Cardiff Elementary

Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California — 2 schools

642
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$24,572
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Cardiff Elementary operates 2 public schools serving 642 students, placing it among the smaller districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 641 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in San Diego County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $24,572 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 82.0% local, 12.5% state, and 5.5% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $121,117 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 49/100, ranked #795 of 1547 in California against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

and 17.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 65.5% White, 14.0% Hispanic or Latino, 2.4% Asian across the district's schools.

Ada W. Harris Elementary accounts for 59.6% of all Cardiff Elementary student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Cardiff Elementary-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Cardiff Elementary chronic absenteeism rate is 17.9% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Cardiff Elementary is typically wider than the Cardiff Elementary-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

5.5%
Federal
12.5%
State
82.0%
Local

Funding Equity

49
Equity Score
795 / 1547
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in San Diego County county, where this district is located.

$2,288
Studio/mo
$2,459
1 BR/mo
$3,001
2 BR/mo
$3,998
3 BR/mo
$4,845
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$121,117
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Cardiff Elementary.

White 65.5%
Hispanic or Latino 14.0%
Asian 2.4%
Multiracial 17.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

17.9%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Cardiff Elementary

School Enrollment
Ada W. Harris Elementary
382
Cardiff Elementary
259

Nearby Districts in California

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Los Angeles Unified
427,795 students · 785 schools · $25,877/pupil
Compare vs Cardiff Elementary →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $26,901/pupil
Compare vs Cardiff Elementary →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $20,737/pupil
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Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $19,558/pupil
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Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $16,975/pupil
Compare vs Cardiff Elementary →

Compare Cardiff Elementary

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Los Angeles Unified →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Cardiff Elementary?

Cardiff Elementary has 2 schools, including 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 642 students.

How much does Cardiff Elementary spend per student?

Cardiff Elementary spends $24,572 per student. The district has an equity score of 49/100, ranking #795 in California.

What is the average teacher salary in Cardiff Elementary?

The average teacher salary in Cardiff Elementary is $121,117 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Cardiff Elementary?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in San Diego County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Cardiff Elementary?

Cardiff Elementary students are 65.5% White, 14.0% Hispanic or Latino, 2.4% Asian, 0.3% African American, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Cardiff Elementary?

Cardiff Elementary has an equity score of 49/100, ranking #795 out of 1547 districts in California. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.