Enrollment
390
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mission Viejo, CA
Del Cerro Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Del Cerro Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063386005294
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Del Cerro Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #3 of 12
- elementary schools in Mission Viejo · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.7:1
- students per teacher
- 33.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Del Cerro Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Del Cerro Elementary ranks #3 of 12 elementary schools in Mission Viejo, CA.
School address
District: Saddleback Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 063386005294 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Del Cerro Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Del Cerro Elementary
Del Cerro Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Mission Viejo, California, enrolling 390 students.
At 21.7:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 390 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,079 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #104, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (38%) and White (36%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Mission Viejo's elementary schools, it stands alongside Oxford Preparatory Academy - South Orange County (704 students): Del Cerro Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.7:1 vs 20.1:1).
Saddleback Valley Unified also operates Trabuco Hills High (2,475 students) and El Toro High (1,902 students) alongside Del Cerro 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 Del Cerro Elementary compares
Del Cerro 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 | 21.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.8% | ▼ 39% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 390 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
390
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 50% in California - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
20.0%
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
$13,733
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 + 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
Hispanic or Latino 37.7%
White 35.6%
Asian 13.8%
Two or More 11.8%
African American 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 37.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.8, Del Cerro Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Saddleback Valley Unified, which includes Del Cerro Elementary.
$13,733
Per student
-17%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 62.6%
State 29.5%
Federal 7.9%
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 Del Cerro Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trabuco Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| El Toro High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mission Viejo High | Larger | Similar 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 Del Cerro Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,475
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- 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 Mission Viejo
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Oxford Preparatory Academy - South Orange County
Standard public school
704 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Bathgate Elementary
Standard public school
570 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
De Portola Elementary
Standard public school
540 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Castille Elementary
Standard public school
482 students 21.9:1 students per teacher
Viejo Elementary
Standard public school
447 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Montevideo Elementary
Standard public school
444 students 20.2:1 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 (~390 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Del Cerro Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Del Cerro Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Saddleback Valley 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 Del Cerro Elementary
How many students attend Del Cerro Elementary?
Del Cerro Elementary has 390 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mission Viejo, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Del Cerro Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Del Cerro Elementary is 21.7:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Del Cerro Elementary?
33.8% of students at Del Cerro Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Del Cerro Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Del Cerro Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 37.7% of enrollment, in Mission Viejo, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Del Cerro Elementary?
Del Cerro Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Del Cerro Elementary rank among elementary schools in Mission Viejo?
By Resource Investment Index, Del Cerro Elementary ranks #3 of 12 elementary schools in Mission Viejo, 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 Mission Viejo on the city page.
Is Del Cerro Elementary a good school?
Del Cerro Elementary earns 44/100 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 Saddleback Valley Unified?
Besides Del Cerro 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.
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.