Horace Ensign Intermediate

Horace Ensign Intermediate is a junior high of moderately sized scale in Newport Beach, California, operated by Newport-Mesa Unified, instructing 875 students in grades 7 through 8. Compared to the state average of about 659 students per school, that is 33% above typical.

Across the 31 schools in Newport-Mesa Unified (17,540 students total), Horace Ensign Intermediate accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On demographics, Horace Ensign Intermediate logs that 49% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. Beyond that, the school lists 42% Hispanic, 7% multiracial.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school currently runs with 42 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 20.9:1. The state averages about 20.7:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Around 47% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Orange County runs at roughly 55%, so the school's eligibility rate is below the surrounding baseline.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Horace Ensign Intermediate tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 51.4% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 60.1%.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (Orange County) shows that median household earnings sit near $116,289, roughly 44% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Orange County's 649 public schools (combined enrollment of about 430,458 students), Horace Ensign Intermediate is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Newport Harbor High, roughly 0.4 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Horace Ensign Intermediate ranks 5th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 60.7%.

The school occupies a downtown site.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged down 25%: 1,164 students in 2018 compared to 875 in 2025. The White share of enrollment declined from 59% to 49% over that span. Class-load math has narrowed: from 24.8:1 in 2018 to 20.9:1 in 2025.

On the community side, the feed for Horace Ensign Intermediate typically covers enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. The community welcomes input from current and former families.