- Enrollment
- 2,740
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · San Clemente, CA
Bernice Ayer Middle
Federal NCES profile for Bernice Ayer Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060744007587
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bernice Ayer Middle earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in San Clemente · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.4:1
- students per teacher
- 30.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Bernice Ayer Middle has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bernice Ayer Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in San Clemente, CA.
School address
District: Capistrano Unified · California
NCES ID 060744007587 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-5 students YoY
Bernice Ayer Middle held near 878 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-5 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 43.9 → 44.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-5 students YoY 060744007587 · San Clemente, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
919 enr · 21.4:1 · 30.7% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: San Clemente High (2,740 students)
Bernice Ayer Middle held near 878 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-5 headcount). Teacher FTE added 43.9 → 44.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Bernice Ayer Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- San Clemente H
San Clemente High
2,740 students
- San Juan Hills
San Juan Hills High
2,641 students
- Aliso Niguel H
Aliso Niguel High
2,563 students
- Tesoro High
Tesoro High
2,030 students
- Capistrano Val
Capistrano Valley High
1,991 students
- This school 919
Bernice Ayer Middle
919 students
What this shows Bernice Ayer Middle reports 919 students on the CCD universe file.
How Bernice Ayer Middle compares
Bernice Ayer Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.4:1 | ▼ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.7% | ▼ 45% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 919 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
919
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
30.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 0% below state mean
Top 47% in California - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
18.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,820
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 919 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 36 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 58.9%
Hispanic or Latino 30.1%
Two or More 9.1%
Asian 1.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 58.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.4, Bernice Ayer Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Capistrano Unified reports $15,820 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Bernice Ayer Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Clemente High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| San Juan Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Aliso Niguel High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tesoro High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Capistrano Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bernice Ayer Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,641
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,563
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,030
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,991
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar middle schools in San Clemente
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~919 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.4:1)
Frequently asked questions about Bernice Ayer Middle
How many students attend Bernice Ayer Middle?
Bernice Ayer Middle has 919 students enrolled. It is a middle school in San Clemente, CA. CCD year-over-year: 883 (2022-23) → 878 (2023-24), nearly flat (-5).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bernice Ayer Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Bernice Ayer Middle is 21.4:1, which is 0% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% 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 Bernice Ayer Middle?
30.7% of students at Bernice Ayer Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bernice Ayer Middle?
The largest demographic group at Bernice Ayer Middle is White at 58.9% of enrollment, in San Clemente, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bernice Ayer Middle?
Bernice Ayer Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bernice Ayer Middle rank among middle schools in San Clemente?
By Resource Investment Index, Bernice Ayer Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in San Clemente, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in San Clemente on the city page.
What other schools are in Capistrano Unified?
Besides Bernice Ayer Middle, Capistrano Unified also operates San Clemente High (2,740 students), San Juan Hills High (2,641 students), and Aliso Niguel High (2,563 students). See the Capistrano Unified district page for the complete list.