Enrollment
743
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Clemente, CA
Las Palmas Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Las Palmas Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060744000693
👥 S:T ratio 1
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Las Palmas Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of California schools.
- #6 of 7
- elementary schools in San Clemente · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.8:1
- large classes for California
- 42.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Las Palmas Elementary has class sizes larger than 78% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Las Palmas Elementary ranks #6 of 7 elementary schools in San Clemente, CA.
School address
District: Capistrano Unified · California
NCES ID 060744000693 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Las Palmas Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Las Palmas Elementary
Las Palmas Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in San Clemente, California, enrolling 743 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.8:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 743 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 1,224 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #634.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (52%) and White (38%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 743 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among San Clemente's elementary schools, it stands alongside Vista Del Mar Elementary (692 students): Las Palmas Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.8:1 vs 23.9:1).
Capistrano Unified also operates San Clemente High (2,740 students) and San Juan Hills High (2,641 students) alongside Las Palmas 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 Las Palmas Elementary compares
Las Palmas 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 | 24.8:1 | ▲ 15% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.8% | ▼ 23% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 743 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.8:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
743
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
24.8:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 78% in California - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
25.8%
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
$14,421
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 743 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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
Hispanic or Latino 52.4%
White 38.2%
Two or More 8.3%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.3, Las Palmas Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Capistrano Unified, which includes Las Palmas Elementary.
$14,421
Per student
-13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 61.2%
State 31.0%
Federal 7.7%
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 Las Palmas Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Clemente High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Juan Hills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Aliso Niguel High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tesoro High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Capistrano Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Las Palmas Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,740
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,641
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,563
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,030
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,991
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar elementary schools in San Clemente
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Vista Del Mar Elementary
Standard public school
692 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Truman Benedict Elementary
Standard public school
602 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Concordia Elementary
Standard public school
533 students 26.6:1 students per teacher
San Onofre Elementary
Standard public school
489 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Clarence Lobo Elementary
Standard public school
328 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Marblehead Elementary
Standard public school
195 students 19.5:1 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 (~743 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Las Palmas Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Las Palmas Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Capistrano 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 Las Palmas Elementary
How many students attend Las Palmas Elementary?
Las Palmas Elementary has 743 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Clemente, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Las Palmas Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Las Palmas Elementary is 24.8:1, which is 15% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 58% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Las Palmas Elementary?
42.8% of students at Las Palmas Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Las Palmas Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Las Palmas Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 52.4% of enrollment, in San Clemente, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Las Palmas Elementary?
Las Palmas Elementary 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 Las Palmas Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Clemente?
By Resource Investment Index, Las Palmas Elementary ranks #6 of 7 elementary schools in San Clemente, 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 Clemente on the city page.
Is Las Palmas Elementary a good school?
Las Palmas Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% 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 Capistrano Unified?
Besides Las Palmas Elementary, Capistrano Unified also operates San Clemente High (2,740 students), San Juan Hills High (2,641 students), and Aliso Niguel High (2,563 students). See the Capistrano 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.