Is Portola Hills Elementary a good school?

Yes. Portola Hills Elementary ranks in the top 9.6% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend Portola Hills Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 742 students attended Portola Hills Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Portola Hills Elementary?

Students at Portola Hills Elementary are 47% White, 21% Asian, 15% Two or more races, 15% Hispanic, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Portola Hills Elementary attend?

Students who attend Portola Hills Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Serrano Intermediate High : El Toro High

Portola Hills Elementary

Summary:

Portola Hills Elementary is a public elementary school located in Trabuco Canyon, California, serving 742 students in grades K-6. It is part of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, which is ranked 376 out of 1,568 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Portola Hills Elementary consistently ranks among the top 10% of elementary schools in California, with students significantly outperforming district and state averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics. In the 2023-2024 school year, 75.37% of Portola Hills students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 59.15% for the district and 47.04% for the state. In Mathematics, 73.09% of Portola Hills students were proficient or better, compared to 50.69% for the district and 35.54% for the state. The school also has strong performance across various student subgroups, including female students, Hispanic students, and students with disabilities.

When compared to nearby schools within the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, Trabuco Mesa Elementary, Robinson Elementary, and Del Lago Elementary, Portola Hills Elementary outperforms them in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency rates. However, Foothill Ranch Elementary and Melinda Heights Elementary have academic performance that is closer to Portola Hills Elementary. Additionally, the nearby Oxford Preparatory Academy - South Orange County, a public charter school, outperforms Portola Hills in both subject areas, ranking among the top 5% of California elementary schools.

Detail:

Public K-6

19422 Saddleback Ranch Rd.
Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679-1177

(949) 459-9370

District: Saddleback Valley Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
561^st of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $5,437

Students who attend Portola Hills Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Serrano Intermediate
High:	El Toro High

Student/teacher ratio: 26.9

Number of students: 742

Racial breakdown:

White:

47.4%

Asian:

20.9%

Two or more races:

15.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 16.8%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Portola Hills Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Portola Hills Elementary ranks better than 90.4% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 2^nd among 22 ranked elementary schools in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.14. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Student population at Portola Hills Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (47.4%), Asian (20.9%), two or more races (15.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 16.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Portola Hills Elementary is 26.9. 19 elementary schools in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Portola Hills Elementary employs 27.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Portola Hills Elementary is $5,437, which is the 9^th highest among 22 elementary schools in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Portola Hills Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Portola Hills Elementary 561^st of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Portola Hills Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Saddleback Valley Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Saddleback Valley Unified 376^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Portola Hills Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Portola Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	91.24	439^th	4809	90.9%
2005	92.85	336^th	4822	93.0%
2006	93.83	279^th	4818	94.2%
2007	94.54	255^th	5113	95.0%
2008	92.90	317^th	5113	93.8%
2009	88.39	561^st	5193	89.2%
2010	91.12	383^rd	5314	92.8%
2011	87.99	562^nd	5377	89.5%
2012	89.91	427^th	5390	92.1%
2013	91.01	401^st	5530	92.7%
2015	94.58	352^nd	5611	93.7%
2016	92.80	454^th	5614	91.9%
2017	92.12	514^th	5692	91.0%
2018	92.60	473^rd	5662	91.6%
2019	88.40	734^th	5789	87.3%
2022	93.01	517^th	5883	91.2%
2023	93.95	434^th	5874	92.6%
2024	92.14	561^st	5862	90.4%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Portola Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	61.21	155^th	339	54.3%
2019	64.86	178^th	445	60.0%
2022	65.35	241^st	610	60.5%
2023	73.99	171^st	669	74.4%
2024	68.94	225^th	669	66.4%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Portola Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	86.59	211^th	2420	91.3%
2024	91.42	170^th	2634	93.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Portola Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	92.81	190^th	5084	96.3%
2019	74.75	936^th	5173	81.9%
2022	84.99	541^st	5264	89.7%
2023	97.05	112^th	5374	97.9%
2024	85.85	594^th	5511	89.2%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Portola Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	92.44	409^th	5413	92.4%
2019	85.67	783^rd	5492	85.7%
2022	92.32	489^th	5635	91.3%
2023	94.36	339^th	5617	94.0%
2024	91.67	526^th	5605	90.6%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Portola Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	90.44	146^th	2128	93.1%
2019	88.25	206^th	2585	92.0%
2022	87.04	207^th	2227	90.7%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Portola Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	90.44	546^th	5431	89.9%
2019	87.62	702^nd	5510	87.3%
2022	90.40	602^nd	5663	89.4%
2023	91.00	552^nd	5650	90.2%
2024	89.99	607^th	5636	89.2%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Portola Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	80.69	117^th	1071	89.1%
2019	59.10	574^th	1149	50.0%
2022	69.71	394^th	1154	65.9%
2023	65.62	503^rd	1190	57.7%
2024	75.72	270^th	1203	77.6%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Portola Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	83.86	538^th	4830	88.9%
2019	82.88	598^th	4963	88.0%
2022	90.64	338^th	5084	93.4%
2023	98.36	53^rd	5098	99.0%
2024	93.66	221^st	5102	95.7%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Portola Hills Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	79.97	453^rd	2737	83.4%
2019	68.38	887^th	2834	68.7%
2022	78.51	503^rd	2726	81.5%
2023	78.66	487^th	2662	81.7%
2024	73.58	683^rd	2647	74.2%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary 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.

Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Ms Morrow was wonderful I am hoping that my daughter has her again for 6th grade Close Quote

Enrollment information for Portola Hills Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1993	278	0	34	27	0	n/a	n/a	0	339
1994	472	7	60	50	4	n/a	n/a	0	593
1995	573	11	48	52	4	n/a	n/a	0	688
1996	573	11	48	52	4	n/a	n/a	0	688
1997	654	18	63	58	9	n/a	n/a	0	802
1998	729	15	68	57	12	n/a	n/a	0	881
1999	772	21	70	53	13	n/a	n/a	0	929
2000	807	20	53	57	13	n/a	n/a	0	950
2001	803	14	64	75	8	n/a	n/a	0	964
2002	882	12	80	73	7	n/a	n/a	0	1054
2003	882	12	80	73	7	n/a	n/a	0	1054
2004	869	11	81	73	7	n/a	n/a	0	1041
2005	814	8	79	72	4	n/a	n/a	0	977
2006	769	8	80	75	2	n/a	n/a	2	936
2007	714	11	80	63	2	n/a	n/a	17	887
2008	684	15	75	71	1	n/a	n/a	0	846
2009	638	12	77	74	0	0	47	0	848
2010	608	10	84	89	0	2	36	0	829
2011	568	8	83	94	0	2	50	0	805
2012	549	14	89	101	1	0	47	0	801
2013	514	14	86	94	2	0	60	0	770
2014	496	12	82	117	1	0	69	0	777
2015	487	7	75	119	1	0	75	0	764
2016	478	7	91	116	1	1	86	0	780
2017	427	8	95	111	1	0	79	0	721
2018	380	7	87	102	1	0	76	0	653
2019	376	6	99	107	1	2	83	0	674
2020	374	7	112	106	1	1	93	0	694
2021	340	9	126	97	1	1	92	0	666
2022	333	10	130	112	1	0	99	1	686
2023	352	8	155	110	1	0	115	1	742

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 Portola Hills Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	339	13.0	26.1	2.7
1994	593	25.4	23.3	3.2
1995	688	25.4	27.1	3.2
1996	688	25.4	27.1	3.2
1997	802	36.4	22.0	3.1
1998	881	44.4	19.8	2.8
1999	929	49.5	18.8	2.3
2000	950	47.5	20.0	2.4
2001	964	47.5	20.3	1.7
2002	1054	47.0	22.4	3
2003	1054	47.0	22.4	3
2004	1041	42.0	24.8	3.7
2005	977	41.0	23.8	3.7
2006	936	39.7	23.6	3.1
2007	887	36.4	24.4	2.5
2008	846	36.0	23.5	3.7
2009	848	32.7	25.2	4.8
2010	829	32.0	25.9	5.5
2011	805	n/a	n/a	7.3
2012	801	28.8	27.8	n/a
2013	770	28.7	26.8	8.7
2014	777	27.0	28.7	8.4
2015	764	28.0	27.2	5.5
2016	780	27.0	28.8	7.2
2017	721	26.0	27.7	6.9
2018	653	21.9	29.6	8.3
2019	674	19.0	35.4	11.4
2020	694	n/a	n/a	9.5
2021	666	23.0	28.9	8.9
2022	686	26.6	25.7	10.3
2023	742	27.5	26.9	16.8

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 Portola Hills Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	339	13.0	26.1	2.7
1994	593	25.4	23.3	3.2
1995	688	25.4	27.1	3.2
1996	688	25.4	27.1	3.2
1997	802	36.4	22.0	3.1
1998	881	44.4	19.8	2.8
1999	929	49.5	18.8	2.3
2000	950	47.5	20.0	2.4
2001	964	47.5	20.3	1.7
2002	1054	47.0	22.4	3
2003	1054	47.0	22.4	3
2004	1041	42.0	24.8	3.7
2005	977	41.0	23.8	3.7
2006	936	39.7	23.6	3.1
2007	887	36.4	24.4	2.5
2008	846	36.0	23.5	3.7
2009	848	32.7	25.2	4.8
2010	829	32.0	25.9	5.5
2011	805	n/a	n/a	7.3
2012	801	28.8	27.8	n/a
2013	770	28.7	26.8	8.7
2014	777	27.0	28.7	8.4
2015	764	28.0	27.2	5.5
2016	780	27.0	28.8	7.2
2017	721	26.0	27.7	6.9
2018	653	21.9	29.6	8.3
2019	674	19.0	35.4	11.4
2020	694	n/a	n/a	9.5
2021	666	23.0	28.9	8.9
2022	686	26.6	25.7	10.3
2023	742	27.5	26.9	16.8

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.

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