Enrollment
573
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · La Mesa, CA
Avocado Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Avocado Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060681000604
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Avocado Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #6 of 12
- elementary schools in La Mesa · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.9:1
- large classes for California
- 51.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Avocado Elementary has class sizes larger than 79% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Avocado Elementary ranks #6 of 12 elementary schools in La Mesa, CA.
School address
District: Cajon Valley Union · California
NCES ID 060681000604 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Avocado Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Avocado Elementary
Avocado Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in La Mesa, California, enrolling 573 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.9:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 51.0% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 573 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,552 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #872.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and White (35%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 573 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among La Mesa's elementary schools, it stands alongside La Mesa Arts Academy (1,059 students): Avocado Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.9:1 vs 24.6:1).
Cajon Valley Union also operates Hillsdale Middle (1,481 students) and Naranca Elementary (985 students) alongside Avocado 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 Avocado Elementary compares
Avocado 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 | 24.9:1 | ▲ 16% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.0% | ▼ 8% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 573 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.9:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
573
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24.9:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 79% in California - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
30.4%
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
$17,179
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 573 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 42.6%
White 35.1%
African American 8.7%
Two or More 6.3%
Asian 4.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, Avocado Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cajon Valley Union, which includes Avocado Elementary.
$17,179
Per student
+4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.3%
State 58.5%
Federal 13.2%
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 Avocado Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsdale Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Naranca Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cajon Valley Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Montgomery Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lexington Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Avocado Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,481
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 985
- Students per teacher
- 30.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 942
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 929
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 878
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
Similar elementary schools in La Mesa
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
La Mesa Arts Academy
Standard public school
1,059 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Murdock Elementary
Standard public school
608 students 27.6:1 students per teacher
Murray Manor Elementary
Standard public school
530 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Vista La Mesa Academy
Standard public school
518 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Lemon Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
502 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
La Mesa Dale Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 24.2:1 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 (~573 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Avocado Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Avocado Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Cajon Valley Union'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 Avocado Elementary
How many students attend Avocado Elementary?
Avocado Elementary has 573 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in La Mesa, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Avocado Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Avocado Elementary is 24.9:1, which is 16% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 59% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Avocado Elementary?
51.0% of students at Avocado Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Avocado Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Avocado Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 42.6% of enrollment, in La Mesa, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Avocado Elementary?
Avocado Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Avocado Elementary rank among elementary schools in La Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Avocado Elementary ranks #6 of 12 elementary schools in La Mesa, 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 La Mesa on the city page.
Is Avocado Elementary a good school?
Avocado Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of California schools. It is also more 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 Cajon Valley Union?
Besides Avocado Elementary, Cajon Valley Union also operates Hillsdale Middle (1,481 students), Naranca Elementary (985 students), and Cajon Valley Middle (942 students). See the Cajon Valley Union 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.