Enrollment
886
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Palmdale, CA
Rancho Vista Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Rancho Vista Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064212009655
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Rancho Vista Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of California schools.
- #27 of 31
- elementary schools in Palmdale · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.8:1
- large classes for California
- 46.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Rancho Vista Elementary has class sizes larger than 89% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho Vista Elementary ranks #27 of 31 elementary schools in Palmdale, CA.
School address
District: Westside Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 064212009655 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Rancho Vista Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Rancho Vista Elementary
Rancho Vista Elementary is a large elementary school in Palmdale, California, enrolling 886 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.8:1 is larger than about 89% of California schools and 25% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 46.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 886 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 978 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #816, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and White (21%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 886 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Westside Union Elementary spends $12,392 per pupil, 25% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Palmdale's elementary schools, it stands alongside Los Amigos - Dual Immersion (1,027 students): Rancho Vista Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (26.8:1 vs 28.5:1).
Westside Union Elementary also operates Hillview Middle (1,100 students) and Esperanza Elementary (962 students) alongside Rancho Vista 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 Vista Elementary compares
Rancho Vista 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 | 26.8:1 | ▲ 25% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.7% | ▼ 16% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 886 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.8:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
886
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
26.8:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 89% in California - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
41.0%
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
$12,392
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 886 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 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 56.6%
White 20.7%
African American 12.9%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.5, Rancho Vista Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Westside Union Elementary, which includes Rancho Vista Elementary.
$12,392
Per student
-25%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.4%
State 65.5%
Federal 7.1%
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 Vista Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillview Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Esperanza Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sundown Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gregg Anderson Academy | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Quartz Hill Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Rancho Vista Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,100
- Students per teacher
- 27.5:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 962
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
- Enrollment
- 941
- Students per teacher
- 29.4:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 893
- Students per teacher
- 27.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
Similar elementary schools in Palmdale
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Los Amigos - Dual Immersion
Alternative education program
1,027 students 28.5:1 students per teacher
Esperanza Elementary
Standard public school
962 students 26.7:1 students per teacher
Dos Caminos Dual Immersion
Alternative education program
945 students 27:1 students per teacher
Gregg Anderson Academy
Standard public school
893 students 27.9:1 students per teacher
Palmdale Learning Plaza
Standard public school
800 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Daisy Gibson Elementary
Standard public school
714 students 29.8:1 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 (~886 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~26.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Rancho Vista Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Rancho Vista Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Westside Union Elementary'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 Vista Elementary
How many students attend Rancho Vista Elementary?
Rancho Vista Elementary has 886 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Palmdale, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Rancho Vista Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Rancho Vista Elementary is 26.8:1, which is 25% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 71% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Rancho Vista Elementary?
46.7% of students at Rancho Vista Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Rancho Vista Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Rancho Vista Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 56.6% of enrollment, in Palmdale, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Rancho Vista Elementary?
Rancho Vista Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (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 Vista Elementary rank among elementary schools in Palmdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Rancho Vista Elementary ranks #27 of 31 elementary schools in Palmdale, 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 Palmdale on the city page.
Is Rancho Vista Elementary a good school?
Rancho Vista Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Westside Union Elementary?
Besides Rancho Vista Elementary, Westside Union Elementary also operates Hillview Middle (1,100 students), Esperanza Elementary (962 students), and Sundown Elementary (941 students). See the Westside Union Elementary 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.