Enrollment
230
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Community Alternative
Federal NCES profile for San Francisco Community Alternative, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063441005663
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
San Francisco Community Alternative earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 71% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #26 of 83
- elementary schools in San Francisco · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.2:1
- small classes for California
- 41.1%
- free-lunch eligible
San Francisco Community Alternative has class sizes smaller than 71% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, San Francisco Community Alternative ranks #26 of 83 elementary schools in San Francisco, CA.
School address
District: San Francisco Unified · California
NCES ID 063441005663 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How San Francisco Community Alternative compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at San Francisco Community Alternative
San Francisco Community Alternative is a mid-sized elementary school in San Francisco, California, enrolling 230 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 230 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 497 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #297.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and White (18%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding San Francisco Unified spends $23,654 per pupil, 43% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among San Francisco's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary (673 students): San Francisco Community Alternative is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.2:1 vs 23.2:1).
San Francisco Unified also operates Lowell High (2,571 students) and Lincoln (Abraham) High (2,074 students) alongside San Francisco Community Alternative.
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 San Francisco Community Alternative compares
San Francisco Community Alternative on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.2:1 | ▼ 11% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.1% | ▼ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 230 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.2:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
230
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
19.2:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 29% in California - lower ratio than 71% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
26.1%
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
$23,654
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 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 45.4%
White 17.5%
Asian 12.7%
Two or More 12.7%
African American 11.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.8, San Francisco Community Alternative is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Francisco Unified, which includes San Francisco Community Alternative.
$23,654
Per student
+43%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.8%
State 31.2%
Federal 12.0%
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 San Francisco Community Alternative Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln (Abraham) High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington (George) High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Galileo High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Balboa High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to San Francisco Community Alternative's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,571
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,074
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,068
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,750
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,238
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in San Francisco
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary
Standard public school
673 students 23.2:1 students per teacher
Lau (Gordon J.) Elementary
Standard public school
653 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Lawton Alternative
Standard public school
600 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Yu (Alice Fong) Elementary
Standard public school
594 students 29.7:1 students per teacher
West Portal Elementary
Standard public school
588 students 26.7:1 students per teacher
Buena Vista/ Horace Mann K-8
Standard public school
586 students 18.9:1 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 (~230 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on San Francisco Community Alternative's federal record.
- Compare San Francisco Community Alternative against another school. Compare schools
- San Francisco 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 San Francisco Community Alternative
How many students attend San Francisco Community Alternative?
San Francisco Community Alternative has 230 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Francisco, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at San Francisco Community Alternative?
The student-teacher ratio at San Francisco Community Alternative is 19.2:1, which is 11% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 22% 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 San Francisco Community Alternative?
41.1% of students at San Francisco Community Alternative are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of San Francisco Community Alternative?
The largest demographic group at San Francisco Community Alternative is Hispanic or Latino at 45.4% of enrollment, in San Francisco, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for San Francisco Community Alternative?
San Francisco Community Alternative has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower 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 San Francisco Community Alternative rank among elementary schools in San Francisco?
By Resource Investment Index, San Francisco Community Alternative ranks #26 of 83 elementary schools in San Francisco, 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 San Francisco on the city page.
Is San Francisco Community Alternative a good school?
San Francisco Community Alternative earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 71% 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 San Francisco Unified?
Besides San Francisco Community Alternative, San Francisco Unified also operates Lowell High (2,571 students), Lincoln (Abraham) High (2,074 students), and Washington (George) High (2,068 students). See the San Francisco 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.