.4 24.3 n/a
2013 1287 49.7 25.8 23.5
2014 1253 49.4 25.3 21.3
2015 1192 49.0 24.3 22
2016 1184 48.0 24.6 24.5
2017 1139 48.6 23.4 23.7
2018 1072 46.8 22.8 28.6
2019 985 43.4 22.6 30.4
2020 891 n/a n/a 32.4
2021 818 37.6 21.7 29.3
2022 752 40.0 18.7 28.3
2023 721 37.2 19.3 43.3
2024 733 38.2 19.1 40.4

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 Niguel Hills Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 931 41.3 22.5 n/a
1989 1186 48.7 24.3 n/a
1990 964 51.8 18.6 n/a
1991 1059 45.7 23.1 n/a
1992 1667 46.4 35.9 5
1993 1878 73.4 25.6 9.2
1994 1214 54.7 22.2 9.9
1995 1421 60.7 23.4 8.8
1996 1421 60.7 23.4 8.8
1997 1593 69.1 23.1 10.1
1998 1723 74.3 23.2 8.2
1999 1809 76.2 23.7 6.6
2000 1761 74.2 23.7 8.8
2001 1583 71.4 22.2 9
2002 1609 68.4 23.5 11.6
2003 1609 68.4 23.5 11.6
2004 1589 65.2 24.4 8.7
2005 1514 64.1 23.6 8.7
2006 1447 60.4 24.0 8.7
2007 1444 56.3 25.6 10.4
2008 1410 58.6 24.1 11.6
2009 1441 55.5 24.0 15.1
2010 1389 55.3 25.1 16.9
2011 1285 n/a n/a 20.8
2012 1302 53.4 24.3 n/a
2013 1287 49.7 25.8 23.5
2014 1253 49.4 25.3 21.3
2015 1192 49.0 24.3 22
2016 1184 48.0 24.6 24.5
2017 1139 48.6 23.4 23.7
2018 1072 46.8 22.8 28.6
2019 985 43.4 22.6 30.4
2020 891 n/a n/a 32.4
2021 818 37.6 21.7 29.3
2022 752 40.0 18.7 28.3
2023 721 37.2 19.3 43.3
2024 733 38.2 19.1 40.4

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 Niguel Hills Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $10,704

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Niguel Hills Middle

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 385th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 249th of 2802 Middle schools
 5.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Niguel Hills Middle)59.463.3
 4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Capistrano Unified)67.867.5
 0.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Niguel Hills Middle)58.659.5
 1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Capistrano Unified)60.957.6
 3.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Niguel Hills Middle)66.978.5
 11.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Capistrano Unified)73.273.9
 0.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Niguel Hills Middle)62.166.4
 4.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Capistrano Unified)62.761.2
 1.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Niguel Hills Middle)63.370.6
 7.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Capistrano Unified)73.771.1
 2.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Niguel Hills Middle)63.851.1
 12.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Capistrano Unified)66.759.1
 7.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Niguel Hills Middle)48.952.8
 3.9%
   8th Grade Science (Capistrano Unified)55.155.2
 0.2%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students985721
 26.8%
African American76
 14.3%
American Indian00
Asian4735
 25.5%
Hispanic274226
 17.5%
Pacific Islander02
White585401
 31.5%
Two or More Races7251
 29.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients30.4%43.3%
 12.9%


Schools Near Niguel Hills Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Niguel Hills Middle

Students at Niguel Hills Middle are 57% White, 29% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 5% Asian, 1% African American.

In the 2023-24 school year, 733 students attended Niguel Hills Middle.

Students who attend Niguel Hills Middle usually go on to attend Dana Hills High

Yes. Niguel Hills Middle ranks in the top 7.8% of California middle schools.


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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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