- Enrollment
- 3,067
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Carlsbad, CA
La Costa Meadows Elementary
Federal NCES profile for La Costa Meadows Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063488008974
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Costa Meadows Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of California schools.
- #14 of 15
- elementary schools in Carlsbad · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25:1
- large classes for California
- 16.2%
- free-lunch eligible
La Costa Meadows Elementary has class sizes larger than 79% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Costa Meadows Elementary ranks #14 of 15 elementary schools in Carlsbad, CA.
School address
District: San Marcos Unified · California
NCES ID 063488008974 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+30 students YoY
La Costa Meadows Elementary held near 723 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+30 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 29.0 → 31.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+30 students YoY 063488008974 · Carlsbad, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
725 enr · 25:1 · 16.2% lunch · RII 27
Nearest enrollment peer: San Marcos High (3,067 students)
La Costa Meadows Elementary held near 723 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+30 headcount). Teacher FTE added 29.0 → 31.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
La Costa Meadows Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- San Marcos Hig
San Marcos High
3,067 students
- Mission Hills
Mission Hills High
2,751 students
- San Elijo Midd
San Elijo Middle
1,395 students
- Woodland Park 1,184
Woodland Park Middle
1,184 students
- Double Peak 1,171
Double Peak
1,171 students
- This school 725
La Costa Meadows Elementary
725 students
What this shows La Costa Meadows Elementary reports 725 students on the CCD universe file.
How La Costa Meadows Elementary compares
La Costa Meadows Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25:1 | ▲ 16% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.2% | ▼ 71% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 725 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
725
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
16.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% 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
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 79% in California - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
24.7%
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
$14,622
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 725 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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
White 64.8%
Hispanic or Latino 18.1%
Two or More 11.0%
Asian 5.7%
African American 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 64.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.2, La Costa Meadows Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for San Marcos Unified reports $14,622 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How La Costa Meadows Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Marcos High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mission Hills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| San Elijo Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodland Park Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Double Peak | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Costa Meadows Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,751
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,395
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,184
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,171
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- 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
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
La Costa Heights Elementary
Standard public school
552 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary
Standard public school
520 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
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.
Similar enrollment (~725 students)
Frequently asked questions about La Costa Meadows Elementary
How many students attend La Costa Meadows Elementary?
La Costa Meadows Elementary has 725 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Carlsbad, CA. CCD year-over-year: 693 (2022-23) → 723 (2023-24), nearly flat (+30).
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Costa Meadows Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at La Costa Meadows Elementary is 25:1, which is 16% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 59% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Costa Meadows Elementary?
16.2% of students at La Costa Meadows Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Costa Meadows Elementary?
The largest demographic group at La Costa Meadows Elementary is White at 64.8% of enrollment, in Carlsbad, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Costa Meadows Elementary?
La Costa Meadows Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 La Costa Meadows Elementary rank among elementary schools in Carlsbad?
By Resource Investment Index, La Costa Meadows Elementary ranks #14 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.
What other schools are in San Marcos Unified?
Besides La Costa Meadows Elementary, San Marcos Unified also operates San Marcos High (3,067 students), Mission Hills High (2,751 students), and San Elijo Middle (1,395 students). See the San Marcos Unified district page for the complete list.