- Enrollment
- 3,067
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Marcos, CA
San Marcos Elementary
Federal NCES profile for San Marcos Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063488005892
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 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
San Marcos Elementary earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #9 of 11
- elementary schools in San Marcos · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21:1
- students per teacher
- 76.4%
- free-lunch eligible
San Marcos Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, San Marcos Elementary ranks #9 of 11 elementary schools in San Marcos, CA.
School address
District: San Marcos Unified · California
NCES ID 063488005892 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-25 students YoY
San Marcos Elementary held near 599 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-25 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 26.0 → 28.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-25 students YoY 063488005892 · San Marcos, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
546 enr · 21:1 · 76.4% lunch · RII 22
Nearest enrollment peer: San Marcos High (3,067 students)
San Marcos Elementary held near 599 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-25 headcount). Teacher FTE added 26.0 → 28.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
San Marcos Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- San Marcos Hig
San Marcos High
3,067 students
- Mission Hills
Mission Hills High
2,751 students
- San Elijo Midd
San Elijo Middle
1,395 students
- Woodland Park 1,184
Woodland Park Middle
1,184 students
- Double Peak 1,171
Double Peak
1,171 students
- This school 546
San Marcos Elementary
546 students
What this shows San Marcos Elementary reports 546 students on the CCD universe file.
How San Marcos Elementary compares
San Marcos Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21:1 | ▼ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.4% | ▲ 38% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 546 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
546
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
76.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% 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
21:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 43% in California - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
55.3%
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
$14,622
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 546 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 94.9%
White 2.2%
Two or More 1.5%
Asian 1.3%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 94.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 9.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 9.9, San Marcos Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for San Marcos Unified reports $14,622 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How San Marcos Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Marcos High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mission Hills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| San Elijo Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodland Park Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Double Peak | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to San Marcos Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,751
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,395
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,184
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,171
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in San Marcos
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Double Peak
Standard public school
1,171 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Richland Elementary
Standard public school
883 students 27.6:1 students per teacher
La Mirada Academy
Standard public school
868 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
San Elijo Elementary
Standard public school
834 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Paloma Elementary
Standard public school
758 students 27.1:1 students per teacher
Knob Hill Elementary
Standard public school
725 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~546 students)
Frequently asked questions about San Marcos Elementary
How many students attend San Marcos Elementary?
San Marcos Elementary has 546 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Marcos, CA. CCD year-over-year: 624 (2022-23) → 599 (2023-24), nearly flat (-25).
What is the student-teacher ratio at San Marcos Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at San Marcos Elementary is 21:1, which is 2% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 34% 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 Marcos Elementary?
76.4% of students at San Marcos Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of San Marcos Elementary?
The largest demographic group at San Marcos Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 94.9% of enrollment, in San Marcos, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for San Marcos Elementary?
San Marcos Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does San Marcos Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Marcos?
By Resource Investment Index, San Marcos Elementary ranks #9 of 11 elementary schools in San Marcos, 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 Marcos on the city page.
What other schools are in San Marcos Unified?
Besides San Marcos Elementary, San Marcos Unified also operates San Marcos High (3,067 students), Mission Hills High (2,751 students), and San Elijo Middle (1,395 students). See the San Marcos Unified district page for the complete list.