Enrollment
238
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Mateo, CA
Meadow Heights Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Meadow Heights Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063492005913
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Meadow Heights Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #9 of 14
- elementary schools in San Mateo · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.3:1
- small classes for California
- 30.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Meadow Heights Elementary has class sizes smaller than 77% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Meadow Heights Elementary ranks #9 of 14 elementary schools in San Mateo, CA.
School address
District: San Mateo-Foster City · California
NCES ID 063492005913 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Meadow Heights Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Meadow Heights Elementary
Meadow Heights Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in San Mateo, California, enrolling 238 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 238 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 401 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #180.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (47%) and White (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 238 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among San Mateo's elementary schools, it stands alongside Bayside Academy (840 students): Meadow Heights Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.3:1 vs 19.1:1).
San Mateo-Foster City also operates Bowditch Middle (929 students) and Borel Middle (903 students) alongside Meadow Heights 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 Meadow Heights Elementary compares
Meadow Heights 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 | 18.3:1 | ▼ 15% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.7% | ▼ 45% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 238 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.3:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
238
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
18.3:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 23% in California - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.8%
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
$17,395
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 238 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 47.3%
White 20.7%
Two or More 13.1%
Asian 12.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 5.5%
African American 1.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 47.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.8, Meadow Heights Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Mateo-Foster City, which includes Meadow Heights Elementary.
$17,395
Per student
+5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 79.9%
State 14.6%
Federal 5.4%
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 Meadow Heights Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowditch Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Borel Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bayside Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Abbott Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Foster City Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Meadow Heights Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 929
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 903
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 840
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 721
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 624
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in San Mateo
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Bayside Academy
Standard public school
840 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Baywood Elementary
Standard public school
489 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Laurel Elementary
Standard public school
469 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
College Park Elementary
Standard public school
431 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Fiesta Gardens International Elementary
Standard public school
418 students 22:1 students per teacher
Parkside Montessori
Standard public school
418 students 27.9:1 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 (~238 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Meadow Heights Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Meadow Heights Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- San Mateo-Foster City'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 Meadow Heights Elementary
How many students attend Meadow Heights Elementary?
Meadow Heights Elementary has 238 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Mateo, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Meadow Heights Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Meadow Heights Elementary is 18.3:1, which is 15% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 17% 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 Meadow Heights Elementary?
30.7% of students at Meadow Heights Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Meadow Heights Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Meadow Heights Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 47.3% of enrollment, in San Mateo, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Meadow Heights Elementary?
Meadow Heights Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical 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 Meadow Heights Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Mateo?
By Resource Investment Index, Meadow Heights Elementary ranks #9 of 14 elementary schools in San Mateo, 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 Mateo on the city page.
Is Meadow Heights Elementary a good school?
Meadow Heights Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of California schools. 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 Mateo-Foster City?
Besides Meadow Heights Elementary, San Mateo-Foster City also operates Bowditch Middle (929 students), Borel Middle (903 students), and Bayside Academy (840 students). See the San Mateo-Foster City 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.