- Enrollment
- 2,740
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Rancho Mission Viejo, CA
Esencia
Federal NCES profile for Esencia, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060744014361
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Esencia earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of California schools.
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 28.5:1
- large classes for California
- 9.9%
- free-lunch eligible
- 996
- students enrolled
Esencia has class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Capistrano Unified · California
NCES ID 060744014361 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+31 students YoY
Esencia held near 904 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+31 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 35.5 → 37.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+31 students YoY 060744014361 · Rancho Mission Viejo, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
996 enr · 28.5:1 · 9.9% lunch · RII 32
Nearest enrollment peer: San Clemente High (2,740 students)
Esencia held near 904 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+31 headcount). Teacher FTE added 35.5 → 37.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Esencia in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- San Clemente H
San Clemente High
2,740 students
- San Juan Hills
San Juan Hills High
2,641 students
- Aliso Niguel H
Aliso Niguel High
2,563 students
- Tesoro High
Tesoro High
2,030 students
- Capistrano Val
Capistrano Valley High
1,991 students
- This school 996
Esencia
996 students
What this shows Esencia reports 996 students on the CCD universe file.
How Esencia compares
Esencia 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 | 28.5:1 | ▲ 33% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 9.9% | ▼ 82% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 996 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.5:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
996
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
9.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 82% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
28.5:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 94% in California - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
17.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,820
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 996 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 56.3%
Two or More 15.7%
Hispanic or Latino 14.5%
Asian 13.1%
African American 0.5%
Largest group: White at 56.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.0, Esencia is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Capistrano Unified reports $15,820 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Esencia Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Clemente High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Juan Hills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Aliso Niguel High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tesoro High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Capistrano Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Esencia's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,641
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,563
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,030
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,991
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
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 (~996 students)
Frequently asked questions about Esencia
How many students attend Esencia?
Esencia has 996 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Rancho Mission Viejo, CA. CCD year-over-year: 873 (2022-23) → 904 (2023-24), nearly flat (+31).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Esencia?
The student-teacher ratio at Esencia is 28.5:1, which is 33% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 82% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Esencia?
9.9% of students at Esencia are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Esencia?
The largest demographic group at Esencia is White at 56.3% of enrollment, in Rancho Mission Viejo, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Esencia?
Esencia has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical 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).
What other schools are in Capistrano Unified?
Besides Esencia, Capistrano Unified also operates San Clemente High (2,740 students), San Juan Hills High (2,641 students), and Aliso Niguel High (2,563 students). See the Capistrano Unified district page for the complete list.