- Enrollment
- 2,331
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Lakeside, CA
El Capitan High
Federal NCES profile for El Capitan High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 061623002019
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
El Capitan High earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #6 of 12
- public schools in Lakeside · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.6:1
- students per teacher
- 32.6%
- free-lunch eligible
El Capitan High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, El Capitan High ranks #6 of 12 public schools in Lakeside, CA.
School address
District: Grossmont Union High · California
NCES ID 061623002019 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+5 students YoY
El Capitan High held near 1,830 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+5 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 80.3 → 17.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+5 students YoY 061623002019 · Lakeside, CA High · MID · TRAD
1,810 enr · 22.6:1 · 32.6% lunch · RII 31
Nearest enrollment peer: Granite Hills High (2,331 students)
El Capitan High held near 1,830 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+5 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 80.3 → 17.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
El Capitan High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Granite Hills
Granite Hills High
2,331 students
- Grossmont High
Grossmont High
2,172 students
- This school
El Capitan High
1,810 students
- Valhalla High
Valhalla High
1,728 students
- El Cajon Valle
El Cajon Valley High
1,701 students
- West Hills Hig
West Hills High
1,624 students
What this shows El Capitan High reports 1,810 students on the CCD universe file.
How El Capitan High compares
El Capitan High held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.6:1 | ▲ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.6% | ▼ 41% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,810 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.6:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,810
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
32.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
22.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 59% in California - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
32.6%
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
$18,330
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 362 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 85 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
White 48.4%
Hispanic or Latino 38.4%
Two or More 6.6%
Asian 3.2%
African American 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 48.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.2, El Capitan High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 18
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Grossmont Union High reports $18,330 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How El Capitan High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granite Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Grossmont High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valhalla High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| El Cajon Valley High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Hills High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to El Capitan High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,172
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,728
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,701
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,624
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Nationwide high 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 (~1,810 students)
Frequently asked questions about El Capitan High
How many students attend El Capitan High?
El Capitan High has 1,810 students enrolled. It is a high school in Lakeside, CA. CCD year-over-year: 1,825 (2022-23) → 1,830 (2023-24), nearly flat (+5).
What is the student-teacher ratio at El Capitan High?
The student-teacher ratio at El Capitan High is 22.6:1, which is 5% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 44% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at El Capitan High?
32.6% of students at El Capitan High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of El Capitan High?
The largest demographic group at El Capitan High is White at 48.4% of enrollment, in Lakeside, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for El Capitan High?
El Capitan High has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does El Capitan High rank among public schools in Lakeside?
By Resource Investment Index, El Capitan High ranks #6 of 12 public schools in Lakeside, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Lakeside on the city page.
What other schools are in Grossmont Union High?
Besides El Capitan High, Grossmont Union High also operates Granite Hills High (2,331 students), Grossmont High (2,172 students), and Valhalla High (1,728 students). See the Grossmont Union High district page for the complete list.