Enrollment
858
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Poway, CA
Chaparral Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Chaparral Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063153004885
👥 S:T ratio 5
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chaparral Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 7
- elementary schools in Poway · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.8:1
- large classes for California
- 9.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Chaparral Elementary has class sizes larger than 70% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chaparral Elementary ranks #4 of 7 elementary schools in Poway, CA.
School address
District: Poway Unified · California
NCES ID 063153004885 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
9.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-84% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chaparral Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chaparral Elementary
Chaparral Elementary is a lower-poverty, large elementary school in Poway, California, enrolling 858 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23.8:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 9.1% free-meal eligibility runs 84% below the California average.
Enrollment of 858 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 623 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #565, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Asian (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 858 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Poway's elementary schools, it stands alongside Valley Elementary (663 students): Chaparral Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.8:1 vs 23.7:1).
Poway Unified also operates Del Norte High (2,557 students) and Rancho Bernardo High (2,210 students) alongside Chaparral 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 Chaparral Elementary compares
Chaparral 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 | 23.8:1 | ▲ 11% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 9.1% | ▼ 84% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 858 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.8:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
858
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
9.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 84% 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
23.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 70% in California - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
15.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,960
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 858 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 49.2%
Asian 23.4%
Hispanic or Latino 13.5%
Two or More 12.8%
African American 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 49.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.8, Chaparral Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Poway Unified, which includes Chaparral Elementary.
$13,960
Per student
-15%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.2%
State 39.4%
Federal 6.4%
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 Chaparral Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Del Norte High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rancho Bernardo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Westview High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Poway High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mt. Carmel High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chaparral Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,557
- Students per teacher
- 26.9:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 2,210
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,116
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,101
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,800
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools in Poway
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Valley Elementary
Standard public school
663 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Painted Rock Elementary
Standard public school
613 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Midland Elementary
Standard public school
580 students 23.2:1 students per teacher
Garden Road Elementary
Standard public school
508 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Tierra Bonita Elementary
Standard public school
377 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Pomerado Elementary
Standard public school
305 students 20.3:1 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 (~858 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chaparral Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Chaparral Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Poway 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 Chaparral Elementary
How many students attend Chaparral Elementary?
Chaparral Elementary has 858 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Poway, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chaparral Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Chaparral Elementary is 23.8:1, which is 11% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 52% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Chaparral Elementary?
9.1% of students at Chaparral Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chaparral Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Chaparral Elementary is White at 49.2% of enrollment, in Poway, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chaparral Elementary?
Chaparral Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower 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 Chaparral Elementary rank among elementary schools in Poway?
By Resource Investment Index, Chaparral Elementary ranks #4 of 7 elementary schools in Poway, 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 Poway on the city page.
Is Chaparral Elementary a good school?
Chaparral Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Poway Unified?
Besides Chaparral Elementary, Poway Unified also operates Del Norte High (2,557 students), Rancho Bernardo High (2,210 students), and Westview High (2,116 students). See the Poway 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.