- Enrollment
- 3,067
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Marcos, CA
Paloma Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Paloma Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063488010068
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Paloma Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 11
- elementary schools in San Marcos · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.1:1
- large classes for California
- 27.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Paloma Elementary has class sizes larger than 90% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Paloma Elementary ranks #4 of 11 elementary schools in San Marcos, CA.
School address
District: San Marcos Unified · California
NCES ID 063488010068 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+27 students YoY
Paloma Elementary held near 742 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+27 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 28.9 → 28.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+27 students YoY 063488010068 · San Marcos, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
758 enr · 27.1:1 · 27.4% lunch · RII 30
Nearest enrollment peer: San Marcos High (3,067 students)
Paloma Elementary held near 742 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+27 headcount). Teacher FTE held 28.9 → 28.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Paloma Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- San Marcos Hig
San Marcos High
3,067 students
- Mission Hills
Mission Hills High
2,751 students
- San Elijo Midd
San Elijo Middle
1,395 students
- Woodland Park 1,184
Woodland Park Middle
1,184 students
- Double Peak 1,171
Double Peak
1,171 students
- This school 758
Paloma Elementary
758 students
What this shows Paloma Elementary reports 758 students on the CCD universe file.
How Paloma Elementary compares
Paloma Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 27.1:1 | ▲ 26% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.4% | ▼ 51% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 758 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.1:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
758
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
27.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% 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
27.1:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 90% in California - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
20.7%
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
$14,622
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 758 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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
Hispanic or Latino 37.3%
White 33.4%
Asian 16.9%
Two or More 10.2%
African American 1.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 37.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.0, Paloma Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for San Marcos Unified reports $14,622 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Paloma Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Marcos High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mission Hills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| San Elijo Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Woodland Park Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Double Peak | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Paloma Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,751
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,395
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,184
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,171
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in San Marcos
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Double Peak
Standard public school
1,171 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Richland Elementary
Standard public school
883 students 27.6:1 students per teacher
La Mirada Academy
Standard public school
868 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
San Elijo Elementary
Standard public school
834 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Knob Hill Elementary
Standard public school
725 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Discovery Elementary
Standard public school
717 students 25.6:1 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 (~758 students)
Frequently asked questions about Paloma Elementary
How many students attend Paloma Elementary?
Paloma Elementary has 758 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Marcos, CA. CCD year-over-year: 715 (2022-23) → 742 (2023-24), nearly flat (+27).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paloma Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Paloma Elementary is 27.1:1, which is 26% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 73% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Paloma Elementary?
27.4% of students at Paloma Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Paloma Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Paloma Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 37.3% of enrollment, in San Marcos, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Paloma Elementary?
Paloma Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Paloma Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Marcos?
By Resource Investment Index, Paloma Elementary ranks #4 of 11 elementary schools in San Marcos, 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 Marcos on the city page.
What other schools are in San Marcos Unified?
Besides Paloma Elementary, San Marcos Unified also operates San Marcos High (3,067 students), Mission Hills High (2,751 students), and San Elijo Middle (1,395 students). See the San Marcos Unified district page for the complete list.