Enrollment
1,059
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · La Mesa, CA
La Mesa Arts Academy
Federal NCES profile for La Mesa Arts Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 20/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062025002432
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Mesa Arts Academy earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #8 of 12
- elementary schools in La Mesa · Resource Index
- 20
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.6:1
- large classes for California
- 27.9%
- free-lunch eligible
La Mesa Arts Academy has class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Mesa Arts Academy ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in La Mesa, CA.
School address
District: La Mesa-Spring Valley · California
NCES ID 062025002432 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Mesa Arts Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Mesa Arts Academy
La Mesa Arts Academy is a large elementary school in La Mesa, California, enrolling 1,059 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.6:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 90% of state schools at 1,059 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 762 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #675, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1059 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 18.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among La Mesa's elementary schools, it stands alongside Murdock Elementary (608 students): La Mesa Arts Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.6:1 vs 27.6:1).
La Mesa-Spring Valley also operates Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy (897 students) and Sci Tech Engr Arts and Math Acad at La Presa (800 students) alongside La Mesa Arts Academy.
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 Mesa Arts Academy compares
La Mesa Arts Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.6:1 | ▲ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.9% | ▼ 50% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,059 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.6:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,059
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
24.6:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 76% in California - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
19.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,084
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 1059 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 38.8%
Hispanic or Latino 38.5%
Two or More 10.6%
Asian 6.2%
African American 5.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 38.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.3, La Mesa Arts Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for La Mesa-Spring Valley, which includes La Mesa Arts Academy.
$15,084
Per student
-9%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.8%
State 50.7%
Federal 18.5%
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 Mesa Arts Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sci Tech Engr Arts and Math Acad at La Presa | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Murdock Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spring Valley Academy | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fletcher Hills Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Mesa Arts Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 897
- Students per teacher
- 30.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 800
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 608
- Students per teacher
- 27.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 597
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 540
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in La Mesa
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Murdock Elementary
Standard public school
608 students 27.6:1 students per teacher
Avocado Elementary
Standard public school
573 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Murray Manor Elementary
Standard public school
530 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Vista La Mesa Academy
Standard public school
518 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Lemon Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
502 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
La Mesa Dale Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 24.2:1 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 (~1,059 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Mesa Arts Academy's federal record.
- Compare La Mesa Arts Academy against another school. Compare schools
- La Mesa-Spring Valley'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 Mesa Arts Academy
How many students attend La Mesa Arts Academy?
La Mesa Arts Academy has 1,059 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in La Mesa, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Mesa Arts Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at La Mesa Arts Academy is 24.6:1, which is 14% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 57% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Mesa Arts Academy?
27.9% of students at La Mesa Arts Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Mesa Arts Academy?
The largest demographic group at La Mesa Arts Academy is White at 38.8% of enrollment, in La Mesa, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Mesa Arts Academy?
La Mesa Arts Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (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 Mesa Arts Academy rank among elementary schools in La Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, La Mesa Arts Academy ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in La Mesa, 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 La Mesa on the city page.
Is La Mesa Arts Academy a good school?
La Mesa Arts Academy earns 20/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley?
Besides La Mesa Arts Academy, La Mesa-Spring Valley also operates Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy (897 students), Sci Tech Engr Arts and Math Acad at La Presa (800 students), and Murdock Elementary (608 students). See the La Mesa-Spring Valley 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.