Enrollment
553
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Laguna Niguel, CA
John Malcom Elementary
Federal NCES profile for John Malcom Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060744003383
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Malcom Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of California schools.
- #2 of 8
- elementary schools in Laguna Niguel · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.1:1
- large classes for California
- 22.6%
- free-lunch eligible
John Malcom Elementary has class sizes larger than 80% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Malcom Elementary ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Laguna Niguel, CA.
School address
District: Capistrano Unified · California
NCES ID 060744003383 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Malcom Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Malcom Elementary
John Malcom Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Laguna Niguel, California, enrolling 553 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.1:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 22.6% free-meal eligibility runs 59% below the California average.
With 553 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,354 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #861.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Two or More (19%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 553 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Laguna Niguel's elementary schools, it stands alongside Community Roots Academy (780 students): John Malcom Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.1:1 vs 19.5:1).
Capistrano Unified also operates San Clemente High (2,740 students) and San Juan Hills High (2,641 students) alongside John Malcom 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 John Malcom Elementary compares
John Malcom 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 | 25.1:1 | ▲ 17% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.6% | ▼ 59% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 553 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.1:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
553
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% 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
25.1:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 80% in California - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
19.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,421
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 553 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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
White 64.6%
Two or More 19.2%
Hispanic or Latino 13.0%
Asian 2.5%
African American 0.7%
Largest group: White at 64.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.8, John Malcom Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Capistrano Unified, which includes John Malcom Elementary.
$14,421
Per student
-13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 61.2%
State 31.0%
Federal 7.7%
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 John Malcom Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Clemente High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Juan Hills High | Larger | Similar 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 | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Malcom Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,740
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- 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
Similar elementary schools in Laguna Niguel
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Community Roots Academy
Standard public school
780 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Moulton Elementary
Standard public school
538 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Laguna Niguel Elementary
Standard public school
456 students 26.8:1 students per teacher
Marian Bergeson Elementary
Standard public school
423 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
George White Elementary
Standard public school
378 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Hidden Hills Elementary
Standard public school
330 students 25.4:1 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 (~553 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Malcom Elementary's federal record.
- Compare John Malcom Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Capistrano 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 John Malcom Elementary
How many students attend John Malcom Elementary?
John Malcom Elementary has 553 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Laguna Niguel, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Malcom Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at John Malcom Elementary is 25.1:1, which is 17% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 60% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John Malcom Elementary?
22.6% of students at John Malcom Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Malcom Elementary?
The largest demographic group at John Malcom Elementary is White at 64.6% of enrollment, in Laguna Niguel, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Malcom Elementary?
John Malcom Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 John Malcom Elementary rank among elementary schools in Laguna Niguel?
By Resource Investment Index, John Malcom Elementary ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Laguna Niguel, 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 Laguna Niguel on the city page.
Is John Malcom Elementary a good school?
John Malcom Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of 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 Capistrano Unified?
Besides John Malcom Elementary, 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.
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.