Enrollment
661
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Diego, CA
Highland Ranch Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Highland Ranch Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063153001204
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Ranch Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #159 of 179
- elementary schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.4:1
- large classes for California
- 12.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Ranch Elementary has class sizes larger than 87% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Ranch Elementary ranks #159 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
District: Poway Unified · California
NCES ID 063153001204 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-77% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Ranch Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Ranch Elementary
Highland Ranch Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in San Diego, California, enrolling 661 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.4:1 is larger than about 87% of California schools and 23% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.9% free-meal eligibility runs 77% below the California average.
Enrollment of 661 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,008 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #947, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Asian (40%) and White (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 661 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among San Diego's elementary schools, it stands alongside Albert Einstein Academies (1,448 students): Highland Ranch Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.4:1 vs 24.1:1).
Poway Unified also operates Del Norte High (2,557 students) and Rancho Bernardo High (2,210 students) alongside Highland Ranch 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 Highland Ranch Elementary compares
Highland Ranch 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 | 26.4:1 | ▲ 23% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.9% | ▼ 77% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 661 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.4:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
661
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 77% 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
26.4:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 87% in California - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
17.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,960
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 661 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 39.8%
White 29.4%
Hispanic or Latino 15.5%
Two or More 12.3%
African American 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 39.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.5, Highland Ranch Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Poway Unified, which includes Highland Ranch Elementary.
$13,960
Per student
-15%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.2%
State 39.4%
Federal 6.4%
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 Highland Ranch Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Del Norte High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rancho Bernardo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Westview High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Poway High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mt. Carmel High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Ranch Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,557
- Students per teacher
- 26.9:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 2,210
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,116
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,101
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,800
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
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
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 (~661 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Ranch Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Highland Ranch Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Poway 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 Highland Ranch Elementary
How many students attend Highland Ranch Elementary?
Highland Ranch Elementary has 661 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Diego, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Ranch Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Ranch Elementary is 26.4:1, which is 23% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 68% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Ranch Elementary?
12.9% of students at Highland Ranch Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Ranch Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Highland Ranch Elementary is Asian at 39.8% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Ranch Elementary?
Highland Ranch Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower 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 Highland Ranch Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Ranch Elementary ranks #159 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.
Is Highland Ranch Elementary a good school?
Highland Ranch Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% 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 Poway Unified?
Besides Highland Ranch Elementary, Poway Unified also operates Del Norte High (2,557 students), Rancho Bernardo High (2,210 students), and Westview High (2,116 students). See the Poway 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.