Enrollment
827
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Ana, CA
Romero-Cruz Academy
Federal NCES profile for Romero-Cruz Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063531007597
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 4
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Romero-Cruz Academy earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #7 of 51
- elementary schools in Santa Ana · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- small classes for California
- 71.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Romero-Cruz Academy has class sizes smaller than 83% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Romero-Cruz Academy ranks #7 of 51 elementary schools in Santa Ana, CA.
School address
District: Santa Ana Unified · California
NCES ID 063531007597 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
+30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Romero-Cruz Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Romero-Cruz Academy
Romero-Cruz Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Santa Ana, California, enrolling 827 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 17.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 827 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.
Among 1,476 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #136, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (97% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 6/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 276 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Santa Ana's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mcfadden Institute of Technology (1,074 students): Romero-Cruz Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.2:1 vs 20.3:1).
Santa Ana Unified also operates Santa Ana High (2,505 students) and Segerstrom High (2,376 students) alongside Romero-Cruz Academy.
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 Romero-Cruz Academy compares
Romero-Cruz Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.2:1 | ▼ 20% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.9% | ▲ 30% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 827 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
827
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 17% in California - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
38.5%
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
$18,933
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 276 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 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 97.1%
Asian 1.3%
White 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 97.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 5.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 5.7, Romero-Cruz Academy is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Santa Ana Unified, which includes Romero-Cruz Academy.
$18,933
Per student
+15%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.0%
State 54.7%
Federal 19.3%
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 Romero-Cruz Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Segerstrom High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hector G. Godinez | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Century High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Romero-Cruz Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,505
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 2,376
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,908
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,687
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,519
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Ana
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mcfadden Institute of Technology
Standard public school
1,074 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy
Standard public school
980 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Santiago Elementary
Standard public school
906 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Greenville Fundamental Elementary
Standard public school
817 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Manuel Esqueda Elementary
Standard public school
811 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Martin R. Heninger Elementary
Standard public school
783 students 20.1:1 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 (~827 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Romero-Cruz Academy's federal record.
- Compare Romero-Cruz Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Santa Ana 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 Romero-Cruz Academy
How many students attend Romero-Cruz Academy?
Romero-Cruz Academy has 827 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Ana, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Romero-Cruz Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Romero-Cruz Academy is 17.2:1, which is 20% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 10% 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 Romero-Cruz Academy?
71.9% of students at Romero-Cruz Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Romero-Cruz Academy?
The largest demographic group at Romero-Cruz Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 97.1% of enrollment, in Santa Ana, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Romero-Cruz Academy?
Romero-Cruz Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical 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 Romero-Cruz Academy rank among elementary schools in Santa Ana?
By Resource Investment Index, Romero-Cruz Academy ranks #7 of 51 elementary schools in Santa Ana, 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 Santa Ana on the city page.
Is Romero-Cruz Academy a good school?
Romero-Cruz Academy earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of California schools. It is also less 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 Santa Ana Unified?
Besides Romero-Cruz Academy, Santa Ana Unified also operates Santa Ana High (2,505 students), Segerstrom High (2,376 students), and Valley High (1,908 students). See the Santa Ana 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.