Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle Schools

Best Middle Schools
in Tustin Unified

This page covers 4 middle schools in Tustin Unified. Rankings use a composite of neighborhood opportunity, class sizes, and per-student investment — signals available consistently from federal data across all US public schools. Schools in this district score near the national median on neighborhood opportunity. Use these rankings as a starting point; pair them with school visits and conversations with local parents before making any enrollment decision.

4
Schools Ranked
California
State
None
Charter Schools
RankingsHow We RankFAQAbout Data

Middle Schools Rankings

Showing 4 of 4
1
rank
Hewes Middle
Grades 06–08869 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
45
/100
Student:Teacher
24.9:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
46/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$14,952
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
25%
Low economic need
2
rank
C. E. Utt Middle
Grades 06–08610 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
43
/100
Student:Teacher
22.2:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
55/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$14,952
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
75%
High economic need
3
rank
Columbus Tustin Middle
Grades 06–08609 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
42
/100
Student:Teacher
23.0:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
55/100
Near nat'l median
Per-Pupil Spend
$14,952
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
79%
High economic need
4
rank
Pioneer Middle
Grades 06–08881 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
41
/100
Student:Teacher
27.3:1
Near nat'l 15.4:1
Per-Pupil Spend
$14,952
Near nat'l avg
Free Lunch
24%
Low economic need
How We Rank Middle Schools

Each school receives a composite score (0–100) built from 4 federal data signals, weighted to reflect what matters most at the middle school level. All signals are normalised against national benchmarks so a school's score reflects its standing across the entire US, not just within this district.

Neighborhood Opportunity
35%
Harvard Opportunity Atlas score for the school's neighbourhood. Reflects long-run economic outcomes for children raised in this area.
Student-Teacher Ratio
30%
Lower ratio = smaller classes. Particularly important during the middle years when academic and social needs are at their most complex.
Per-Pupil Expenditure
20%
Annual district spending per enrolled student from the NCES F-33 Finance Survey. Compared against national average.
Free Lunch Rate
15%
Percentage of students qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch. Reflects the economic profile of the community the school serves.
Test scores are excluded: they are not published as consistent open federal data across all states, making reliable cross-district comparison impossible with this signal alone.
District at a Glance
4
Middle Schools
28
Total Schools
45
#1 Score
43
Avg Score
Top Ranked Middle School
1
Hewes Middle
Score: 45/100
Other School Levels
Compare Tustin Unified with neighbouring districts
⇄ Compare districts
Frequently Asked Questions
About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets: NCES Common Core of Data (enrollment, school characteristics, student-teacher ratios), NCES F-33 Finance Survey (per-pupil expenditure), Harvard Opportunity Atlas (neighbourhood opportunity scores). Federal data is published on an annual cycle and may not reflect the very latest school-year changes. Rankings reflect available data and should be used as a starting point — not a substitute for visiting schools or consulting district resources directly. What this ranking does not measure: teacher quality, classroom culture, extracurricular programmes, school safety, or parent and student satisfaction.