Enrollment
138
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lakeside, CA
Lakeside Union Alternative Education
Federal NCES profile for Lakeside Union Alternative Education, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062079014397
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lakeside Union Alternative Education earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of California schools.
- #1 of 8
- elementary schools in Lakeside · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 46:1
- large classes for California
- 40.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Lakeside Union Alternative Education has class sizes larger than 99% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lakeside Union Alternative Education ranks #1 of 8 elementary schools in Lakeside, CA.
School address
District: Lakeside Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 062079014397 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
3.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
46:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+114% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lakeside Union Alternative Education compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lakeside Union Alternative Education
Lakeside Union Alternative Education is a small elementary school in Lakeside, California, enrolling 138 students.
Class loads run heavy: 46:1 is larger than about 99% of California schools and 114% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 138 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 247 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #125.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (33%) (diversity index 61/100).
10.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Lakeside's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lakeside Farms Elementary (667 students): Lakeside Union Alternative Education is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (46:1 vs 23.8:1).
Lakeside Union Elementary also operates Lakeside Middle (724 students) and Tierra Del Sol Middle (713 students) alongside Lakeside Union Alternative Education.
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 Lakeside Union Alternative Education compares
Lakeside Union Alternative Education on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 46:1 | ▲ 114% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.4% | ▼ 27% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 138 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
46:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
138
Bigger than 13% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
46:1
students per teacher
- 114% above state mean
Top 99% in California - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
10.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$15,593
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 + 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
White 51.4%
Hispanic or Latino 32.6%
Two or More 13.0%
African American 2.2%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 51.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.2, Lakeside Union Alternative Education is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lakeside Union Elementary, which includes Lakeside Union Alternative Education.
$15,593
Per student
-6%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.2%
State 59.5%
Federal 11.3%
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 Lakeside Union Alternative Education Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tierra Del Sol Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lakeside Farms Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lakeview Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Riverview Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lakeside Union Alternative Education's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 724
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 713
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 667
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 666
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 469
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Lakeside
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lakeside Farms Elementary
Standard public school
667 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Lakeview Elementary
Standard public school
666 students 24.7:1 students per teacher
Riverview Elementary
Standard public school
469 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Lemon Crest Elementary
Standard public school
437 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Lindo Park Elementary
Standard public school
421 students 20:1 students per teacher
Winter Gardens Elementary
Standard public school
269 students 22.4:1 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 (~138 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~46:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lakeside Union Alternative Education's federal record.
- Compare Lakeside Union Alternative Education against another school. Compare schools
- Lakeside 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 Lakeside Union Alternative Education
How many students attend Lakeside Union Alternative Education?
Lakeside Union Alternative Education has 138 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lakeside, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lakeside Union Alternative Education?
The student-teacher ratio at Lakeside Union Alternative Education is 46:1, which is 114% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 193% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lakeside Union Alternative Education?
40.4% of students at Lakeside Union Alternative Education are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lakeside Union Alternative Education?
The largest demographic group at Lakeside Union Alternative Education is White at 51.4% of enrollment, in Lakeside, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lakeside Union Alternative Education?
Lakeside Union Alternative Education has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Lakeside Union Alternative Education rank among elementary schools in Lakeside?
By Resource Investment Index, Lakeside Union Alternative Education ranks #1 of 8 elementary schools in Lakeside, 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 Lakeside on the city page.
Is Lakeside Union Alternative Education a good school?
Lakeside Union Alternative Education earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of 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 Lakeside Union Elementary?
Besides Lakeside Union Alternative Education, Lakeside Union Elementary also operates Lakeside Middle (724 students), Tierra Del Sol Middle (713 students), and Lakeside Farms Elementary (667 students). See the Lakeside 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.