Enrollment
198
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · San Juan Capistrano, CA
California Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for California Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 060744012894
👥 S:T ratio 1
📚 AP courses 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
California Preparatory Academy earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of California schools.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in San Juan Capistrano · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.8:1
- large classes for California
- 23.1%
- free-lunch eligible
California Preparatory Academy has class sizes larger than 78% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, California Preparatory Academy ranks #2 of 3 high schools in San Juan Capistrano, CA.
School address
District: Capistrano Unified · California
NCES ID 060744012894 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How California Preparatory Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at California Preparatory Academy
California Preparatory Academy is a mid-sized high school in San Juan Capistrano, California, enrolling 198 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.8:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.1% free-meal eligibility runs 58% below the California average.
Enrollment of 198 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 222 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #90.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 47/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 5 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 396 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among San Juan Capistrano's high schools, it stands alongside San Juan Hills High (2,641 students): California Preparatory Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.8:1 vs 21.5:1).
Capistrano Unified also operates San Clemente High (2,740 students) and San Juan Hills High (2,641 students) alongside California Preparatory Academy.
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 Preparatory Academy compares
California Preparatory Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.8:1 | ▲ 15% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.1% | ▼ 58% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 198 | top 83% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.8:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
198
Bigger than 19% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
24.8:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 78% in California - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
18.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,421
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
Counselors0.5 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
White 70.6%
Hispanic or Latino 12.7%
Two or More 11.7%
Asian 3.0%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 70.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.1, California Preparatory Academy is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Capistrano Unified, which includes California Preparatory Academy.
$14,421
Per student
-13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 61.2%
State 31.0%
Federal 7.7%
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 Preparatory Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Clemente High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Juan Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Aliso Niguel High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tesoro High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Capistrano Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to California Preparatory Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,740
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- 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 high schools in San Juan Capistrano
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~198 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on California Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare California Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Capistrano 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 Preparatory Academy
How many students attend California Preparatory Academy?
California Preparatory Academy has 198 students enrolled. It is a high school in San Juan Capistrano, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at California Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at California Preparatory Academy is 24.8:1, which is 15% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 58% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at California Preparatory Academy?
23.1% of students at California Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of California Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at California Preparatory Academy is White at 70.6% of enrollment, in San Juan Capistrano, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for California Preparatory Academy?
California Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does California Preparatory Academy rank among high schools in San Juan Capistrano?
By Resource Investment Index, California Preparatory Academy ranks #2 of 3 high schools in San Juan Capistrano, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in San Juan Capistrano on the city page.
Is California Preparatory Academy a good school?
California Preparatory Academy earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of 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 Capistrano Unified?
Besides California Preparatory Academy, 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.
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.