Enrollment
633
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lake Forest, CA
Rancho Canada Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Rancho Canada 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 063386005311
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 67
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rancho Canada Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 7
- elementary schools in Lake Forest · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25.3:1
- large classes for California
- 22.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Rancho Canada Elementary has class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho Canada Elementary ranks #1 of 7 elementary schools in Lake Forest, CA.
School address
District: Saddleback Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 063386005311 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rancho Canada Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rancho Canada Elementary
Rancho Canada Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Lake Forest, California, enrolling 633 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.3:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 22.8% free-meal eligibility runs 59% below the California average.
Enrollment of 633 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 1,362 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #150.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
13.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Lake Forest's elementary schools, it stands alongside Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary (896 students): Rancho Canada Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (25.3:1 vs 26.4:1).
Saddleback Valley Unified also operates Trabuco Hills High (2,475 students) and El Toro High (1,902 students) alongside Rancho Canada 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 Rancho Canada Elementary compares
Rancho Canada 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 | 25.3:1 | ▲ 18% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.8% | ▼ 59% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 633 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.3:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
633
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% 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
25.3:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 81% in California - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
13.1%
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
$13,733
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
2
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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
White 39.8%
Hispanic or Latino 29.5%
Asian 18.8%
Two or More 10.3%
African American 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 39.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.8, Rancho Canada Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Saddleback Valley Unified, which includes Rancho Canada Elementary.
$13,733
Per student
-17%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 62.6%
State 29.5%
Federal 7.9%
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 Canada Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trabuco Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| El Toro High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mission Viejo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Laguna Hills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rancho Canada Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,475
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- 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.
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary
Standard public school
896 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Lake Forest Elementary
Standard public school
640 students 23.7:1 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
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 (~633 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rancho Canada Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Rancho Canada Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Saddleback Valley 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 Canada Elementary
How many students attend Rancho Canada Elementary?
Rancho Canada Elementary has 633 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lake Forest, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rancho Canada Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Rancho Canada Elementary is 25.3:1, which is 18% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Rancho Canada Elementary?
22.8% of students at Rancho Canada Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rancho Canada Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Rancho Canada Elementary is White at 39.8% of enrollment, in Lake Forest, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rancho Canada Elementary?
Rancho Canada 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 Rancho Canada Elementary rank among elementary schools in Lake Forest?
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho Canada Elementary ranks #1 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.
Is Rancho Canada Elementary a good school?
Rancho Canada Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. 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 Saddleback Valley Unified?
Besides Rancho Canada 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.
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.