Enrollment
980
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Ana, CA
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy
Federal NCES profile for El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060175808755Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 51
- elementary schools in Santa Ana · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 20.4:1
- students per teacher
- 47.7%
- free-lunch eligible
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy ranks #1 of 51 elementary schools in Santa Ana, CA.
School address
NCES ID 060175808755 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy is a large charter elementary school in Santa Ana, California, enrolling 980 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 20.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 47.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 980 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 823 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #7, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (97% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 5/100).
15.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 15.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Santa Ana's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mcfadden Institute of Technology (1,074 students): El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.4:1 vs 20.3:1).
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy District is a single-school charter district, so El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy compares
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.4:1 | ▼ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.7% | ▼ 14% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 980 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.4:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
980
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
20.4:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 38% in California - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
15.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,663
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
2
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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 97.4%
White 0.6%
Asian 0.6%
African American 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Two or More 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 97.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 5.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 5.1, El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy District, which includes El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy.
$15,663
Per student
-5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.2%
State 48.9%
Federal 15.9%
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.
Similar elementary schools in Santa Ana
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mcfadden Institute of Technology
Standard public school
1,074 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Santiago Elementary
Standard public school
906 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Romero-Cruz Academy
Standard public school
827 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Greenville Fundamental Elementary
Standard public school
817 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Manuel Esqueda Elementary
Standard public school
811 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Martin R. Heninger Elementary
Standard public school
783 students 20.1:1 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 (~980 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy's federal record.
- Compare El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy against another school. Compare schools
- El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy District'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 El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy
How many students attend El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy?
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy has 980 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Ana, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy is 20.4:1, which is 5% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 30% 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 El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy?
47.7% of students at El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy?
The largest demographic group at El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 97.4% of enrollment, in Santa Ana, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy?
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy rank among elementary schools in Santa Ana?
By Resource Investment Index, El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy ranks #1 of 51 elementary schools in Santa Ana, 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 Santa Ana on the city page.
Is El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy a good school?
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less 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 El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy District?
None; El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy District is a single-school charter district, and El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy is its only campus.
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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.