Enrollment
362
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mission Viejo, CA
Del Lago Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Del Lago 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 063386007341
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Del Lago Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #9 of 12
- elementary schools in Mission Viejo · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.1:1
- large classes for California
- 30.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Del Lago Elementary has class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Del Lago Elementary ranks #9 of 12 elementary schools in Mission Viejo, CA.
School address
District: Saddleback Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 063386007341 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Del Lago Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Del Lago Elementary
Del Lago Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Mission Viejo, California, enrolling 362 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.1:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 362 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 914 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #233.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (42%) and White (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.5% 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 Lago Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.1:1 vs 20.1:1).
Saddleback Valley Unified also operates Trabuco Hills High (2,475 students) and El Toro High (1,902 students) alongside Del Lago 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 Lago Elementary compares
Del Lago 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 | 24.1:1 | ▲ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.4% | ▼ 45% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 362 | top 66% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.1:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
362
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
24.1:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 72% in California - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
23.5%
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
$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 + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 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 41.7%
White 32.6%
Asian 12.7%
Two or More 11.0%
African American 1.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 41.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.1, Del Lago 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 Lago 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 Lago Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trabuco Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| El Toro High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mission Viejo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Laguna Hills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Del Lago 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 (~362 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Del Lago Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Del Lago 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 Lago Elementary
How many students attend Del Lago Elementary?
Del Lago Elementary has 362 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mission Viejo, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Del Lago Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Del Lago Elementary is 24.1:1, which is 12% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 54% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Del Lago Elementary?
30.4% of students at Del Lago Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Del Lago Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Del Lago Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 41.7% of enrollment, in Mission Viejo, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Del Lago Elementary?
Del Lago 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 Del Lago Elementary rank among elementary schools in Mission Viejo?
By Resource Investment Index, Del Lago Elementary ranks #9 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 Lago Elementary a good school?
Del Lago Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% 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 Saddleback Valley Unified?
Besides Del Lago 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.