- Enrollment
- 2,485
- Students per teacher
- 25.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Diego, CA
Foster Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Foster Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063432005462
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Foster Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #146 of 179
- elementary schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.9:1
- large classes for California
- 47.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Foster Elementary has class sizes larger than 85% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Foster Elementary ranks #146 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
District: San Diego Unified · California
NCES ID 063432005462 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+20 students YoY
Foster Elementary held near 502 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+20 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 20.0 → 24.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+20 students YoY 063432005462 · San Diego, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
518 enr · 25.9:1 · 47.1% lunch · RII 23
Nearest enrollment peer: Henry High (2,485 students)
Foster Elementary held near 502 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+20 headcount). Teacher FTE added 20.0 → 24.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Foster Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Henry High
Henry High
2,485 students
- Mira Mesa High
Mira Mesa High
2,187 students
- Hoover High
Hoover High
2,011 students
- Scripps Ranch
Scripps Ranch High
1,890 students
- Point Loma Hig
Point Loma High
1,724 students
- This school 518
Foster Elementary
518 students
What this shows Foster Elementary reports 518 students on the CCD universe file.
How Foster Elementary compares
Foster Elementary 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 | 25.9:1 | ▲ 20% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.1% | ▼ 15% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 518 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.9:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
518
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
47.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% 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
25.9:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 85% in California - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
32.0%
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
$20,783
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 518 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 39.0%
White 28.8%
Two or More 14.3%
African American 9.8%
Asian 7.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 39.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.9, Foster Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for San Diego Unified reports $20,783 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Foster Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mira Mesa High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hoover High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Scripps Ranch High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Point Loma High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Foster Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,187
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,011
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 1,890
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,724
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in San Diego
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Albert Einstein Academies
Standard public school
1,448 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Design 39 Campus
Standard public school
1,216 students 27:1 students per teacher
Nestor Language Academy Charter
Standard public school
1,079 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Ocean View Hills
Standard public school
1,020 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Language Academy
Standard public school
1,015 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Del Sur Elementary
Standard public school
891 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~518 students)
Frequently asked questions about Foster Elementary
How many students attend Foster Elementary?
Foster Elementary has 518 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Diego, CA. CCD year-over-year: 482 (2022-23) → 502 (2023-24), nearly flat (+20).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Foster Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Foster Elementary is 25.9:1, which is 20% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 65% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Foster Elementary?
47.1% of students at Foster Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Foster Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Foster Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 39.0% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Foster Elementary?
Foster Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Foster Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, Foster Elementary ranks #146 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, 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 San Diego on the city page.
What other schools are in San Diego Unified?
Besides Foster Elementary, San Diego Unified also operates Henry High (2,485 students), Mira Mesa High (2,187 students), and Hoover High (2,011 students). See the San Diego Unified district page for the complete list.