Enrollment
42
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Vista, CA
California Avenue Elementary
Federal NCES profile for California Avenue Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064119001246
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
California Avenue Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the smallest schools in California.
- #3 of 15
- elementary schools in Vista · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21:1
- students per teacher
- 61.5%
- free-lunch eligible
California Avenue Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, California Avenue Elementary ranks #3 of 15 elementary schools in Vista, CA.
School address
District: Vista Unified · California
NCES ID 064119001246 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
2.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How California Avenue Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at California Avenue Elementary
California Avenue Elementary is a higher-need, small elementary school in Vista, California, enrolling 42 students.
At 21:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 61.5% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 95% of California schools, with 42 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 130 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #98, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (69%) and White (14%) (diversity index 49/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Vista's elementary schools, it stands alongside Casita Center for Science/Math/Technology (744 students): California Avenue Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21:1 vs 29.8:1).
Vista Unified also operates Rancho Buena Vista High (1,949 students) and Vista High (1,746 students) alongside California Avenue 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 California Avenue Elementary compares
California Avenue 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 | 21:1 | ▼ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.5% | ▲ 11% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 42 | top 95% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
42
Bigger than 5% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 43% in California - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
23.8%
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
$15,274
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 69.0%
White 14.3%
Asian 9.5%
Two or More 4.8%
African American 2.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 69.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.2, California Avenue Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Vista Unified, which includes California Avenue Elementary.
$15,274
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.1%
State 53.6%
Federal 10.3%
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 California Avenue Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rancho Buena Vista High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Vista High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mission Vista High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Madison Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to California Avenue Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,949
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,746
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,670
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,158
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 866
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
Similar elementary schools in Vista
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Casita Center for Science/Math/Technology
Standard public school
744 students 29.8:1 students per teacher
Breeze Hill Elementary
Standard public school
742 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts
Standard public school
740 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Grapevine Elementary
Standard public school
730 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Classical Academy Vista
Standard public school
651 students 25:1 students per teacher
Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary
Standard public school
579 students 22.3:1 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 (~42 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on California Avenue Elementary's federal record.
- Compare California Avenue Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Vista 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 California Avenue Elementary
How many students attend California Avenue Elementary?
California Avenue Elementary has 42 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Vista, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at California Avenue Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at California Avenue Elementary is 21:1, which is 2% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 34% 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 California Avenue Elementary?
61.5% of students at California Avenue Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of California Avenue Elementary?
The largest demographic group at California Avenue Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 69.0% of enrollment, in Vista, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for California Avenue Elementary?
California Avenue Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 California Avenue Elementary rank among elementary schools in Vista?
By Resource Investment Index, California Avenue Elementary ranks #3 of 15 elementary schools in Vista, 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 Vista on the city page.
Is California Avenue Elementary a good school?
California Avenue Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the smallest schools in California. 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 Vista Unified?
Besides California Avenue Elementary, Vista Unified also operates Rancho Buena Vista High (1,949 students), Vista High (1,746 students), and Mission Vista High (1,670 students). See the Vista 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.