Enrollment
533
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · El Cajon, CA
Rancho San Diego Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Rancho San Diego Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060681008802
👥 S:T ratio 3
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rancho San Diego Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of California schools.
- #12 of 24
- elementary schools in El Cajon · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.2:1
- large classes for California
- 48.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Rancho San Diego Elementary has class sizes larger than 73% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho San Diego Elementary ranks #12 of 24 elementary schools in El Cajon, CA.
School address
District: Cajon Valley Union · California
NCES ID 060681008802 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rancho San Diego Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rancho San Diego Elementary
Rancho San Diego Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in El Cajon, California, enrolling 533 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.2:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 48.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 533 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,487 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #820.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 533 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among El Cajon's elementary schools, it stands alongside Naranca Elementary (985 students): Rancho San Diego Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.2:1 vs 30.8:1).
Cajon Valley Union also operates Hillsdale Middle (1,481 students) and Naranca Elementary (985 students) alongside Rancho San Diego 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 San Diego Elementary compares
Rancho San Diego 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 | 24.2:1 | ▲ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.7% | ▼ 12% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 533 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.2:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
533
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
24.2:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 73% in California - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
29.6%
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
$17,179
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 533 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 55.3%
Hispanic or Latino 26.1%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 6.8%
African American 2.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: White at 55.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.6, Rancho San Diego Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cajon Valley Union, which includes Rancho San Diego Elementary.
$17,179
Per student
+4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.3%
State 58.5%
Federal 13.2%
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 San Diego Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsdale Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Naranca Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cajon Valley Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Montgomery Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lexington Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rancho San Diego Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,481
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 985
- Students per teacher
- 30.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 942
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 929
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 878
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
Similar elementary schools in El Cajon
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Naranca Elementary
Standard public school
985 students 30.8:1 students per teacher
Lexington Elementary
Standard public school
878 students 27.4:1 students per teacher
Johnson Elementary
Standard public school
766 students 28.4:1 students per teacher
Chase Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
757 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Flying Hills School of Arts
Standard public school
742 students 26.5:1 students per teacher
Magnolia Elementary
Standard public school
703 students 29.3:1 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 (~533 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rancho San Diego Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Rancho San Diego Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Cajon Valley Union'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 San Diego Elementary
How many students attend Rancho San Diego Elementary?
Rancho San Diego Elementary has 533 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in El Cajon, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rancho San Diego Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Rancho San Diego Elementary is 24.2:1, which is 13% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 54% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Rancho San Diego Elementary?
48.7% of students at Rancho San Diego Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rancho San Diego Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Rancho San Diego Elementary is White at 55.3% of enrollment, in El Cajon, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rancho San Diego Elementary?
Rancho San Diego Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 Rancho San Diego Elementary rank among elementary schools in El Cajon?
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho San Diego Elementary ranks #12 of 24 elementary schools in El Cajon, 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 El Cajon on the city page.
Is Rancho San Diego Elementary a good school?
Rancho San Diego Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% 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 Cajon Valley Union?
Besides Rancho San Diego Elementary, Cajon Valley Union also operates Hillsdale Middle (1,481 students), Naranca Elementary (985 students), and Cajon Valley Middle (942 students). See the Cajon Valley Union 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.