Enrollment
358
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Saratoga, CA
Christa Mcauliffe Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Christa Mcauliffe Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061029009356
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Christa Mcauliffe Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 6
- elementary schools in Saratoga · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.9:1
- students per teacher
- 7.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Christa Mcauliffe Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Christa Mcauliffe Elementary ranks #4 of 6 elementary schools in Saratoga, CA.
School address
District: Cupertino Union · California
NCES ID 061029009356 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
7.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-87% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Christa Mcauliffe Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Christa Mcauliffe Elementary
Christa Mcauliffe Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Saratoga, California, enrolling 358 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 7.0% free-meal eligibility runs 87% below the California average.
Enrollment of 358 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 459 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #198.
Its student body is led by Asian (44%) and White (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
15.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Saratoga's elementary schools, it stands alongside Marshall Lane Elementary (427 students): Christa Mcauliffe Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.9:1 vs 25.1:1).
Cupertino Union also operates Cupertino Middle (1,067 students) and Joaquin Miller Middle (1,067 students) alongside Christa Mcauliffe 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 Christa Mcauliffe Elementary compares
Christa Mcauliffe 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 | 19.9:1 | ▼ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 7.0% | ▼ 87% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 358 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.9:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
358
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
7.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 87% 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
19.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 34% in California - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,632
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
Asian 43.6%
White 32.7%
Two or More 14.8%
Hispanic or Latino 8.7%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: Asian at 43.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.3, Christa Mcauliffe Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cupertino Union, which includes Christa Mcauliffe Elementary.
$14,632
Per student
-11%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 60.6%
State 33.6%
Federal 5.9%
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 Christa Mcauliffe Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cupertino Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joaquin Miller Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John F. Kennedy Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sam H. Lawson Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Louis E. Stocklmeir Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Christa Mcauliffe Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 880
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 841
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 840
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Saratoga
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Marshall Lane Elementary
Standard public school
427 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Blue Hills Elementary
Standard public school
424 students 26.5:1 students per teacher
Argonaut Elementary
Standard public school
367 students 26.2:1 students per teacher
Saratoga Elementary
Standard public school
297 students 22.8:1 students per teacher
Foothill Elementary
Standard public school
278 students 17.4:1 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 (~358 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Christa Mcauliffe Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Christa Mcauliffe Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Cupertino Union'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 Christa Mcauliffe Elementary
How many students attend Christa Mcauliffe Elementary?
Christa Mcauliffe Elementary has 358 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Saratoga, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Christa Mcauliffe Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Christa Mcauliffe Elementary is 19.9:1, which is 7% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 27% 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 Christa Mcauliffe Elementary?
7.0% of students at Christa Mcauliffe Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Christa Mcauliffe Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Christa Mcauliffe Elementary is Asian at 43.6% of enrollment, in Saratoga, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Christa Mcauliffe Elementary?
Christa Mcauliffe Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Christa Mcauliffe Elementary rank among elementary schools in Saratoga?
By Resource Investment Index, Christa Mcauliffe Elementary ranks #4 of 6 elementary schools in Saratoga, 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 Saratoga on the city page.
Is Christa Mcauliffe Elementary a good school?
Christa Mcauliffe Elementary earns 38/100 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 Cupertino Union?
Besides Christa Mcauliffe Elementary, Cupertino Union also operates Cupertino Middle (1,067 students), Joaquin Miller Middle (1,067 students), and John F. Kennedy Middle (880 students). See the Cupertino Union 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.