Enrollment
498
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Citrus Heights, CA
Lichen K-8
Federal NCES profile for Lichen K-8, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063462005793
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lichen K-8 earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 9
- elementary schools in Citrus Heights · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.7:1
- students per teacher
- 59.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Lichen K-8 has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lichen K-8 ranks #4 of 9 elementary schools in Citrus Heights, CA.
School address
District: San Juan Unified · California
NCES ID 063462005793 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lichen K-8 compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lichen K-8
Lichen K-8 is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Citrus Heights, California, enrolling 498 students.
At 21.7:1, 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 59.6% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 498 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,826 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,500, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and White (35%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 498 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Citrus Heights's elementary schools, it stands alongside Kingswood K-8 (546 students): Lichen K-8 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.7:1 vs 21.8:1).
San Juan Unified also operates Bella Vista High (1,939 students) and Rio Americano High (1,891 students) alongside Lichen K-8.
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 Lichen K-8 compares
Lichen K-8 on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.6% | ▲ 7% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 498 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
498
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% 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
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 50% in California - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
32.9%
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
$15,338
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 498 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.8 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 44.6%
White 35.1%
Two or More 9.0%
African American 5.0%
Asian 3.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.5, Lichen K-8 is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Juan Unified, which includes Lichen K-8.
$15,338
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.7%
State 54.0%
Federal 14.3%
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 Lichen K-8 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bella Vista High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rio Americano High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mira Loma High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Del Campo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| El Camino Fundamental High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lichen K-8's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,891
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,655
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,548
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,226
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Citrus Heights
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Kingswood K-8
Standard public school
546 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Woodside K-8
Standard public school
506 students 28.1:1 students per teacher
Carriage Drive Elementary
Standard public school
444 students 26.1:1 students per teacher
Skycrest Elementary
Standard public school
436 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Cambridge Heights Elementary
Standard public school
348 students 29:1 students per teacher
Grand Oaks Elementary
Standard public school
348 students 26.8:1 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 (~498 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lichen K-8's federal record.
- Compare Lichen K-8 against another school. Compare schools
- San Juan 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 Lichen K-8
How many students attend Lichen K-8?
Lichen K-8 has 498 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Citrus Heights, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lichen K-8?
The student-teacher ratio at Lichen K-8 is 21.7:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lichen K-8?
59.6% of students at Lichen K-8 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lichen K-8?
The largest demographic group at Lichen K-8 is Hispanic or Latino at 44.6% of enrollment, in Citrus Heights, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lichen K-8?
Lichen K-8 has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (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 Lichen K-8 rank among elementary schools in Citrus Heights?
By Resource Investment Index, Lichen K-8 ranks #4 of 9 elementary schools in Citrus Heights, 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 Citrus Heights on the city page.
Is Lichen K-8 a good school?
Lichen K-8 earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 San Juan Unified?
Besides Lichen K-8, San Juan Unified also operates Bella Vista High (1,939 students), Rio Americano High (1,891 students), and Mira Loma High (1,655 students). See the San Juan 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.