Enrollment
502
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · La Mesa, CA
Lemon Avenue Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Lemon Avenue Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062025002435
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 54
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lemon Avenue Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of California schools.
- #3 of 12
- elementary schools in La Mesa · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.4:1
- large classes for California
- 33.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Lemon Avenue Elementary has class sizes larger than 87% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lemon Avenue Elementary ranks #3 of 12 elementary schools in La Mesa, CA.
School address
District: La Mesa-Spring Valley · California
NCES ID 062025002435 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
-40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lemon Avenue Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lemon Avenue Elementary
Lemon Avenue Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in La Mesa, California, enrolling 502 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.4:1 is larger than about 87% of California schools and 23% 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 33.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 502 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,324 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #775.
Its student body is led by White (48%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 66/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 18.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among La Mesa's elementary schools, it stands alongside La Mesa Arts Academy (1,059 students): Lemon Avenue Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.4:1 vs 24.6:1).
La Mesa-Spring Valley also operates La Mesa Arts Academy (1,059 students) and Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy (897 students) alongside Lemon Avenue 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 Lemon Avenue Elementary compares
Lemon Avenue 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 | 26.4:1 | ▲ 23% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.2% | ▼ 40% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 502 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.4:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
502
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
26.4:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 87% in California - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
18.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,084
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 + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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 48.2%
Hispanic or Latino 29.9%
Two or More 14.1%
African American 4.0%
Asian 3.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 48.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.5, Lemon Avenue Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for La Mesa-Spring Valley, which includes Lemon Avenue Elementary.
$15,084
Per student
-9%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.8%
State 50.7%
Federal 18.5%
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 Lemon Avenue Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Mesa Arts Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sci Tech Engr Arts and Math Acad at La Presa | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Murdock Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Spring Valley Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lemon Avenue Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,059
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 897
- Students per teacher
- 30.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 800
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 608
- Students per teacher
- 27.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 597
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar elementary schools in La Mesa
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
La Mesa Arts Academy
Standard public school
1,059 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Murdock Elementary
Standard public school
608 students 27.6:1 students per teacher
Avocado Elementary
Standard public school
573 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Murray Manor Elementary
Standard public school
530 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Vista La Mesa Academy
Standard public school
518 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
La Mesa Dale Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 24.2:1 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 (~502 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lemon Avenue Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Lemon Avenue Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- La Mesa-Spring Valley'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 Lemon Avenue Elementary
How many students attend Lemon Avenue Elementary?
Lemon Avenue Elementary has 502 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in La Mesa, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lemon Avenue Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Lemon Avenue Elementary is 26.4:1, which is 23% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 68% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lemon Avenue Elementary?
33.2% of students at Lemon Avenue Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lemon Avenue Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Lemon Avenue Elementary is White at 48.2% of enrollment, in La Mesa, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lemon Avenue Elementary?
Lemon Avenue Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Lemon Avenue Elementary rank among elementary schools in La Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Lemon Avenue Elementary ranks #3 of 12 elementary schools in La Mesa, 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 La Mesa on the city page.
Is Lemon Avenue Elementary a good school?
Lemon Avenue Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley?
Besides Lemon Avenue Elementary, La Mesa-Spring Valley also operates La Mesa Arts Academy (1,059 students), Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy (897 students), and Sci Tech Engr Arts and Math Acad at La Presa (800 students). See the La Mesa-Spring Valley 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.