Enrollment
1,774
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Encinitas, CA
La Costa Canyon High
Federal NCES profile for La Costa Canyon High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 063438006516
👥 S:T ratio 3
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 11
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Costa Canyon High earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of California schools. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Encinitas · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.3:1
- large classes for California
- 11.8%
- free-lunch eligible
La Costa Canyon High has class sizes larger than 74% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Costa Canyon High ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Encinitas, CA.
School address
District: San Dieguito Union High · California
NCES ID 063438006516 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
73.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
11.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-79% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Costa Canyon High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Costa Canyon High
La Costa Canyon High is a lower-poverty, large high school in Encinitas, California, enrolling 1,774 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.3:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 11.8% free-meal eligibility runs 79% below the California average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,774 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 194 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #192, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 48/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 23 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 444 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Encinitas's high schools, it stands alongside San Dieguito Hs Academy (1,843 students): La Costa Canyon High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.3:1 vs 22.5:1).
San Dieguito Union High also operates Torrey Pines High (2,536 students) and Canyon Crest Academy (2,147 students) alongside La Costa Canyon High.
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 Costa Canyon High compares
La Costa Canyon High on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.3:1 | ▲ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.8% | ▼ 79% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,774 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.3:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,774
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
11.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 79% 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
24.3:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 74% in California - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
32.6%
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
$13,574
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 444 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 39 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 69.5%
Hispanic or Latino 17.9%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 4.1%
African American 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 69.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.8, La Costa Canyon High is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 23
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Dieguito Union High, which includes La Costa Canyon High.
$13,574
Per student
-18%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 75.9%
State 19.1%
Federal 5.0%
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 Costa Canyon High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torrey Pines High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Canyon Crest Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| San Dieguito Hs Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pacific Trails Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Oak Crest Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Costa Canyon High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,536
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 2,147
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,843
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 971
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 758
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar high schools in Encinitas
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~1,774 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Costa Canyon High's federal record.
- Compare La Costa Canyon High against another school. Compare schools
- San Dieguito Union High'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 Costa Canyon High
How many students attend La Costa Canyon High?
La Costa Canyon High has 1,774 students enrolled. It is a high school in Encinitas, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Costa Canyon High?
The student-teacher ratio at La Costa Canyon High is 24.3:1, which is 13% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 55% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Costa Canyon High?
11.8% of students at La Costa Canyon High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Costa Canyon High?
The largest demographic group at La Costa Canyon High is White at 69.5% of enrollment, in Encinitas, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Costa Canyon High?
La Costa Canyon High has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does La Costa Canyon High rank among high schools in Encinitas?
By Resource Investment Index, La Costa Canyon High ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Encinitas, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Encinitas on the city page.
Is La Costa Canyon High a good school?
La Costa Canyon High earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of California schools. It is also one of the largest schools in California. 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 San Dieguito Union High?
Besides La Costa Canyon High, San Dieguito Union High also operates Torrey Pines High (2,536 students), Canyon Crest Academy (2,147 students), and San Dieguito Hs Academy (1,843 students). See the San Dieguito Union High 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.