Richard Henry Dana Elementary, Dana Point CA

Original Research by School Decision on Richard Henry Dana Elementary

Richard Henry Dana Elementary is a regular public elementary school in Dana Point, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. The school is located in a prosperous coastal town in Orange County, one of California's most affluent regions, and draws families from a stable, residential community with high property values and incomes.

The school's enrollment is small to moderate for its grade span, with a notably diverse student body by race and ethnicity. About half the student population identifies as Hispanic, with a substantial share identifying as white, and a smaller share identifying as multiracial or Asian. Roughly a mid-range share of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting the school serves families across a mix of economic circumstances, even within Dana Point's generally affluent context.

On state assessments, Richard Henry Dana's performance shows a pattern of concern. In English Language Arts across third through fifth grades, the school sits at modest proficiency, with fourth grade showing stronger results and fifth grade slightly below third. In mathematics, the picture is more challenging: results decline noticeably from third grade to fourth, then drop further in fifth grade. Fifth-grade science proficiency is similarly modest. The school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among schools in Orange County, a position that reflects reasonable absolute standing but does not mask that a meaningful share of students in upper elementary grades are not meeting state standards, particularly in math.

Data on English learner enrollment and special education services was not available, so parents may want to ask the school directly about the scope and type of support available for students with these needs. The school is part of Capistrano Unified, Orange County's largest district, which serves communities across a wide swath of coastal and inland Orange County.

Dana Point itself is a seasoned coastal residential community with a secondary wave of downtown redevelopment. The town centers on two commercial cores: Dana Point Harbor, a waterfront recreation and dining hub tied to boating and whale-watching tourism, and the inland Lantern Village downtown, which has recently added chef-driven restaurants and mixed-use housing. The local economy is driven by professional and technical services, health care, and tourism. Residents tend to own homes or rent near the coast, and most commute by car; a compact downtown district offers some walkability, but the broader area is car-oriented. The median age is notably high for a residential community, reflecting an older, established demographic alongside families with school-age children.

Richard Henry Dana Elementary fits families seeking a small-scale elementary school in an affluent, settled residential area with strong community ties to the coast and harbor life. The modest proficiency rates, especially in upper elementary math, suggest that parents weighing this school should look closely at classroom instruction, intervention supports, and the school's specific approaches to math instruction and remediation.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 371%

School 71% · District 69% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 457%

School 57% · District 70% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 61% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 364%

School 64% · District 67% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 465%

School 65% · District 71% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 560%

School 60% · District 71% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Science

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 54% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

This schoolCapistrano Unified, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income43%Higher-income85%42 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income60%Higher-income74%14 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income47%Higher-income83%37 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income52%Higher-income93%41 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income50%Higher-income68%18 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income27%Higher-income61%34 pp gap