- Enrollment
- 2,740
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Rancho Mission Viejo, CA
Esencia Middle
Federal NCES profile for Esencia Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060744014392
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 74
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Esencia Middle earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of California schools.
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 29.1:1
- large classes for California
- 15.7%
- free-lunch eligible
- 349
- students enrolled
Esencia Middle has class sizes larger than 95% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Capistrano Unified · California
NCES ID 060744014392 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+55 students YoY
Esencia Middle grew from 229 students in 2022-23 to 284 in 2023-24 (+24.0%).
Teacher FTE added 12.8 → 15.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+55 students YoY 060744014392 · Rancho Mission Viejo, CA Middle · SMALL · TRAD
349 enr · 29.1:1 · 15.7% lunch · RII 44
Nearest enrollment peer: San Clemente High (2,740 students)
Esencia Middle grew from 229 students in 2022-23 to 284 in 2023-24 (+24.0%). Teacher FTE added 12.8 → 15.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Esencia Middle 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 349
Esencia Middle
349 students
What this shows Esencia Middle reports 349 students on the CCD universe file.
How Esencia Middle compares
Esencia Middle is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 29.1:1 | ▲ 35% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.7% | ▼ 72% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 349 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
29.1:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
349
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
15.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% 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
29.1:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 95% in California - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
10.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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 349 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 55.0%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%
Asian 16.0%
Two or More 10.6%
African American 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
Largest group: White at 55.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.5, Esencia Middle 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 Middle 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 | Similar 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 Middle'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 middle 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 (~349 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~29.1:1)
Frequently asked questions about Esencia Middle
How many students attend Esencia Middle?
Esencia Middle has 349 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Rancho Mission Viejo, CA. CCD year-over-year: 229 (2022-23) → 284 (2023-24), up 55.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Esencia Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Esencia Middle is 29.1:1, which is 35% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 85% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Esencia Middle?
15.7% of students at Esencia Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Esencia Middle?
The largest demographic group at Esencia Middle is White at 55.0% 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 63.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Esencia Middle?
Esencia Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Middle, 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.