Enrollment
588
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Panorama City, CA
Alta California Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Alta California Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062271012806
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Alta California Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 73% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 8
- elementary schools in Panorama City · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19:1
- small classes for California
- 95.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Alta California Elementary has class sizes smaller than 73% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Alta California Elementary ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Panorama City, CA.
School address
District: Los Angeles Unified · California
NCES ID 062271012806 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
95.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
+73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Alta California Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Alta California Elementary
Alta California Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Panorama City, California, enrolling 588 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 95.8% of students qualify for free meals, 73% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 588 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 948 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #278.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (92% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 16/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Los Angeles Unified spends $21,940 per pupil, 33% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Panorama City's elementary schools, it stands alongside Michelle Obama Elementary (570 students): Alta California Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19:1 vs 21.1:1).
Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students) and North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students) alongside Alta California Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Alta California Elementary compares
Alta California Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19:1 | ▼ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 95.8% | ▲ 73% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 588 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
588
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
95.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 27% in California - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
54.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$21,940
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 91.7%
Asian 3.9%
White 2.2%
Two or More 2.0%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 91.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 15.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 15.7, Alta California Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Los Angeles Unified, which includes Alta California Elementary.
$21,940
Per student
+33%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 54.5%
Federal 19.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Alta California Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grover Cleveland Charter High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Hollywood Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Phineas Banning Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| San Pedro Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Venice Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Alta California Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,719
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,444
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,398
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,293
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in Panorama City
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Michelle Obama Elementary
Standard public school
570 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Liggett Street Elementary
Standard public school
550 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Panorama City Elementary
Standard public school
443 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Chase Street Elementary
Standard public school
436 students 19:1 students per teacher
Ranchito Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
421 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Burton Street Elementary
Standard public school
274 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~588 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Alta California Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Alta California Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Los Angeles Unified's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Alta California Elementary
How many students attend Alta California Elementary?
Alta California Elementary has 588 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Panorama City, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Alta California Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Alta California Elementary is 19:1, which is 12% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Alta California Elementary?
95.8% of students at Alta California Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Alta California Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Alta California Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 91.7% of enrollment, in Panorama City, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Alta California Elementary?
Alta California Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Alta California Elementary rank among elementary schools in Panorama City?
By Resource Investment Index, Alta California Elementary ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Panorama City, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Panorama City on the city page.
Is Alta California Elementary a good school?
Alta California Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 73% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Los Angeles Unified?
Besides Alta California Elementary, Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students), North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students), and Phineas Banning Senior High (2,422 students). See the Los Angeles Unified district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.