Enrollment
948
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Irvine, CA
Portola Springs Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Portola Springs Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 068450013796
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Portola Springs Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of California schools.
- #10 of 35
- elementary schools in Irvine · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 29.6:1
- large classes for California
- 14.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Portola Springs Elementary has class sizes larger than 95% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Portola Springs Elementary ranks #10 of 35 elementary schools in Irvine, CA.
School address
District: Irvine Unified · California
NCES ID 068450013796 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
29.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+38% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Portola Springs Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Portola Springs Elementary
Portola Springs Elementary is a lower-poverty, large elementary school in Irvine, California, enrolling 948 students.
Class loads run heavy: 29.6:1 is larger than about 95% of California schools and 38% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 14.4% free-meal eligibility runs 74% below the California average.
Enrollment of 948 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 681 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #89.
Its student body is led by Asian (59%) and White (18%) (diversity index 59/100).
13.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Irvine Unified spends $13,289 per pupil, 20% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Irvine's elementary schools, it stands alongside Orchard Hills (1,373 students): Portola Springs Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (29.6:1 vs 29.2:1).
Irvine Unified also operates Portola High (2,693 students) and University High (2,307 students) alongside Portola Springs 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 Portola Springs Elementary compares
Portola Springs 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 | 29.6:1 | ▲ 38% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.4% | ▼ 74% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 948 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
29.6:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
948
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% 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
29.6:1
students per teacher
- 38% above state mean
Top 95% in California - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
13.0%
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
$13,289
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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 59.3%
White 18.4%
Hispanic or Latino 11.6%
Two or More 9.0%
African American 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Asian at 59.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Portola Springs Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Irvine Unified, which includes Portola Springs Elementary.
$13,289
Per student
-20%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 62.4%
State 31.0%
Federal 6.6%
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 Portola Springs Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portola High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| University High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northwood High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Woodbridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Irvine High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Portola Springs Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,693
- Students per teacher
- 32.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 28.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,244
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,232
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,964
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Irvine
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Orchard Hills
Standard public school
1,373 students 29.2:1 students per teacher
Woodbury Elementary
Standard public school
1,095 students 31.3:1 students per teacher
Beacon Park
Standard public school
1,065 students 29.6:1 students per teacher
Stonegate Elementary
Standard public school
1,037 students 32.4:1 students per teacher
Cypress Village Elementary
Standard public school
1,007 students 28:1 students per teacher
Solis Park
Standard public school
972 students 60.8:1 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 (~948 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~29.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Portola Springs Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Portola Springs Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Irvine 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 Portola Springs Elementary
How many students attend Portola Springs Elementary?
Portola Springs Elementary has 948 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Irvine, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Portola Springs Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Portola Springs Elementary is 29.6:1, which is 38% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 89% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Portola Springs Elementary?
14.4% of students at Portola Springs Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Portola Springs Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Portola Springs Elementary is Asian at 59.3% of enrollment, in Irvine, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Portola Springs Elementary?
Portola Springs Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Portola Springs Elementary rank among elementary schools in Irvine?
By Resource Investment Index, Portola Springs Elementary ranks #10 of 35 elementary schools in Irvine, 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 Irvine on the city page.
Is Portola Springs Elementary a good school?
Portola Springs Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 Irvine Unified?
Besides Portola Springs Elementary, Irvine Unified also operates Portola High (2,693 students), University High (2,307 students), and Northwood High (2,244 students). See the Irvine 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.