San Carlos Elementary

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

San Carlos, California - 8 schools

An equity score of 40/100 ranks San Carlos Elementary #1012 of 1517 districts in California (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,313 per pupil, San Carlos Elementary ranks #485 of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending (California districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,700
Total Enrollment
8
Schools
$17,313
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

San Carlos Elementary operates 8 public schools serving 2,700 students, placing it among the smaller districts in California. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 elementary, 2 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in San Mateo County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,313 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 1862 California districts by per-pupil spending. See how California compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 86.6% local, 12.0% state, and 1.4% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 40/100, ranked #1012 of 1517 in California against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 717.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 5.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 42.0% White, 24.1% Asian, 14.8% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Mariposa, with a diversity index of 73.9/100.

Its largest campus is Tierra Linda Middle, enrolling 451 students (16% of the district's total enrollment).

Tierra Linda Middle accounts for 15.7% of all San Carlos Elementary student enrollment

That concentration means San Carlos Elementary-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: middle. 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

San Carlos Elementary student-counselor ratio is 717:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

San Carlos Elementary chronic absenteeism rate is 5.0% — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

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 Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

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

Where does the funding come from?

1.4%
Federal
12.0%
State
86.6%
Local

Funding Equity

40
Equity Score
1012 / 1517
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 8 schools in San Carlos Elementary.

White 42.0%
Hispanic or Latino 14.8%
Asian 24.1%
Multiracial 18.2%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 69.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across San Carlos Elementary's schools, above the California average of 46.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Mariposa 73.9
  2. 2 Heather Elementary 73.4
  3. 3 Arundel Elementary 73.3
  4. 4 Tierra Linda Middle 72.0
  5. 5 Brittan Acres Elementary 66.9

Programs & Resources

717.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
5.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in San Carlos Elementary

School Enrollment
Tierra Linda Middle
451
Central Middle
443
Brittan Acres Elementary
411
Arundel Elementary
388
Mariposa
322
Heather Elementary
320
Arroyo
290
White Oaks Elementary
250

How San Carlos Elementary Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The California districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Lamont Elementary Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Menlo Park City Elementary Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Fairfax Elementary Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Reef-Sunset Unified Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Solana Beach Elementary Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to San Carlos Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

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 · $21,940/pupil
Compare vs San Carlos Elementary →
San Diego Unified
93,893 students · 175 schools · $18,665/pupil
Compare vs San Carlos Elementary →
Fresno Unified
69,668 students · 101 schools · $18,783/pupil
Compare vs San Carlos Elementary →
Long Beach Unified
65,554 students · 84 schools · $16,028/pupil
Compare vs San Carlos Elementary →
Elk Grove Unified
62,061 students · 67 schools · $14,134/pupil
Compare vs San Carlos Elementary →

Compare San Carlos 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 San Carlos Elementary?

San Carlos Elementary has 8 schools, including 2 middle, 6 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,700 students.

How much does San Carlos Elementary spend per student?

San Carlos Elementary spends $17,313 per student. The district has an equity score of 40/100, ranking #1012 in California.

What is the demographic composition of San Carlos Elementary?

San Carlos Elementary students are 42.0% White, 24.1% Asian, 14.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% African American, averaged across 8 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for San Carlos Elementary?

San Carlos Elementary has an equity score of 40/100, ranking #1012 out of 1517 districts in California.