Elementary school (grades K-5) · Costa Mesa, CA

International School for Science and Culture

Federal NCES profile for International School for Science and Culture, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.

2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060250714420Charter school
0/100100/10034/100
👥 S:T ratio
35
🌟 Gifted program
30
🎓 Counselors
0
📋 Attendance
69
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

International School for Science and Culture earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.

#10 of 15
elementary schools in Costa Mesa · Resource Index
34
Resource Index · Typical
16.2:1
small classes for California
53.1%
free-lunch eligible

International School for Science and Culture has class sizes smaller than 86% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, International School for Science and Culture ranks #10 of 15 elementary schools in Costa Mesa, CA.

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

-16 students YoY

International School for Science and Culture shrank from 130 students in 2022-23 to 114 in 2023-24 (-12.3%).

Teacher FTE held 6.0 → 6.0 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Shrinking CCD campus

-16 students YoY 060250714420 · Costa Mesa, CA Elementary · SMALL · CHARTER

97 enr · 16.2:1 · 53.1% lunch · RII 34

Nearest enrollment peer: Aspire Academy Charter (100 students)

International School for Science and Culture shrank from 130 students in 2022-23 to 114 in 2023-24 (-12.3%). Teacher FTE held 6.0 → 6.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →

How International School for Science and Culture compares

International School for Science and Culture is a shrinking 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 16.2:1 ▼ 25% 21.5:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 53.1% ▼ 4% 55.5% 51.7%
Enrollment 97 top 90% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
97
Bigger than 10% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
53.1%
free-lunch eligible - 4% 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
16.2:1
students per teacher - 25% below state mean
Top 14% in California - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
12.4%
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
$13,746
per pupil, district-wide - below California avg of $18,665
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.1 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Student demographics

Hispanic or Latino 45.4%
White 19.6%
Two or More 17.5%
Asian 16.5%
African American 1.0%

Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.4% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 69.8/100

Simpson diversity index - at 69.8, International School for Science and Culture is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.

Programs

District finance for International School for Science and Culture District reports $13,746 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

Similar elementary schools in Costa Mesa

6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.

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.

Frequently asked questions about International School for Science and Culture

How many students attend International School for Science and Culture?

International School for Science and Culture has 97 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Costa Mesa, CA. CCD year-over-year: 130 (2022-23) → 114 (2023-24), down 16.

What is the student-teacher ratio at International School for Science and Culture?

The student-teacher ratio at International School for Science and Culture is 16.2:1, which is 25% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.

What percentage of students receive free lunch at International School for Science and Culture?

53.1% of students at International School for Science and Culture are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of International School for Science and Culture?

The largest demographic group at International School for Science and Culture is Hispanic or Latino at 45.4% of enrollment, in Costa Mesa, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.8/100.

What is the Resource Investment Index for International School for Science and Culture?

International School for Science and Culture has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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).

How does International School for Science and Culture rank among elementary schools in Costa Mesa?

By Resource Investment Index, International School for Science and Culture ranks #10 of 15 elementary schools in Costa Mesa, 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 Costa Mesa on the city page.

What other schools are in International School for Science and Culture District?

None; International School for Science and Culture District is a single-school charter district, and International School for Science and Culture is its only campus.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.