Enrollment
38
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Carlsbad, CA
Carlsbad Seaside Academy
Federal NCES profile for Carlsbad Seaside Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 74/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 060750008311
👥 S:T ratio 78
🌟 Gifted program 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carlsbad Seaside Academy earns 74/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California.
- #2 of 22
- public schools in Carlsbad · Resource Index
- 74
- Resource Index · Higher
- 5.4:1
- small classes for California
- 21.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Carlsbad Seaside Academy has class sizes smaller than 99% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Carlsbad Seaside Academy ranks #2 of 22 public schools in Carlsbad, CA.
School address
District: Carlsbad Unified · California
NCES ID 060750008311 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
7.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
5.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-75% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Carlsbad Seaside Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Carlsbad Seaside Academy
Carlsbad Seaside Academy is a small combined-grade school in Carlsbad, California, enrolling 38 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 5.4:1, Carlsbad Seaside Academy is leaner than roughly 99% of California schools and 75% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.4% free-meal eligibility runs 61% below the California average.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 95% of California schools, with 38 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 99% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 51 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 45/100).
Carlsbad Unified also operates Carlsbad High (2,336 students) and Sage Creek High (1,289 students) alongside Carlsbad Seaside 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 Carlsbad Seaside Academy compares
Carlsbad Seaside 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 | 5.4:1 | ▼ 75% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.4% | ▼ 61% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 38 | top 95% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
5.4:1
Leaner classes than 98% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
38
Bigger than 4% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
5.4:1
students per teacher
- 75% below state mean
Top 1% in California - lower ratio than 99% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$13,634
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
White 71.1%
Hispanic or Latino 18.4%
African American 7.9%
Two or More 2.6%
Largest group: White at 71.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.4, Carlsbad Seaside Academy is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Carlsbad Unified, which includes Carlsbad Seaside Academy.
$13,634
Per student
-17%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 80.1%
State 14.0%
Federal 5.8%
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 Carlsbad Seaside Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sage Creek High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Aviara Oaks Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hope Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carlsbad Seaside Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,336
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,289
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 991
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 807
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 659
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other 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 (~38 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Carlsbad Seaside Academy's federal record.
- Compare Carlsbad Seaside Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Carlsbad 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 Carlsbad Seaside Academy
How many students attend Carlsbad Seaside Academy?
Carlsbad Seaside Academy has 38 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Carlsbad, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carlsbad Seaside Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Carlsbad Seaside Academy is 5.4:1, which is 75% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 66% lower 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 Carlsbad Seaside Academy?
21.4% of students at Carlsbad Seaside Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carlsbad Seaside Academy?
The largest demographic group at Carlsbad Seaside Academy is White at 71.1% of enrollment, in Carlsbad, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carlsbad Seaside Academy?
Carlsbad Seaside Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 74/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Carlsbad Seaside Academy rank among public schools in Carlsbad?
By Resource Investment Index, Carlsbad Seaside Academy ranks #2 of 22 public schools in Carlsbad, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Carlsbad on the city page.
Is Carlsbad Seaside Academy a good school?
Carlsbad Seaside Academy earns 74/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of California schools. 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 Carlsbad Unified?
Besides Carlsbad Seaside Academy, Carlsbad Unified also operates Carlsbad High (2,336 students), Sage Creek High (1,289 students), and Aviara Oaks Middle (991 students). See the Carlsbad 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.