Enrollment
554
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lake Forest, CA
La Madera Elementary
Federal NCES profile for La Madera Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063386005300
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Madera Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 7
- elementary schools in Lake Forest · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.1:1
- students per teacher
- 21.8%
- free-lunch eligible
La Madera Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Madera Elementary ranks #1 of 7 elementary schools in Lake Forest, CA.
School address
District: Saddleback Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 063386005300 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Madera Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Madera Elementary
La Madera Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Lake Forest, California, enrolling 554 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23.1:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.8% free-meal eligibility runs 61% below the California average.
With 554 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 1,344 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #149.
Its student body is led by White (38%) and Hispanic or Latino (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
16.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Lake Forest's elementary schools, it stands alongside Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary (896 students): La Madera Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (23.1:1 vs 26.4:1).
Saddleback Valley Unified also operates Trabuco Hills High (2,475 students) and El Toro High (1,902 students) alongside La Madera 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 Madera Elementary compares
La Madera 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 | 23.1:1 | ▲ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.8% | ▼ 61% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 554 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.1:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
554
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
23.1:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 63% in California - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
16.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,733
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 25 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.5 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
White 37.7%
Hispanic or Latino 33.2%
Asian 15.5%
Two or More 13.0%
African American 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 37.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.7, La Madera Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Saddleback Valley Unified, which includes La Madera Elementary.
$13,733
Per student
-17%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 62.6%
State 29.5%
Federal 7.9%
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 Madera Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trabuco Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| El Toro High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mission Viejo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Laguna Hills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Madera Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,475
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,902
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,566
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,317
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,153
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar elementary schools in Lake Forest
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary
Standard public school
896 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Lake Forest Elementary
Standard public school
640 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Rancho Canada Elementary
Standard public school
633 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley
Standard public school
565 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary
Standard public school
517 students 27.2:1 students per teacher
Olivewood Elementary
Standard public school
396 students 22:1 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 (~554 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Madera Elementary's federal record.
- Compare La Madera Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Saddleback Valley 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 Madera Elementary
How many students attend La Madera Elementary?
La Madera Elementary has 554 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lake Forest, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Madera Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at La Madera Elementary is 23.1:1, which is 7% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 47% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Madera Elementary?
21.8% of students at La Madera Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Madera Elementary?
The largest demographic group at La Madera Elementary is White at 37.7% of enrollment, in Lake Forest, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Madera Elementary?
La Madera Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Madera Elementary rank among elementary schools in Lake Forest?
By Resource Investment Index, La Madera Elementary ranks #1 of 7 elementary schools in Lake Forest, 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 Lake Forest on the city page.
Is La Madera Elementary a good school?
La Madera Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Saddleback Valley Unified?
Besides La Madera Elementary, Saddleback Valley Unified also operates Trabuco Hills High (2,475 students), El Toro High (1,902 students), and Mission Viejo High (1,566 students). See the Saddleback Valley 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.