Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 33 schools in district

Melinda Heights Elementary

21001 Rancho Trabuco, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688Saddleback Valley Unified →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–06Non-Charter
959
Students
Total enrolled
$14,959
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
25.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 66% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 959 students in grades KG–06 in Rancho Santa Margarita, California.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,959 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
25.6 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is above the national average — larger classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

Melinda Heights Elementary is a large elementary in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, serving grades KG–06 with 959 students. The district invests $14,959 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 25.6:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 25% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Melinda Heights Elementary

959
Total Students
25.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
25%
Free Lunch
38
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–06) are served by this school
Gender Distribution489 male · 470 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility25%
National avg 52% · 238 students
Student Composition
12%
50%
25%
11%
Asian12%
White50%
Hispanic / Latino25%
Black1%
Multiracial11%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 063386007200

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,959Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,959
State avg
$29,103
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,582
Student Support$2,842
Administration$1,795
Operations$2,244
Other$1,496
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,959 spent per student, an estimated $6,627 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
30%
63%
State government
29.5%
Local (property tax)
62.5%
Federal programs
7.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 25.6:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Foothill Ranch ElementaryRalph A. Gates DLI Magnet ElementaryPortola Hills ElementaryLake Forest Elementary
+16 more
↓
Middle
Rancho Santa Margarita IntermediateSerrano IntermediateLa Paz IntermediateLos Alisos Intermediate
↓
High School
Trabuco Hills HighEl Toro HighMission Viejo HighLaguna Hills High
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 06
Location—
CountyOrange County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSaddleback Valley Unified →
Phone: (949)888-7311
NCES ID: 063386007200
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Rancho Santa Margarita seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Saddleback Valley Unified
High
Trabuco Hills High
2,579 students · 09–12
● 47 opp37% FRL
High
El Toro High
2,031 students · 09–12
● 47 opp49% FRL
High
Mission Viejo High
1,646 students · 09–12
● 47 opp41% FRL
High
Laguna Hills High
1,434 students · 09–12
● 55 opp53% FRL
Elem
Foothill Ranch Elementary
1,056 students · KG–06
● 47 opp27% FRL
Mid
Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate
1,041 students · 07–08
34% FRL
Mid
Serrano Intermediate
977 students · 07–08
● 47 opp48% FRL
Elem
Ralph A. Gates DLI Magnet Elementary
940 students · KG–06
● 47 opp62% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
21001 Rancho Trabuco, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.