Enrollment
365
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Diego, CA
Chesterton Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Chesterton Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063432005432
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chesterton Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #96 of 179
- elementary schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.3:1
- students per teacher
- 27.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Chesterton Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chesterton Elementary ranks #96 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
District: San Diego Unified · California
NCES ID 063432005432 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chesterton Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chesterton Elementary
Chesterton Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in San Diego, California, enrolling 365 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 20.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 365 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 908 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #559.
Its student body is led by White (32%) and Hispanic or Latino (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 365 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 50.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among San Diego's elementary schools, it stands alongside Albert Einstein Academies (1,448 students): Chesterton Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.3:1 vs 24.1:1).
San Diego Unified also operates Henry High (2,485 students) and Mira Mesa High (2,187 students) alongside Chesterton 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 Chesterton Elementary compares
Chesterton 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 | 20.3:1 | ▼ 6% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.9% | ▼ 50% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 365 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.3:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
365
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
20.3:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 37% in California - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
50.1%
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
$18,665
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 365 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 31.5%
Hispanic or Latino 27.7%
Asian 21.4%
Two or More 14.0%
African American 4.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 31.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.6, Chesterton Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Diego Unified, which includes Chesterton Elementary.
$18,665
Per student
+13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 60.5%
State 25.1%
Federal 14.4%
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 Chesterton Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mira Mesa High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hoover High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Scripps Ranch High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Point Loma High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chesterton Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,485
- Students per teacher
- 25.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 2,187
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,011
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 1,890
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,724
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in San Diego
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Albert Einstein Academies
Standard public school
1,448 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Design 39 Campus
Standard public school
1,216 students 27:1 students per teacher
Nestor Language Academy Charter
Standard public school
1,079 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Ocean View Hills
Standard public school
1,020 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Language Academy
Standard public school
1,015 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Del Sur Elementary
Standard public school
891 students 24.1:1 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 (~365 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chesterton Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Chesterton Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- San Diego 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 Chesterton Elementary
How many students attend Chesterton Elementary?
Chesterton Elementary has 365 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Diego, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chesterton Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Chesterton Elementary is 20.3:1, which is 6% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 29% 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 Chesterton Elementary?
27.9% of students at Chesterton Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chesterton Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Chesterton Elementary is White at 31.5% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chesterton Elementary?
Chesterton Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Chesterton Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, Chesterton Elementary ranks #96 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, 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 San Diego on the city page.
Is Chesterton Elementary a good school?
Chesterton Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 San Diego Unified?
Besides Chesterton Elementary, San Diego Unified also operates Henry High (2,485 students), Mira Mesa High (2,187 students), and Hoover High (2,011 students). See the San Diego 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.