- Enrollment
- 478
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Cruz, CA
Ocean Alternative Education Center
Federal NCES profile for Ocean Alternative Education Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062199010412
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ocean Alternative Education Center earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 73% of California schools.
- #1 of 14
- elementary schools in Santa Cruz · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19:1
- small classes for California
- 35.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Ocean Alternative Education Center has class sizes smaller than 73% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ocean Alternative Education Center ranks #1 of 14 elementary schools in Santa Cruz, CA.
School address
District: Live Oak Elementary · California
NCES ID 062199010412 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-10 students YoY
Ocean Alternative Education Center shrank from 84 students in 2022-23 to 74 in 2023-24 (-11.9%).
Teacher FTE held 4.3 → 4.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-10 students YoY 062199010412 · Santa Cruz, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
76 enr · 19:1 · 35.7% lunch · RII 45
Nearest enrollment peer: Shoreline Middle (478 students)
Ocean Alternative Education Center shrank from 84 students in 2022-23 to 74 in 2023-24 (-11.9%). Teacher FTE held 4.3 → 4.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Ocean Alternative Education Center in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Shoreline Midd
Shoreline Middle
478 students
- Live Oak Eleme
Live Oak Elementary
362 students
- Del Mar Elemen
Del Mar Elementary
322 students
- Green Acres El
Green Acres Elementary
262 students
- Tierra Pacific 166
Tierra Pacifica Charter
166 students
- This school 76
Ocean Alternative Education Center
76 students
What this shows Ocean Alternative Education Center reports 76 students on the CCD universe file.
How Ocean Alternative Education Center compares
Ocean Alternative Education Center is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19:1 | ▼ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.7% | ▼ 36% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 76 | top 92% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
76
Bigger than 8% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
35.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
19:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 27% in California - lower ratio than 73% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$18,840
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
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 + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 52.6%
Hispanic or Latino 31.6%
Two or More 14.5%
Asian 1.3%
Largest group: White at 52.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.2, Ocean Alternative Education Center is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Live Oak Elementary reports $18,840 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Ocean Alternative Education Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoreline Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Live Oak Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Del Mar Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Green Acres Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tierra Pacifica Charter | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ocean Alternative Education Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 362
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 322
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 262
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 166
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Cruz
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Brook Knoll Elementary
Standard public school
498 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
De Laveaga Elementary
Standard public school
481 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Westlake Elementary
Standard public school
453 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
Bay View Elementary
Standard public school
394 students 21.9:1 students per teacher
Live Oak Elementary
Standard public school
362 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Del Mar Elementary
Standard public school
322 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~76 students)
Frequently asked questions about Ocean Alternative Education Center
How many students attend Ocean Alternative Education Center?
Ocean Alternative Education Center has 76 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Cruz, CA. CCD year-over-year: 84 (2022-23) → 74 (2023-24), down 10.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ocean Alternative Education Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Ocean Alternative Education Center is 19:1, which is 12% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 21% 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 Ocean Alternative Education Center?
35.7% of students at Ocean Alternative Education Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ocean Alternative Education Center?
The largest demographic group at Ocean Alternative Education Center is White at 52.6% of enrollment, in Santa Cruz, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ocean Alternative Education Center?
Ocean Alternative Education Center has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ocean Alternative Education Center rank among elementary schools in Santa Cruz?
By Resource Investment Index, Ocean Alternative Education Center ranks #1 of 14 elementary schools in Santa Cruz, 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 Santa Cruz on the city page.
What other schools are in Live Oak Elementary?
Besides Ocean Alternative Education Center, Live Oak Elementary also operates Shoreline Middle (478 students), Live Oak Elementary (362 students), and Del Mar Elementary (322 students). See the Live Oak Elementary district page for the complete list.