Enrollment
541
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lompoc, CA
La Canada Elementary
Federal NCES profile for La Canada Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 13/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062241002682
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Canada Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 71% of California schools.
- #6 of 9
- elementary schools in Lompoc · Resource Index
- 13
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.3:1
- small classes for California
- 69.9%
- free-lunch eligible
La Canada Elementary has class sizes smaller than 71% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Canada Elementary ranks #6 of 9 elementary schools in Lompoc, CA.
School address
District: Lompoc Unified · California
NCES ID 062241002682 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
69.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Canada Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Canada Elementary
La Canada Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Lompoc, California, enrolling 541 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 69.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 541 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 2,164 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,849, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 541 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 58.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Lompoc's elementary schools, it stands alongside Arthur Hapgood Elementary (768 students): La Canada Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.3:1 vs 26.5:1).
Lompoc Unified also operates Lompoc High (1,593 students) and Cabrillo High (1,060 students) alongside La Canada 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 La Canada Elementary compares
La Canada 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 | 19.3:1 | ▼ 10% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 69.9% | ▲ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 541 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.3:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
541
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
69.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.3:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 29% in California - lower ratio than 71% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
58.6%
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
$14,651
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 541 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.5 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
Hispanic or Latino 83.2%
White 7.2%
Two or More 3.5%
Asian 3.3%
African American 2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 83.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.0, La Canada Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lompoc Unified, which includes La Canada Elementary.
$14,651
Per student
-11%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.4%
State 62.9%
Federal 11.7%
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 La Canada Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lompoc High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cabrillo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Arthur Hapgood Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lompoc Valley Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Miguelito Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Canada Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,593
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,060
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 768
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
- Enrollment
- 744
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 9/100
Similar elementary schools in Lompoc
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Arthur Hapgood Elementary
Standard public school
768 students 26.5:1 students per teacher
Miguelito Elementary
Standard public school
634 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
La Honda Steam Academy
Standard public school
531 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Buena Vista Elementary
Standard public school
498 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Clarence Ruth Elementary
Standard public school
495 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Leonora Fillmore Elementary
Standard public school
469 students 19.5:1 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 (~541 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Canada Elementary's federal record.
- Compare La Canada Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Lompoc 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 La Canada Elementary
How many students attend La Canada Elementary?
La Canada Elementary has 541 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lompoc, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Canada Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at La Canada Elementary is 19.3:1, which is 10% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 23% 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 La Canada Elementary?
69.9% of students at La Canada Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Canada Elementary?
The largest demographic group at La Canada Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 83.2% of enrollment, in Lompoc, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Canada Elementary?
La Canada Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 13/100 (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 La Canada Elementary rank among elementary schools in Lompoc?
By Resource Investment Index, La Canada Elementary ranks #6 of 9 elementary schools in Lompoc, 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 Lompoc on the city page.
Is La Canada Elementary a good school?
La Canada Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 71% 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 Lompoc Unified?
Besides La Canada Elementary, Lompoc Unified also operates Lompoc High (1,593 students), Cabrillo High (1,060 students), and Arthur Hapgood Elementary (768 students). See the Lompoc 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.