Enrollment
556
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Vista, CA
Monte Vista Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Monte Vista Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 8/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064119006820
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Monte Vista Elementary earns 8/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of California schools.
- #12 of 15
- elementary schools in Vista · Resource Index
- 8
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.8:1
- large classes for California
- 45.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Monte Vista Elementary has class sizes larger than 92% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Monte Vista Elementary ranks #12 of 15 elementary schools in Vista, CA.
School address
District: Vista Unified · California
NCES ID 064119006820 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Monte Vista Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Monte Vista Elementary
Monte Vista Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Vista, California, enrolling 556 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.8:1 is larger than about 92% of California schools and 29% 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 45.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 556 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,424 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,406, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (54%) and White (33%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 556 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Vista's elementary schools, it stands alongside Casita Center for Science/Math/Technology (744 students): Monte Vista Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (27.8:1 vs 29.8:1).
Vista Unified also operates Rancho Buena Vista High (1,949 students) and Vista High (1,746 students) alongside Monte Vista 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 Monte Vista Elementary compares
Monte Vista 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 | 27.8:1 | ▲ 29% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.6% | ▼ 18% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 556 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.8:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
556
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
27.8:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 92% in California - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
42.1%
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
$15,274
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 556 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 54.0%
White 33.3%
Two or More 8.5%
African American 2.0%
Asian 1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 54.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.0, Monte Vista Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Vista Unified, which includes Monte Vista Elementary.
$15,274
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.1%
State 53.6%
Federal 10.3%
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 Monte Vista Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rancho Buena Vista High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Vista High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mission Vista High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Madison Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Monte Vista Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,949
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,746
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,670
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,158
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 866
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
Similar elementary schools in Vista
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Casita Center for Science/Math/Technology
Standard public school
744 students 29.8:1 students per teacher
Breeze Hill Elementary
Standard public school
742 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts
Standard public school
740 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Grapevine Elementary
Standard public school
730 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Classical Academy Vista
Standard public school
651 students 25:1 students per teacher
Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary
Standard public school
579 students 22.3:1 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 (~556 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Monte Vista Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Monte Vista Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Vista 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 Monte Vista Elementary
How many students attend Monte Vista Elementary?
Monte Vista Elementary has 556 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Vista, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Monte Vista Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Monte Vista Elementary is 27.8:1, which is 29% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 77% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Monte Vista Elementary?
45.6% of students at Monte Vista Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Monte Vista Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Monte Vista Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 54.0% of enrollment, in Vista, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Monte Vista Elementary?
Monte Vista Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 8/100 (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 Monte Vista Elementary rank among elementary schools in Vista?
By Resource Investment Index, Monte Vista Elementary ranks #12 of 15 elementary schools in Vista, 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 Vista on the city page.
Is Monte Vista Elementary a good school?
Monte Vista Elementary earns 8/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% 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 Vista Unified?
Besides Monte Vista Elementary, Vista Unified also operates Rancho Buena Vista High (1,949 students), Vista High (1,746 students), and Mission Vista High (1,670 students). See the Vista 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.