Is Ladera Elementary a good school?

Ladera Elementary ranks 924 th of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Ladera Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 312 students attended Ladera Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Ladera Elementary?

Students at Ladera Elementary are 34% Asian, 26% Hispanic, 24% White, 15% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Ladera Elementary attend?

Students who attend Ladera Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Pioneer Middle High : Arnold O. Beckman High

Ladera Elementary

Summary:

Ladera Elementary is a public elementary school in Tustin, California, serving 307 students in grades K-5. It is part of the Tustin Unified School District, which is ranked 404 out of 1,568 school districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ladera Elementary is a high-performing school, consistently outperforming the district and state in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics across all grade levels. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in ELA/Literacy and Mathematics were 64.52% and 66.45%, respectively, compared to the district's 61.39% and 52.15%, and the state's 47.04% and 35.54%. Ladera Elementary's 5th-grade students also outperformed the district and state in both ELA/Literacy (73.47%) and Mathematics (67.35%). The school's performance in CAST Science assessments is also strong, with 53.06% of students proficient or better, compared to the district's 48.47% and the state's 30.7%.

While Ladera Elementary outperforms nearby schools like Barbara Benson Elementary and Guin Foss Elementary in both ELA/Literacy and Mathematics, it lags behind the higher-performing schools in the district, such as Tustin Memorial Elementary, Orchard Hills, and Hicks Canyon Elementary, which consistently rank among the top elementary schools in the state. Additionally, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 2.6% in 2018-2019 to 12.5% in 2022-2023, which is still lower than the district's 12.7% and the state's average.

Detail:

Public K-5

2515 Rawlings Way
Tustin, CA 92782-5111

(714) 730-7505

District: Tustin Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
924^th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,831

Students who attend Ladera Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Pioneer Middle
High:	Arnold O. Beckman High

Student/teacher ratio: 26.0

Number of students: 312

Racial breakdown:

Asian:

34.3%

Hispanic:

26.3%

White:

23.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 26%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Ladera Elementary ranks better than 84.2% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 9^th among 18 ranked elementary schools in the Tustin Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 85.61. (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 Ladera Elementary has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Tustin Unified School District. Student population at Ladera Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Asian (34.3%), Hispanic (26.3%), White (23.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 26% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ladera Elementary is 26, which is the 7^th best among 18 elementary schools in the Tustin Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Ladera Elementary employs 12 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ladera Elementary is $10,831, which is the 4^th highest among 18 elementary schools in the Tustin Unified School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ladera Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Ladera Elementary 924^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Ladera Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Tustin Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Tustin Unified 404^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Ladera Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Ladera Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	98.44	52^nd	4809	98.9%
2005	99.01	9^th	4822	99.8%
2006	95.82	167^th	4818	96.5%
2007	96.17	159^th	5113	96.9%
2008	95.68	144^th	5113	97.2%
2009	95.73	115^th	5193	97.8%
2010	95.40	116^th	5314	97.8%
2011	93.32	233^rd	5377	95.7%
2012	92.06	292^nd	5390	94.6%
2013	91.05	395^th	5530	92.9%
2015	94.84	334^th	5611	94.0%
2016	90.78	568^th	5614	89.9%
2017	92.43	493^rd	5692	91.3%
2018	86.18	840^th	5662	85.2%
2019	84.58	932^nd	5789	83.9%
2022	90.22	680^th	5883	88.4%
2023	87.17	864^th	5874	85.3%
2024	85.61	924^th	5862	84.2%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ladera Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	80.11	713^th	5173	86.2%
2022	88.23	424^th	5264	91.9%
2023	69.98	1234^th	5374	77.0%
2024	79.53	851^st	5511	84.6%

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

Rank History for Female students at Ladera Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	81.85	957^th	5413	82.3%
2019	78.69	1145^th	5492	79.2%
2022	80.64	1085^th	5635	80.7%
2023	79.57	1114^th	5617	80.2%
2024	82.85	966^th	5605	82.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Ladera Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	86.44	777^th	5431	85.7%
2019	86.48	761^st	5510	86.2%
2022	93.79	386^th	5663	93.2%
2023	87.54	750^th	5650	86.7%
2024	84.28	904^th	5636	84.0%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Ladera Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	68.71	388^th	1071	63.8%
2019	59.92	561^st	1149	51.2%
2022	67.71	440^th	1154	61.9%
2023	61.33	589^th	1190	50.5%
2024	70.41	403^rd	1203	66.5%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ladera Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	71.52	1068^th	4830	77.9%
2019	69.45	1195^th	4963	75.9%
2022	83.69	600^th	5084	88.2%
2023	70.55	1157^th	5098	77.3%
2024	71.82	1105^th	5102	78.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Ladera Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	61.37	1155^th	2737	57.8%
2019	63.11	1088^th	2834	61.6%
2023	52.86	1342^nd	2662	49.6%
2024	51.57	1361^st	2647	48.6%

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
Friday, September 13, 2019

Our kids have been attending Ladera for the last 7 years. Ladera has an excellent staff/teachers! All of the teachers our kids have had over the years are fantastic! Two of our kiddos attending have IEPs, and the therapists have always been supportive and proactive, meeting our kids needs. Homework policy is minimal, following peer reviewed studies and current research. Ladera has a STEAM lab, music program, art program, sports, running club, robotics club, theatre arts, garden, PE program, and much more! We would recommend Ladera to any family looking into the school. Close Quote

by a principal
Monday, August 19, 2019

I just started working at Ladera and I am so impressed with the students, staff, and parent community. Close Quote

by a principal
Friday, July 12, 2019

I just started working at Ladera and I am so impressed with the staff, students, and parents. It is a beautiful school with caring staff, involved parents, and wonderful students. Ladera is one of the smaller elementary schools in the area which helps gives it a more intimate feeling. An overall excellent school! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Ladera Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2002	168	6	106	34	1	n/a	n/a	14	329
2003	168	6	106	34	1	n/a	n/a	14	329
2004	184	5	144	27	2	n/a	n/a	38	400
2005	140	4	80	22	2	n/a	n/a	30	278
2006	144	4	102	36	0	n/a	n/a	43	329
2007	154	6	123	27	0	n/a	n/a	32	342
2008	171	4	100	29	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	304
2009	191	6	108	33	0	0	35	0	373
2010	217	9	130	60	0	0	18	0	434
2011	208	10	122	42	0	0	22	0	404
2012	191	10	100	55	0	0	25	0	381
2013	182	11	107	72	1	0	29	0	402
2014	161	10	108	62	0	0	26	0	367
2015	158	8	122	60	0	0	28	0	376
2016	150	5	134	64	2	0	26	0	381
2017	126	2	140	62	2	0	29	0	361
2018	105	0	134	72	2	0	34	0	347
2019	90	3	132	69	2	0	38	0	334
2020	70	5	126	69	0	0	48	0	318
2021	84	6	122	71	0	2	46	0	331
2022	73	7	120	76	0	2	46	0	324
2023	72	3	107	80	0	1	44	0	307
2024	74	2	107	82	0	0	47	0	312

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 Ladera Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	329	22.0	15.0	3.5
2003	329	22.0	15.0	3.5
2004	400	23.7	16.9	3.3
2005	278	13.0	21.4	3.2
2006	329	15.0	21.9	7.3
2007	342	15.0	22.8	3.2
2008	304	17.0	17.9	3
2009	373	15.6	22.5	3.2
2010	434	13.8	31.4	3.2
2011	404	n/a	n/a	5.4
2012	381	12.0	31.7	n/a
2013	402	12.0	33.5	9.5
2014	367	12.0	30.5	7.6
2015	376	13.0	28.9	7.4
2016	381	14.0	27.2	10.2
2017	361	13.0	27.7	11.1
2018	347	12.0	28.9	17.3
2019	334	12.0	27.8	15.9
2020	318	n/a	n/a	17.6
2021	331	12.0	27.5	18.7
2022	324	12.0	27.0	20.1
2023	307	11.0	27.9	20.5
2024	312	12.0	26.0	26

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 Ladera Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	329	22.0	15.0	3.5
2003	329	22.0	15.0	3.5
2004	400	23.7	16.9	3.3
2005	278	13.0	21.4	3.2
2006	329	15.0	21.9	7.3
2007	342	15.0	22.8	3.2
2008	304	17.0	17.9	3
2009	373	15.6	22.5	3.2
2010	434	13.8	31.4	3.2
2011	404	n/a	n/a	5.4
2012	381	12.0	31.7	n/a
2013	402	12.0	33.5	9.5
2014	367	12.0	30.5	7.6
2015	376	13.0	28.9	7.4
2016	381	14.0	27.2	10.2
2017	361	13.0	27.7	11.1
2018	347	12.0	28.9	17.3
2019	334	12.0	27.8	15.9
2020	318	n/a	n/a	17.6
2021	331	12.0	27.5	18.7
2022	324	12.0	27.0	20.1
2023	307	11.0	27.9	20.5
2024	312	12.0	26.0	26

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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