- Enrollment
- 1,157
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Margarita, CA
Santa Margarita Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Santa Margarita Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 19/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060330000254
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Santa Margarita Elementary earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of California schools.
- 19
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27:1
- large classes for California
- 25.5%
- free-lunch eligible
- 297
- students enrolled
Santa Margarita Elementary has class sizes larger than 89% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Atascadero Unified · California
NCES ID 060330000254 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+17 students YoY
Santa Margarita Elementary grew from 267 students in 2022-23 to 284 in 2023-24 (+6.4%).
Teacher FTE added 11.2 → 11.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+17 students YoY 060330000254 · Santa Margarita, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
297 enr · 27:1 · 25.5% lunch · RII 19
Nearest enrollment peer: Atascadero High (1,157 students)
Santa Margarita Elementary grew from 267 students in 2022-23 to 284 in 2023-24 (+6.4%). Teacher FTE added 11.2 → 11.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Santa Margarita Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Atascadero Hig
Atascadero High
1,157 students
- Atascadero Mid
Atascadero Middle
845 students
- San Benito Ele 403
San Benito Elementary
403 students
- Monterey Road 382
Monterey Road Elementary
382 students
- Santa Rosa Roa 377
Santa Rosa Road Academic Academy
377 students
- This school 297
Santa Margarita Elementary
297 students
What this shows Santa Margarita Elementary reports 297 students on the CCD universe file.
How Santa Margarita Elementary compares
Santa Margarita Elementary is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 27:1 | ▲ 26% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 25.5% | ▼ 54% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 297 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
297
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
25.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
27:1
students per teacher
- 26% 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
29.0%
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
$14,952
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 68.7%
Hispanic or Latino 19.2%
Two or More 9.8%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 68.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.1, Santa Margarita Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Atascadero Unified reports $14,952 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Santa Margarita Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atascadero High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Atascadero Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Benito Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Monterey Road Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Santa Rosa Road Academic Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Santa Margarita Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 403
- Students per teacher
- 26.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 382
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 377
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Margarita
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~297 students)
Frequently asked questions about Santa Margarita Elementary
How many students attend Santa Margarita Elementary?
Santa Margarita Elementary has 297 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Margarita, CA. CCD year-over-year: 267 (2022-23) → 284 (2023-24), up 17.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Santa Margarita Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Santa Margarita Elementary is 27:1, which is 26% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 72% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Santa Margarita Elementary?
25.5% of students at Santa Margarita Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Santa Margarita Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Santa Margarita Elementary is White at 68.7% of enrollment, in Santa Margarita, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Santa Margarita Elementary?
Santa Margarita Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 19/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Atascadero Unified?
Besides Santa Margarita Elementary, Atascadero Unified also operates Atascadero High (1,157 students), Atascadero Middle (845 students), and San Benito Elementary (403 students). See the Atascadero Unified district page for the complete list.