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What's the vibe like in the hallways at Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate right now?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
1,153
Middle
DISTRICT 832 · STATE 659
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·SADDLEBACK VALLEY UNIFIED·NCES 063386002404
Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate
21931 Alma Aldea, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 · (949) 459-8253 · Orange County
GRADES 07–08MIDDLE21-SUBURBREGULAR SCHOOL1,153 STUDENTS
B+
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 69% of California public middle schools
- A-Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- BBeats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- DThree-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded California public middle schools
Student : Teacher
24.1:1
48 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 22.2:1 · STATE 20.7:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
29%
336 students
DISTRICT 49% · STATE 65%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other middle schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | 580 | 50% |
| Grade 8 | 573 | 50% |
Student demographics
68%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 68% · STATE 62% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
63.7%
CA avg 49.1% . -2.3pp since 2014
Math
59.1%
CA avg 37.7% . +4.1pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 64 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 59 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all California schools, those numbers are about 49 and 38. Reading and writing scores are down about 2 points since 2014, while math scores are up about 4 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 26.9% | 36.8% | 21.2% | 15.1% |
| Math | 36.6% | 22.5% | 20.4% | 20.4% |
Share of tested students at each CAASPP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
CAASPP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 63.7% | 59.1% |
| 2023-24 | 64.2% | 61.0% |
| 2022-23 | 68.5% | 60.7% |
| 2021-22 | 69.8% | 56.6% |
| 2018-19 | 72.9% | 63.8% |
| 2017-18 | 74.4% | 65.1% |
| 2016-17 | 71.8% | 60.3% |
| 2015-16 | 71.0% | 59.0% |
| 2014-15 | 66.0% | 55.0% |
% met or exceeded standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: CAASPP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
62.0%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
62.5%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-0.5pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 62% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 62% typical for California schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among California's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate
Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate's state test result (62.0% proficient) is higher than 2 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate this school | 1,153 | 29.1% | 62.0% |
| Fred Newhart Middle Mission Viejo | 1,105 | 33.6% | 71.5% |
| Silverado Middle Roseville | 1,010 | 33.5% | 51.5% |
| Don Juan Avila Middle Aliso Viejo | 863 | 29.7% | 71.2% |
| Temecula Middle Temecula | 1,012 | 26.2% | 60.5% |
| Miwok Middle Sacramento | 1,181 | 32.9% | 63.1% |
Matched among California middle schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Orange County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 62.0% | #202 of 1,224 | #36 of 85 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 59.1% | #181 of 1,227 ▼ 29 | #31 of 85 ▼ 4 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 63.7% | #272 of 1,227 ▼ 33 | #41 of 85 no change |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -1.8pp | #215 of 1,214 | #11 of 84 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,153 | #94 of 1,377 | #5 of 88 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 24.1:1 | #1,085 of 1,279 | #67 of 87 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 68.5% | #182 of 1,278 | #15 of 87 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 29.1% | #1,157 of 1,329 | #71 of 88 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -12.1% | #590 of 930 | #63 of 74 |
Ranked against other public middle schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
1,153
+17 (+1%) vs 2020
-22% since 2000-01, when it was 1,475
Student : Teacher
24.1:1
was 23.2:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1,153 | 47.9 | 24.1:1 | 29% (336) |
| 2023-24 | 1,116 | 47.8 | 23.4:1 | 33% (366) |
| 2022-23 | 1,041 | 45.1 | 23.1:1 | 34% (356) |
| 2020-21 | 1,136 | 49 | 23.2:1 | 20% (227) |
| 2017-18 | 1,312 | 50.3 | 26.1:1 | 19% (253) |
| 2015-16 | 1,332 | 49 | 27.2:1 | 15% (205) |
| 2010-11 | 1,563 | N/A | N/A | 9% (142) |
| 2000-01 | 1,475 | 65 | 22.7:1 | 6% (89) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate.
Since 2017-18: students down 12% (1,312 to 1,153); teachers down 5% (50.3 to 47.9).
About Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate
Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate is a public large middle school in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. The school runs grades 7 through 8 and enrolls 1,153 students. Middle schools in California average about 659 students, which makes this school 75% above average.
Saddleback Valley Unified has 22,646 students spread across 33 schools.
White students account for 46% of enrollment at Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate, more than any other group. The remaining students are 26% Hispanic, 16% Asian, and 11% multiracial. Orange County residents are about 43% White, a similar share. On the diversity index, which measures the chance that two random students are from different groups, Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate scores 68%.
Staffing at Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate comes to 47.9 full-time-equivalent teachers, or 24.1:1. Middle schools in California average 20.7:1, 3.3 fewer students per teacher than here. Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate counts 29% of students as eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. That is lower than the 55% average for public schools in Orange County.
On the allk12 Grade, Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate lands at B+, ahead of 69% of California public middle schools.
On BeatsExpectations, Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate is within a point of its prediction, a result in the middle 80% of California schools.
American Community Survey estimates for Orange County show that median household income comes to about $116,289, roughly 44% of adults have a four-year degree or more, and about 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Orange County counts 649 public schools with about 430,458 students.
Cielo Vista Elementary is about 0.3 miles away, making it the nearest public school. Other public schools within five miles number at least 8. On average proficiency, Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate is 5th of 9 nearby schools with test data.
The NCES locale for Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate is Suburb: Large, which covers schools in a suburban area outside a principal city, within an urbanized area with a population of 250,000 or more.
The student count changed little between 2020-21 (1,136) and 2024-25 (1,153).
Parents, students, and staff can share information on pickup and drop-off, after-school programs, and teacher feedback here. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to post.
Orange County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
3,165,820
Census ACS
Median income
$116,289
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
44%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
7%
Below federal line
Schools in county
649
430,458 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Saddleback Valley Unified
- Trabuco Hills HighHigh · 2,475 students
- El Toro HighHigh · 1,902 students
- Mission Viejo HighHigh · 1,566 students
- Laguna Hills HighHigh · 1,317 students
- Foothill Ranch ElementaryElementary · 990 students
- Melinda Heights ElementaryElementary · 950 students
Other schools in Rancho Santa Margarita
- Melinda Heights ElementaryElementary · 950 students
- Trabuco Mesa ElementaryElementary · 640 students
- Arroyo Vista ElementaryElementary · 508 students
- Cielo Vista ElementaryElementary · 487 students
- Arroyo Vista MiddleMiddle · 329 students
- Las Flores ElementaryElementary · 328 students
Nearby schools
- Cielo Vista Elementary0.3 mi · 487
- Trabuco Mesa Elementary0.9 mi · 640
- Robinson Elementary1.1 mi · 486
- Trabuco Elementary1.1 mi · 90
- Tijeras Creek Elementary1.3 mi · 315
- Melinda Heights Elementary1.8 mi · 950
Frequently asked questions
About Rancho Santa Margarita IntermediateWhat is the total enrollment at Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate?
Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate enrolls approximately 1,153 students in grades 07-08.
What age range does Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate serve?
Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate serves students from grade 07 through grade 08.
How many teachers does Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate have?
Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate employs 48 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 24.1:1.
How diverse is Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate?
Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate reports a student body of 46% White, 26% Hispanic, 1% Black, 16% Asian, 11% Two or more.
Who oversees Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate?
Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate is overseen by Saddleback Valley Unified in Orange County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.