Enrollment
399
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tustin, CA
Peters Canyon Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Peters Canyon Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064015007203
👥 S:T ratio 11
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Peters Canyon Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 10
- elementary schools in Tustin · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.2:1
- students per teacher
- 17.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Peters Canyon Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Peters Canyon Elementary ranks #2 of 10 elementary schools in Tustin, CA.
School address
District: Tustin Unified · California
NCES ID 064015007203 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
17.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Peters Canyon Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Peters Canyon Elementary
Peters Canyon Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Tustin, California, enrolling 399 students.
At 22.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 17.4% free-meal eligibility runs 69% below the California average.
With 399 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 923 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #366.
Its student body is led by Asian (40%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 798 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
13.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Tustin's elementary schools, it stands alongside Sycamore Magnet Academy (1,085 students): Peters Canyon Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.2:1 vs 22.6:1).
Tustin Unified also operates Arnold O. Beckman High (2,776 students) and Foothill High (2,126 students) alongside Peters Canyon 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 Peters Canyon Elementary compares
Peters Canyon 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 | 22.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.4% | ▼ 69% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 399 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.2:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
399
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
17.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
22.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 55% in California - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
13.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,372
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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
Asian 40.4%
Hispanic or Latino 26.8%
White 18.8%
Two or More 12.0%
African American 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Asian at 40.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.5, Peters Canyon Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tustin Unified, which includes Peters Canyon Elementary.
$13,372
Per student
-19%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.9%
State 38.0%
Federal 8.1%
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 Peters Canyon Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arnold O. Beckman High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Foothill High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tustin High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Orchard Hills | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sycamore Magnet Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Peters Canyon Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,776
- Students per teacher
- 26.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,126
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,627
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,373
- Students per teacher
- 29.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,085
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar elementary schools in Tustin
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sycamore Magnet Academy
Standard public school
1,085 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Heritage Elementary
Standard public school
567 students 28.4:1 students per teacher
Tustin Ranch Elementary
Standard public school
520 students 26:1 students per teacher
Robert Heideman Elementary
Standard public school
502 students 27.9:1 students per teacher
W. R. Nelson Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 24.2:1 students per teacher
Helen Estock Elementary
Standard public school
456 students 25.3:1 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 (~399 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Peters Canyon Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Peters Canyon Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Tustin 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 Peters Canyon Elementary
How many students attend Peters Canyon Elementary?
Peters Canyon Elementary has 399 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tustin, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Peters Canyon Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Peters Canyon Elementary is 22.2:1, which is 3% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Peters Canyon Elementary?
17.4% of students at Peters Canyon Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Peters Canyon Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Peters Canyon Elementary is Asian at 40.4% of enrollment, in Tustin, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Peters Canyon Elementary?
Peters Canyon Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Peters Canyon Elementary rank among elementary schools in Tustin?
By Resource Investment Index, Peters Canyon Elementary ranks #2 of 10 elementary schools in Tustin, 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 Tustin on the city page.
Is Peters Canyon Elementary a good school?
Peters Canyon Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Tustin Unified?
Besides Peters Canyon Elementary, Tustin Unified also operates Arnold O. Beckman High (2,776 students), Foothill High (2,126 students), and Tustin High (1,627 students). See the Tustin 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.