- Enrollment
- 2,106
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Costa Mesa, CA
California Elementary
Federal NCES profile for California Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062724004106
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
California Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #4 of 15
- elementary schools in Costa Mesa · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.7:1
- students per teacher
- 35.2%
- free-lunch eligible
California Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, California Elementary ranks #4 of 15 elementary schools in Costa Mesa, CA.
School address
District: Newport-Mesa Unified · California
NCES ID 062724004106 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-9 students YoY
California Elementary held near 366 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-9 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 18.0 → 19.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-9 students YoY 062724004106 · Costa Mesa, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
373 enr · 20.7:1 · 35.2% lunch · RII 41
Nearest enrollment peer: Corona Del Mar High (2,106 students)
California Elementary held near 366 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-9 headcount). Teacher FTE added 18.0 → 19.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
California Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Corona Del Mar
Corona Del Mar High
2,106 students
- Newport Harbor
Newport Harbor High
2,084 students
- Costa Mesa Hig
Costa Mesa High
1,730 students
- Estancia High
Estancia High
976 students
- Horace Ensign
Horace Ensign Intermediate
875 students
- This school 373
California Elementary
373 students
What this shows California Elementary reports 373 students on the CCD universe file.
How California Elementary compares
California Elementary 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 | 20.7:1 | ▼ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.2% | ▼ 37% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 373 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.7:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
373
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
35.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% 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
20.7:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 41% in California - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
25.5%
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
$22,948
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
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
2
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 47.7%
Hispanic or Latino 37.3%
Two or More 7.2%
Asian 4.8%
African American 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 47.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.5, California Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Newport-Mesa Unified reports $22,948 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How California Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corona Del Mar High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Newport Harbor High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Costa Mesa High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Estancia High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Horace Ensign Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to California Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,084
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,730
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 976
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 875
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar elementary schools in Costa Mesa
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Maude B. Davis Elementary
Standard public school
570 students 25.9:1 students per teacher
Heinz Kaiser Elementary
Standard public school
539 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Woodland Elementary
Standard public school
487 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
College Park Elementary
Standard public school
473 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Killybrooke Elementary
Standard public school
473 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Whittier Elementary
Standard public school
454 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary 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 (~373 students)
Frequently asked questions about California Elementary
How many students attend California Elementary?
California Elementary has 373 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Costa Mesa, CA. CCD year-over-year: 375 (2022-23) → 366 (2023-24), nearly flat (-9).
What is the student-teacher ratio at California Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at California Elementary is 20.7:1, which is 4% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 32% 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 Elementary?
35.2% of students at California Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of California Elementary?
The largest demographic group at California Elementary is White at 47.7% of enrollment, in Costa Mesa, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for California Elementary?
California Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does California Elementary rank among elementary schools in Costa Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, California Elementary ranks #4 of 15 elementary schools in Costa 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 Costa Mesa on the city page.
What other schools are in Newport-Mesa Unified?
Besides California Elementary, Newport-Mesa Unified also operates Corona Del Mar High (2,106 students), Newport Harbor High (2,084 students), and Costa Mesa High (1,730 students). See the Newport-Mesa Unified district page for the complete list.