Enrollment
823
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santee, CA
Carlton Oaks Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Carlton Oaks Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063588006139
👥 S:T ratio 11
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carlton Oaks Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #3 of 10
- elementary schools in Santee · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.2:1
- students per teacher
- 23.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Carlton Oaks Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Carlton Oaks Elementary ranks #3 of 10 elementary schools in Santee, CA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Carlton Oaks Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Carlton Oaks Elementary
Carlton Oaks Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Santee, California, enrolling 823 students.
At 22.2:1, 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.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.7% free-meal eligibility runs 57% below the California average.
Enrollment of 823 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,122 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #524.
Its student body is led by White (50%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 823 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Santee spends $13,289 per pupil, 20% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Santee's elementary schools, it stands alongside Rio Seco Elementary (913 students): Carlton Oaks Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.2:1 vs 23.4:1).
Santee also operates Rio Seco Elementary (913 students) and Cajon Park Elementary (830 students) alongside Carlton Oaks 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 Carlton Oaks Elementary compares
Carlton Oaks 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 | 22.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.7% | ▼ 57% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 823 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.2:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
823
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% 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
22.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 55% in California - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
15.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,289
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 823 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.9 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 50.1%
Hispanic or Latino 29.2%
Two or More 13.5%
Asian 5.7%
African American 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 50.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.2, Carlton Oaks Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Santee, which includes Carlton Oaks Elementary.
$13,289
Per student
-20%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.8%
State 54.5%
Federal 9.7%
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 Carlton Oaks Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Seco Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cajon Park Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hill Creek Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pepper Drive Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chet F. Harritt Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carlton Oaks Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 913
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 830
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 661
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in Santee
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Rio Seco Elementary
Standard public school
913 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Cajon Park Elementary
Standard public school
830 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Hill Creek Elementary
Standard public school
695 students 24:1 students per teacher
Chet F. Harritt Elementary
Standard public school
606 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Carlton Hills Elementary
Standard public school
601 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Pride Academy at Prospect Avenue
Standard public school
548 students 24.9:1 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 (~823 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Carlton Oaks Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Carlton Oaks Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Santee'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 Carlton Oaks Elementary
How many students attend Carlton Oaks Elementary?
Carlton Oaks Elementary has 823 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santee, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carlton Oaks Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Carlton Oaks Elementary is 22.2:1, which is 3% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Carlton Oaks Elementary?
23.7% of students at Carlton Oaks Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carlton Oaks Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Carlton Oaks Elementary is White at 50.1% of enrollment, in Santee, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carlton Oaks Elementary?
Carlton Oaks Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Carlton Oaks Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santee?
By Resource Investment Index, Carlton Oaks Elementary ranks #3 of 10 elementary schools in Santee, 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 Santee on the city page.
Is Carlton Oaks Elementary a good school?
Carlton Oaks Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Santee?
Besides Carlton Oaks Elementary, Santee also operates Rio Seco Elementary (913 students), Cajon Park Elementary (830 students), and Hill Creek Elementary (695 students). See the Santee 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.