Enrollment
1,949
California · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Vista, CA
Rancho Buena Vista High
Federal NCES profile for Rancho Buena Vista High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 064119009203
👥 S:T ratio 16
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 4
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rancho Buena Vista High earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California.
- #6 of 6
- high schools in Vista · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21:1
- students per teacher
- 50.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Rancho Buena Vista High has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho Buena Vista High ranks #6 of 6 high schools in Vista, CA.
School address
District: Vista Unified · California
NCES ID 064119009203 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
93.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rancho Buena Vista High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rancho Buena Vista High
Rancho Buena Vista High is a higher-need, large high school in Vista, California, enrolling 1,949 students.
At 21:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.4% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,949 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 298 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #263, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (67%) and White (21%) (diversity index 50/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 325 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Vista's high schools, it stands alongside Vista High (1,746 students): Rancho Buena Vista High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21:1 vs 16.6:1).
Vista Unified also operates Vista High (1,746 students) and Mission Vista High (1,670 students) alongside Rancho Buena Vista High.
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 Rancho Buena Vista High compares
Rancho Buena Vista High on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21:1 | ▼ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.4% | ▼ 9% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,949 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,949
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% 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
21:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 43% in California - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
38.3%
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
$15,274
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 325 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
30
in-school suspensions + 110 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 66.9%
White 21.3%
Two or More 5.2%
Asian 4.1%
African American 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.2, Rancho Buena Vista High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Vista Unified, which includes Rancho Buena Vista High.
$15,274
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.1%
State 53.6%
Federal 10.3%
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 Rancho Buena Vista High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vista High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mission Vista High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Madison Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vista Magnet Middle School of Technology Science and Math | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rancho Buena Vista High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,746
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,670
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,158
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 866
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 836
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar high schools in Vista
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Vista High
Standard public school
1,746 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Major General Raymond Murray High
Alternative education program
146 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
North County Trade Tech High
Standard public school
145 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Vista Adult Transition Center
Special-education school
107 students 10.7:1 students per teacher
Alta Vista High (Continuation)
Alternative education program
90 students 15:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,949 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rancho Buena Vista High's federal record.
- Compare Rancho Buena Vista High against another school. Compare schools
- Vista 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 Rancho Buena Vista High
How many students attend Rancho Buena Vista High?
Rancho Buena Vista High has 1,949 students enrolled. It is a high school in Vista, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rancho Buena Vista High?
The student-teacher ratio at Rancho Buena Vista High is 21:1, which is 2% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 34% 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 Rancho Buena Vista High?
50.4% of students at Rancho Buena Vista High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rancho Buena Vista High?
The largest demographic group at Rancho Buena Vista High is Hispanic or Latino at 66.9% of enrollment, in Vista, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rancho Buena Vista High?
Rancho Buena Vista High has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Rancho Buena Vista High rank among high schools in Vista?
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho Buena Vista High ranks #6 of 6 high schools in Vista, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Vista on the city page.
Is Rancho Buena Vista High a good school?
Rancho Buena Vista High earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also one of the largest schools in California. 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 Vista Unified?
Besides Rancho Buena Vista High, Vista Unified also operates Vista High (1,746 students), Mission Vista High (1,670 students), and Madison Middle (1,158 students). See the Vista 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.