Enrollment
552
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Carlsbad, CA
La Costa Heights Elementary
Federal NCES profile for La Costa Heights Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061275008830
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Costa Heights Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #9 of 15
- elementary schools in Carlsbad · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.7:1
- students per teacher
- 9.6%
- free-lunch eligible
La Costa Heights Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Costa Heights Elementary ranks #9 of 15 elementary schools in Carlsbad, CA.
School address
District: Encinitas Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 061275008830 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
9.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-83% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Costa Heights Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Costa Heights Elementary
La Costa Heights Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Carlsbad, California, enrolling 552 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 9.6% free-meal eligibility runs 83% below the California average.
With 552 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 883 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #450.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 51/100).
17.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Carlsbad's elementary schools, it stands alongside Carrillo Elementary (725 students): La Costa Heights Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.7:1 vs 25:1).
Encinitas Union Elementary also operates Capri Elementary (613 students) and Paul Ecke-Central Elementary (569 students) alongside La Costa Heights 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 Costa Heights Elementary compares
La Costa Heights 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 | 19.7:1 | ▼ 8% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 9.6% | ▼ 83% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 552 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.7:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
552
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
9.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 83% 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
19.7:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 33% in California - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,716
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
Counselors0.2 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 66.8%
Hispanic or Latino 14.9%
Two or More 14.1%
Asian 3.8%
African American 0.4%
Largest group: White at 66.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.0, La Costa Heights Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Encinitas Union Elementary, which includes La Costa Heights Elementary.
$15,716
Per student
-5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 78.6%
State 15.0%
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 La Costa Heights Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capri Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Paul Ecke-Central Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ocean Knoll Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Park Dale Lane Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Costa Heights Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 569
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 520
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 479
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in Carlsbad
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Carrillo Elementary
Standard public school
725 students 25:1 students per teacher
La Costa Meadows Elementary
Standard public school
725 students 25:1 students per teacher
Hope Elementary
Standard public school
659 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Pacific Rim Elementary
Standard public school
642 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Aviara Oaks Elementary
Standard public school
612 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary
Standard public school
520 students 20.8:1 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 (~552 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Costa Heights Elementary's federal record.
- Compare La Costa Heights Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Encinitas Union Elementary'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 Heights Elementary
How many students attend La Costa Heights Elementary?
La Costa Heights Elementary has 552 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Carlsbad, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Costa Heights Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at La Costa Heights Elementary is 19.7:1, which is 8% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 25% 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 Costa Heights Elementary?
9.6% of students at La Costa Heights Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Costa Heights Elementary?
The largest demographic group at La Costa Heights Elementary is White at 66.8% of enrollment, in Carlsbad, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Costa Heights Elementary?
La Costa Heights Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does La Costa Heights Elementary rank among elementary schools in Carlsbad?
By Resource Investment Index, La Costa Heights Elementary ranks #9 of 15 elementary schools in Carlsbad, 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 Carlsbad on the city page.
Is La Costa Heights Elementary a good school?
La Costa Heights Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Encinitas Union Elementary?
Besides La Costa Heights Elementary, Encinitas Union Elementary also operates Capri Elementary (613 students), Paul Ecke-Central Elementary (569 students), and Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary (520 students). See the Encinitas Union Elementary 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.