Enrollment
499
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fallbrook, CA
La Paloma Elementary
Federal NCES profile for La Paloma Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061350001541
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
La Paloma Elementary earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #5 of 7
- elementary schools in Fallbrook · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.8:1
- students per teacher
- 63.3%
- free-lunch eligible
La Paloma Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, La Paloma Elementary ranks #5 of 7 elementary schools in Fallbrook, CA.
School address
District: Fallbrook Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 061350001541 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How La Paloma Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at La Paloma Elementary
La Paloma Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Fallbrook, California, enrolling 499 students.
At 20.8:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 63.3% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 499 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,977 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #1,186.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (71%) and White (20%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 499 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 28.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Fallbrook's elementary schools, it stands alongside Live Oak Elementary (717 students): La Paloma Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.8:1 vs 23.1:1).
Fallbrook Union Elementary also operates James E. Potter Intermediate (828 students) and Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary (820 students) alongside La Paloma 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 Paloma Elementary compares
La Paloma 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 | 20.8:1 | ▼ 3% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.3% | ▲ 14% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 499 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.8:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
499
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
20.8:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 42% in California - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
47.5%
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
$18,460
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 499 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 70.7%
White 20.4%
Two or More 5.6%
Asian 1.2%
African American 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 70.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.5, La Paloma Elementary is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fallbrook Union Elementary, which includes La Paloma Elementary.
$18,460
Per student
+12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.7%
State 45.1%
Federal 28.2%
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 Paloma Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James E. Potter Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Live Oak Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fallbrook Stem Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Maie Ellis Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to La Paloma Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 820
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 717
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 600
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 560
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar elementary schools in Fallbrook
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Live Oak Elementary
Standard public school
717 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Fallbrook Stem Academy
Standard public school
600 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Maie Ellis Elementary
Alternative education program
560 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
William H. Frazier Elementary
Standard public school
514 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Fallbrook Homeschool Academy
Alternative education program
12 students 4:1 students per teacher
Santa Margarita Academy
Alternative education program
3 students 3:1 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 (~499 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on La Paloma Elementary's federal record.
- Compare La Paloma Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Fallbrook 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 Paloma Elementary
How many students attend La Paloma Elementary?
La Paloma Elementary has 499 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fallbrook, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at La Paloma Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at La Paloma Elementary is 20.8:1, which is 3% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 32% 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 Paloma Elementary?
63.3% of students at La Paloma Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of La Paloma Elementary?
The largest demographic group at La Paloma Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 70.7% of enrollment, in Fallbrook, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for La Paloma Elementary?
La Paloma Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (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 Paloma Elementary rank among elementary schools in Fallbrook?
By Resource Investment Index, La Paloma Elementary ranks #5 of 7 elementary schools in Fallbrook, 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 Fallbrook on the city page.
Is La Paloma Elementary a good school?
La Paloma Elementary earns 22/100 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 Fallbrook Union Elementary?
Besides La Paloma Elementary, Fallbrook Union Elementary also operates James E. Potter Intermediate (828 students), Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary (820 students), and Live Oak Elementary (717 students). See the Fallbrook 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.