Fairhaven Elementary, Santa Ana CA

Original Research by School Decision on Fairhaven Elementary

Fairhaven Elementary is a small public school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in Santa Ana, located in one of Orange County's most densely populated and culturally diverse urban neighborhoods. The school sits in the center of an industrial and residential part of the city, distinct from downtown's civic core and entertainment districts, though still within the broader urban fabric of the county seat.

The school's academic picture reflects significant challenges. State assessment data from the 2024-25 school year shows that across all tested grades and subjects, fewer than a quarter of students scored at proficient levels in English language arts or math. In English language arts, proficiency climbed somewhat with grade level, rising from the mid-teens in third grade to the upper-thirties by sixth grade. Math proficiency remained lower and flatter, hovering in the low-to-mid twenties across grades three through six. In science, where testing occurs only in fifth grade, proficiency was similarly low. When compared to the county's school districts, Fairhaven's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile, substantially below the county median. Parents may want to look into what academic support, interventions, and curriculum structures the school has in place to address these gaps, and whether the school has specific targets or timelines for improvement.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic, reflecting Santa Ana's cultural composition. A very substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating widespread economic need in the school's catchment area. Data on the school's share of students learning English as a second language and those receiving special education services was not available, so a parent exploring the school should ask directly about English learner programming and special education support.

Fairhaven Elementary is part of Orange Unified, a district that experienced significant governance change recently. In March 2024, voters recalled two conservative-leaning board members, flipping the board majority. This followed a contested period during which the prior majority adopted a transgender parental-notification policy and moved to restrict library materials and symbols. In November 2024, the reconstituted board rescinded the parental-notification policy. For families for whom school culture and governance priorities matter, the district's recent direction shift toward state-aligned practices on gender identity and freedom to read represents a durable policy environment change worth understanding.

The immediate community around Fairhaven is solidly urban and working-class, with industrial zones, dense residential blocks, and commercial corridors. Housing costs in the zip code are high: home values and rents in the 92705 area are well above state and national medians, and the monthly cost of homeownership is substantially higher than monthly rent for comparable housing. The neighborhood is not highly walkable outside downtown; families in the area are car-dependent for most needs. The city itself is in active redevelopment, with large mixed-use housing projects and infill construction reshaping the landscape, and an expanded public library planned to reopen in spring 2026.

For a family considering Fairhaven, the core question is whether the school's academic performance aligns with their expectations and what interventions or school-specific strengths might not yet show in test scores alone. The school's size is manageable for elementary grades, and its location is practical within an urban neighborhood, but the proficiency data is a real constraint worth exploring in detail with school leadership.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 312%

School 12% · District 54% · ▼ 42 pts below district

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 44 pts below county median

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 54% · ▼ 29 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

Grade 525%

School 25% · District 46% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 623%

School 23% · District 50% · ▼ 26 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 52% · ▼ 36 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

Grade 429%

School 29% · District 59% · ▼ 30 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 532%

School 32% · District 61% · ▼ 29 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 638%

School 38% · District 63% · ▼ 24 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Science

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 42% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

This schoolOrange 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.