Enrollment
567
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tustin, CA
Heritage Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Heritage Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064015014003
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 83
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Heritage Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 10
- elementary schools in Tustin · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 28.4:1
- large classes for California
- 16.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Heritage Elementary has class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Heritage Elementary ranks #1 of 10 elementary schools in Tustin, CA.
School address
District: Tustin Unified · California
NCES ID 064015014003 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
16.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-70% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Heritage Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Heritage Elementary
Heritage Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Tustin, California, enrolling 567 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.4:1 is larger than about 94% of California schools and 32% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 16.6% free-meal eligibility runs 70% below the California average.
With 567 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,218 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #460.
Its student body is led by Asian (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1134 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Tustin's elementary schools, it stands alongside Sycamore Magnet Academy (1,085 students): Heritage Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (28.4:1 vs 22.6:1).
Tustin Unified also operates Arnold O. Beckman High (2,776 students) and Foothill High (2,126 students) alongside Heritage Elementary.
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 Heritage Elementary compares
Heritage Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 28.4:1 | ▲ 32% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.6% | ▼ 70% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 567 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.4:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
567
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
16.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 70% 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
28.4:1
students per teacher
- 32% 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
6.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,372
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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
Asian 46.0%
Hispanic or Latino 20.3%
White 19.8%
Two or More 12.3%
African American 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 46.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, Heritage Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tustin Unified, which includes Heritage Elementary.
$13,372
Per student
-19%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.9%
State 38.0%
Federal 8.1%
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.
How Heritage Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arnold O. Beckman High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Foothill High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tustin High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Orchard Hills | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sycamore Magnet Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Heritage Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,776
- Students per teacher
- 26.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,126
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,627
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,373
- Students per teacher
- 29.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,085
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar elementary schools in Tustin
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sycamore Magnet Academy
Standard public school
1,085 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Tustin Ranch Elementary
Standard public school
520 students 26:1 students per teacher
Robert Heideman Elementary
Standard public school
502 students 27.9:1 students per teacher
W. R. Nelson Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Helen Estock Elementary
Standard public school
456 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Benjamin F. Beswick Elementary
Standard public school
426 students 28.4:1 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 (~567 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~28.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Heritage Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Heritage Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Tustin Unified'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 Heritage Elementary
How many students attend Heritage Elementary?
Heritage Elementary has 567 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tustin, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Heritage Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Heritage Elementary is 28.4:1, which is 32% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 81% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Heritage Elementary?
16.6% of students at Heritage Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Heritage Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Heritage Elementary is Asian at 46.0% of enrollment, in Tustin, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Heritage Elementary?
Heritage Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Heritage Elementary rank among elementary schools in Tustin?
By Resource Investment Index, Heritage Elementary ranks #1 of 10 elementary schools in Tustin, 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 Tustin on the city page.
Is Heritage Elementary a good school?
Heritage Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. It is also more 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 Tustin Unified?
Besides Heritage Elementary, Tustin Unified also operates Arnold O. Beckman High (2,776 students), Foothill High (2,126 students), and Tustin High (1,627 students). See the Tustin Unified district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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.