Public schools in Orange, CA
28 open public schools with an address in Orange, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
28
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
13,800
28 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
22:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
4
5 magnet · 1 virtual
An overview of Orange public schools
The federal directory lists 28 public schools in Orange, CA: 17 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high, 4 combined or other. The 28 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 13,800 students, an average of 493 per school. The largest campus is El Modena High (1,795 students), and the largest elementary school is McPherson Magnet (863).
Orange Unified operates the most schools here (24), plus 4 charter, service, or other agencies. 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 22:1, similar to 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 4 charter schools, 5 magnet schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 70% 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 Orange
Orange Unified
Public school district
24 schools in Orange · 41 total
Explore Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Orange
Orange County Classical Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Orange
Santiago Charter Middle District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Orange
Tomorrow's Leadership Collaborative (TLC) Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Orange
Elementary schools in Orange
17| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California iInspire Academy Orange Unified · Magnet | KG–06 | 699 | 27.9:1 | |
| Cambridge Elementary Orange Unified | KG–06 | 415 | 22.5:1 | |
| Chapman Hills Elementary Orange Unified | KG–06 | 321 | 27.3:1 | |
| Esplanade Elementary Orange Unified | KG–06 | 288 | 21.8:1 | |
| Fletcher Mandarin Language & GATE Academy Orange Unified · Magnet | KG–06 | 493 | 21.7:1 | |
| Handy Elementary Orange Unified | KG–06 | 377 | 23.8:1 | |
| Jordan Academy of Language and Computer Science Orange Unified | KG–06 | 430 | 24.2:1 | |
| La Veta Elementary Orange Unified · Magnet | KG–06 | 408 | 25.9:1 | |
| Linda Vista Elementary Orange Unified | KG–06 | 289 | 23.5:1 | |
| McPherson Magnet Orange Unified · Magnet | KG–08 | 863 | 25.7:1 | |
| Olive Elementary Orange Unified | KG–06 | 319 | 21.4:1 | |
| Palmyra GATE Magnet Orange Unified · Magnet | KG–06 | 429 | 22.1:1 | |
| Prospect Elementary Orange Unified | KG–06 | 332 | 23:1 | |
| Sycamore Elementary Orange Unified | KG–06 | 357 | 22.5:1 | |
| Taft Elementary Orange Unified | KG–06 | 387 | 26.3:1 | |
| Tomorrow's Leadership Collaborative (TLC) Charter Tomorrow's Leadership Collaborative (TLC) Charter District · Charter | KG–06 | 192 | 21.3:1 | |
| West Orange Elementary Orange Unified | KG–06 | 410 | 27.6:1 |
Middle schools in Orange
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portola Middle Orange Unified | 07–08 | 422 | 20.9:1 | |
| Santiago Charter Middle Santiago Charter Middle District · Charter | 07–08 | 1,137 | 24.7:1 | |
| Yorba Middle Orange Unified | 07–08 | 418 | 18.2:1 |
High schools in Orange
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Modena High Orange Unified | 09–12 | 1,795 | 21.4:1 | |
| Orange High Orange Unified | 09–12 | 1,728 | 20.8:1 | |
| OUSD Community Day Orange Unified · Alternative School | 07–12 | 4 | 2:1 | |
| Richland Continuation High Orange Unified · Alternative School | 09–12 | 165 | 11.5:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Orange
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explore Academy Explore Academy District · Charter | KG–12 | 126 | 18:1 | |
| Orange County Classical Academy Orange County Classical Academy District · Charter | KG–12 | 740 | 21.7:1 | |
| OUSD EDGE Virtual Academy Orange Unified · Virtual | KG–12 | 229 | 15.9:1 | |
| OUSD Home Sch Orange Unified · Alternative School | KG–12 | 27 | 12.7:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White13.9%
- Hispanic72.1%
- Black1.1%
- Asian7.9%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial4.5%
Enrollment-weighted across 28 Orange schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (13,800 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Orange
How many public schools are in Orange, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 28 open public schools with a location address in Orange: 17 elementary, 3 middle, 4 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 13,800 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Orange?
Schools with an address in Orange belong to 5 education agencies, led by Orange Unified (24 schools), Explore Academy District (1 school), Orange County Classical Academy 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 Orange?
El Modena High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Orange, with 1,795 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Orange?
Yes. 4 of the 28 public schools in Orange are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Explore Academy, Orange County Classical Academy, Santiago Charter Middle. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Orange schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Orange public schools is 22:1, similar to 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 Orange 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