Public schools in Lake Forest, CA
9 open public schools with an address in Lake Forest, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
9
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
6,971
9 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
24.5:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
1
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Lake Forest public schools
The federal directory lists 9 public schools in Lake Forest, CA: 7 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high. The 9 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 6,971 students, an average of 775 per school. The largest campus is El Toro High (1,902 students), and the largest elementary school is Ralph A. Gates DLI Magnet Elementary (896).
Saddleback Valley Unified operates the most schools here (8), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 24.5:1, higher than the statewide school median of 21.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school, 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
About 49% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Lake Forest
Elementary schools in Lake Forest
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Madera Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | KG–06 | 554 | 24.5:1 | |
| Lake Forest Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | KG–06 | 640 | 22.7:1 | |
| Olivewood Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | KG–06 | 396 | 21.9:1 | |
| Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley District · Charter | KG–05 | 565 | 28.7:1 | |
| Ralph A. Gates DLI Magnet Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified · Magnet | KG–06 | 896 | 28.6:1 | |
| Rancho Canada Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | KG–06 | 633 | 25.4:1 | |
| Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified | KG–06 | 517 | 26.3:1 |
Middle schools in Lake Forest
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serrano Intermediate Saddleback Valley Unified | 07–08 | 868 | 22.3:1 |
High schools in Lake Forest
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Toro High Saddleback Valley Unified | 09–12 | 1,902 | 21.5:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White27.9%
- Hispanic47.5%
- Black1.3%
- Asian14.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.3%
- Multiracial8.7%
Enrollment-weighted across 9 Lake Forest schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (6,971 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Lake Forest
How many public schools are in Lake Forest, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 9 open public schools with a location address in Lake Forest: 7 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high. Together they reported 6,971 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Lake Forest?
Schools with an address in Lake Forest belong to 2 education agencies, led by Saddleback Valley Unified (8 schools), Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley District (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Lake Forest?
El Toro High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Lake Forest, with 1,902 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Lake Forest?
Yes. 1 of the 9 public schools in Lake Forest are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Lake Forest schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Lake Forest public schools is 24.5:1, higher than the California school median of 21.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Lake Forest guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby California cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All California cities