- Enrollment
- 2,475
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lake Forest, CA
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063386005298
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of California schools.
- #4 of 7
- elementary schools in Lake Forest · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 26.4:1
- large classes for California
- 52.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary has class sizes larger than 87% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary ranks #4 of 7 elementary schools in Lake Forest, CA.
School address
District: Saddleback Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 063386005298 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-32 students YoY
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary held near 908 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-32 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 34.0 → 31.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-32 students YoY 063386005298 · Lake Forest, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
896 enr · 26.4:1 · 52.7% lunch · RII 41
Nearest enrollment peer: Trabuco Hills High (2,475 students)
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary held near 908 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-32 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 34.0 → 31.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Trabuco Hills
Trabuco Hills High
2,475 students
- El Toro High
El Toro High
1,902 students
- Mission Viejo
Mission Viejo High
1,566 students
- Laguna Hills H
Laguna Hills High
1,317 students
- Rancho Santa M
Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate
1,153 students
- This school 896
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary
896 students
What this shows Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary reports 896 students on the CCD universe file.
How Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary compares
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet 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 | 26.4:1 | ▲ 23% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.7% | ▼ 5% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 896 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.4:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
896
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
52.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% 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
26.4:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 87% in California - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
19.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,515
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 81.4%
White 11.9%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 2.0%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 81.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.1, Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Saddleback Valley Unified reports $15,515 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trabuco Hills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| El Toro High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mission Viejo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Laguna Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,902
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,566
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,317
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,153
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar elementary schools in Lake Forest
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lake Forest Elementary
Standard public school
640 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Rancho Canada Elementary
Standard public school
633 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley
Standard public school
565 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
La Madera Elementary
Standard public school
554 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary
Standard public school
517 students 27.2:1 students per teacher
Olivewood Elementary
Standard public school
396 students 22:1 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 (~896 students)
Frequently asked questions about Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary
How many students attend Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary?
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary has 896 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lake Forest, CA. CCD year-over-year: 940 (2022-23) → 908 (2023-24), nearly flat (-32).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary is 26.4:1, which is 23% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 68% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary?
52.7% of students at Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 81.4% of enrollment, in Lake Forest, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary?
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary rank among elementary schools in Lake Forest?
By Resource Investment Index, Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary ranks #4 of 7 elementary schools in Lake Forest, 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 Lake Forest on the city page.
What other schools are in Saddleback Valley Unified?
Besides Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary, Saddleback Valley Unified also operates Trabuco Hills High (2,475 students), El Toro High (1,902 students), and Mission Viejo High (1,566 students). See the Saddleback Valley Unified district page for the complete list.