Enrollment
868
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Marcos, CA
La Mirada Academy
Federal NCES profile for La Mirada Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063488005889
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Mirada Academy earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #6 of 11
- elementary schools in San Marcos · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.7:1
- students per teacher
- 70.0%
- free-lunch eligible
La Mirada Academy has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Mirada Academy ranks #6 of 11 elementary schools in San Marcos, CA.
School address
District: San Marcos Unified · California
NCES ID 063488005889 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Mirada Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Mirada Academy
La Mirada Academy is a higher-need, large elementary school in San Marcos, California, enrolling 868 students.
At 21.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 70.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 868 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,363 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #504.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (90% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 18/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 434 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among San Marcos's elementary schools, it stands alongside Double Peak (1,171 students): La Mirada Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.7:1 vs 21.7:1).
San Marcos Unified also operates San Marcos High (3,067 students) and Mission Hills High (2,751 students) alongside La Mirada 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 Mirada Academy compares
La Mirada 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 | 21.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.0% | ▲ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 868 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
868
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 50% in California - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
34.9%
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
$13,965
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 434 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.
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
Hispanic or Latino 90.4%
White 4.3%
Asian 3.0%
Two or More 1.6%
African American 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.0, La Mirada Academy is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Marcos Unified, which includes La Mirada Academy.
$13,965
Per student
-15%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.7%
State 52.8%
Federal 10.5%
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 Mirada Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Marcos High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mission Hills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| San Elijo Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodland Park Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Double Peak | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Mirada Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,067
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- 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 San Marcos
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Double Peak
Standard public school
1,171 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Richland Elementary
Standard public school
883 students 27.6:1 students per teacher
San Elijo Elementary
Standard public school
834 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Paloma Elementary
Standard public school
758 students 27.1:1 students per teacher
Knob Hill Elementary
Standard public school
725 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Discovery Elementary
Standard public school
717 students 25.6:1 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 (~868 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Mirada Academy's federal record.
- Compare La Mirada Academy against another school. Compare schools
- San Marcos 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 Mirada Academy
How many students attend La Mirada Academy?
La Mirada Academy has 868 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Marcos, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Mirada Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at La Mirada Academy is 21.7:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at La Mirada Academy?
70.0% of students at La Mirada Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Mirada Academy?
The largest demographic group at La Mirada Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 90.4% of enrollment, in San Marcos, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Mirada Academy?
La Mirada Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (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 Mirada Academy rank among elementary schools in San Marcos?
By Resource Investment Index, La Mirada Academy ranks #6 of 11 elementary schools in San Marcos, 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 San Marcos on the city page.
Is La Mirada Academy a good school?
La Mirada Academy earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less 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 San Marcos Unified?
Besides La Mirada Academy, 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.
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.