Enrollment
263
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Diego, CA
Los Altos Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Los Altos Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060861000867
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Los Altos Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #43 of 179
- elementary schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- small classes for California
- 68.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Los Altos Elementary has class sizes smaller than 88% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Los Altos Elementary ranks #43 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
District: Chula Vista Elementary · California
NCES ID 060861000867 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
+23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Los Altos Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Los Altos Elementary
Los Altos Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in San Diego, California, enrolling 263 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 15.5:1, Los Altos Elementary is leaner than roughly 88% of California schools and 28% 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 68.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 263 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 930 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #247.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 12/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 64.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among San Diego's elementary schools, it stands alongside Albert Einstein Academies (1,448 students): Los Altos Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.5:1 vs 24.1:1).
Chula Vista Elementary also operates Wolf Canyon Elementary (954 students) and Camarena (Enrique S.) Elementary (889 students) alongside Los Altos 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 Los Altos Elementary compares
Los Altos 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 | 15.5:1 | ▼ 28% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.4% | ▲ 23% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 263 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
263
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 28% below state mean
Top 12% in California - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
64.3%
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
$18,653
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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 93.9%
Asian 2.7%
Two or More 2.3%
African American 0.8%
White 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 93.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.7, Los Altos Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chula Vista Elementary, which includes Los Altos Elementary.
$18,653
Per student
+13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.0%
State 47.1%
Federal 12.0%
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 Los Altos Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf Canyon Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Camarena (Enrique S.) Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hedenkamp (Anne and William) Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Salt Creek Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Veterans Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Los Altos Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 954
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 889
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 835
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 832
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools in San Diego
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Albert Einstein Academies
Standard public school
1,448 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Design 39 Campus
Standard public school
1,216 students 27:1 students per teacher
Nestor Language Academy Charter
Standard public school
1,079 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Ocean View Hills
Standard public school
1,020 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Language Academy
Standard public school
1,015 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Del Sur Elementary
Standard public school
891 students 24.1:1 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 (~263 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Los Altos Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Los Altos Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Chula Vista 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 Los Altos Elementary
How many students attend Los Altos Elementary?
Los Altos Elementary has 263 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Diego, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Los Altos Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Los Altos Elementary is 15.5:1, which is 28% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 1% lower 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 Los Altos Elementary?
68.4% of students at Los Altos Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Los Altos Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Los Altos Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 93.9% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Los Altos Elementary?
Los Altos Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Los Altos Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, Los Altos Elementary ranks #43 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, 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 Diego on the city page.
Is Los Altos Elementary a good school?
Los Altos Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of California schools. It is also less 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 Chula Vista Elementary?
Besides Los Altos Elementary, Chula Vista Elementary also operates Wolf Canyon Elementary (954 students), Camarena (Enrique S.) Elementary (889 students), and Hedenkamp (Anne and William) Elementary (855 students). See the Chula Vista 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.