Enrollment
282
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lancaster, CA
Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies
Federal NCES profile for Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062088005857
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of California schools.
- #4 of 28
- elementary schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.7:1
- small classes for California
- 82.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies has class sizes smaller than 87% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies ranks #4 of 28 elementary schools in Lancaster, CA.
School address
District: Lancaster Elementary · California
NCES ID 062088005857 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies
Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Lancaster, California, enrolling 282 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 15.7:1, Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies is leaner than roughly 87% of California schools and 27% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 82.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 282 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 996 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #40, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (58%) and African American (22%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 282 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Its district draws 19.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lancaster's elementary schools, it stands alongside Sundown Elementary (941 students): Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.7:1 vs 29.4:1).
Lancaster Elementary also operates Amargosa Creek Middle (859 students) and New Vista Middle (835 students) alongside Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies.
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 Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies compares
Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.7:1 | ▼ 27% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.3% | ▲ 48% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 282 | top 76% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
282
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% 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
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 27% below state mean
Top 13% in California - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Funding equity
$16,048
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 282 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 58.2%
African American 22.3%
White 10.6%
Two or More 5.0%
Asian 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 58.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.7, Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lancaster Elementary, which includes Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies.
$16,048
Per student
-3%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.4%
State 64.4%
Federal 19.3%
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 Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amargosa Creek Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| New Vista Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Endeavour Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Monte Vista Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| El Dorado Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 859
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 835
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 805
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 788
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 766
- Students per teacher
- 26.4:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Lancaster
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sundown Elementary
Standard public school
941 students 29.4:1 students per teacher
Monte Vista Elementary
Standard public school
788 students 26.3:1 students per teacher
Ilead Lancaster Charter
Standard public school
771 students 26.6:1 students per teacher
El Dorado Elementary
Standard public school
766 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Del Sur Senior Elementary
Standard public school
763 students 28.3:1 students per teacher
West Wind Elementary
Standard public school
757 students 29.1:1 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 (~282 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies's federal record.
- Compare Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies against another school. Compare schools
- Lancaster 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 Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies
How many students attend Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies?
Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies has 282 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lancaster, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies?
The student-teacher ratio at Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies is 15.7:1, which is 27% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 0% 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 Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies?
82.3% of students at Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies?
The largest demographic group at Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies is Hispanic or Latino at 58.2% of enrollment, in Lancaster, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies?
Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies rank among elementary schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies ranks #4 of 28 elementary schools in Lancaster, 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 Lancaster on the city page.
Is Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies a good school?
Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% 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 Lancaster Elementary?
Besides Lancaster Alternative and Virtual Academies, Lancaster Elementary also operates Amargosa Creek Middle (859 students), New Vista Middle (835 students), and Endeavour Middle (805 students). See the Lancaster 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.