- Enrollment
- 2,475
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Cielo Vista Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cielo Vista Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063386010043
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cielo Vista Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #6 of 6
- elementary schools in Rancho Santa Margarita · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.3:1
- students per teacher
- 48.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Cielo Vista Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cielo Vista Elementary ranks #6 of 6 elementary schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.
School address
District: Saddleback Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 063386010043 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-38 students YoY
Cielo Vista Elementary shrank from 526 students in 2022-23 to 488 in 2023-24 (-7.2%).
Teacher FTE lost 24.1 → 22.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-38 students YoY 063386010043 · Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
487 enr · 20.3:1 · 48.5% lunch · RII 30
Nearest enrollment peer: Trabuco Hills High (2,475 students)
Cielo Vista Elementary shrank from 526 students in 2022-23 to 488 in 2023-24 (-7.2%). Teacher FTE lost 24.1 → 22.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Cielo Vista Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Trabuco Hills
Trabuco Hills High
2,475 students
- El Toro High
El Toro High
1,902 students
- Mission Viejo
Mission Viejo High
1,566 students
- Laguna Hills H
Laguna Hills High
1,317 students
- Rancho Santa M
Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate
1,153 students
- This school 487
Cielo Vista Elementary
487 students
What this shows Cielo Vista Elementary reports 487 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cielo Vista Elementary compares
Cielo Vista Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 | 48.5% | ▼ 13% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 487 | top 47% | - | - |
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.
487
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
48.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
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
43.5%
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
$15,515
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
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 + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 59.3%
White 23.4%
Asian 10.5%
Two or More 6.4%
African American 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 59.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.8, Cielo Vista Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Saddleback Valley Unified reports $15,515 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cielo Vista Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trabuco Hills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| El Toro High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mission Viejo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Laguna Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cielo Vista Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,902
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,566
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,317
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,153
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar elementary schools in Rancho Santa Margarita
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Melinda Heights Elementary
Standard public school
950 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Trabuco Mesa Elementary
Standard public school
640 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Arroyo Vista Elementary
Standard public school
508 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Las Flores Elementary
Standard public school
328 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Tijeras Creek Elementary
Standard public school
315 students 22.5:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~487 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cielo Vista Elementary
How many students attend Cielo Vista Elementary?
Cielo Vista Elementary has 487 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. CCD year-over-year: 526 (2022-23) → 488 (2023-24), down 38.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cielo Vista Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cielo Vista 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 Cielo Vista Elementary?
48.5% of students at Cielo Vista Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cielo Vista Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cielo Vista Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 59.3% of enrollment, in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cielo Vista Elementary?
Cielo Vista Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cielo Vista Elementary rank among elementary schools in Rancho Santa Margarita?
By Resource Investment Index, Cielo Vista Elementary ranks #6 of 6 elementary schools in Rancho Santa Margarita, 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 Rancho Santa Margarita on the city page.
What other schools are in Saddleback Valley Unified?
Besides Cielo Vista Elementary, Saddleback Valley Unified also operates Trabuco Hills High (2,475 students), El Toro High (1,902 students), and Mission Viejo High (1,566 students). See the Saddleback Valley Unified district page for the complete list.