La Paz Intermediate

La Paz Intermediate, a middle-of-the-pack junior high in Mission Viejo, California, part of Saddleback Valley Unified, serves 713 students, covering grades 7 through 8.

Across the 33 schools in Saddleback Valley Unified (22,646 students total), La Paz Intermediate accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, La Paz Intermediate shows that the largest single group is White at 43%, but no single group is in the majority; the rest reads as 31% Hispanic, 12% Asian, 12% multiracial. Compared to Orange County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

Looking at the economic backdrop, La Paz Intermediate lists 33 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 21.8:1. The state averages around 20.7:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 40% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Orange County runs at roughly 55%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully below the surrounding baseline.

After controlling for student poverty, La Paz Intermediate tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 55.9% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 62.8%.

Zooming out to the county, Orange County reports that median household income runs about $116,289, about 44% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. La Paz Intermediate is one of 649 public schools in Orange County (combined enrollment of about 430,458 students).

Esperanza Education Center is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.1 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts La Paz Intermediate at 4th of 7; the average score across the group is 61.3%.

The school occupies a bedroom-community site.

Looking at the recent track record. La Paz Intermediate's enrollment has declined 18% since 2018, when it stood at 867 (now 713). The White share of enrollment fell from 56% to 43% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 24.6:1 in 2018 to 21.8:1 today.

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