- Enrollment
- 2,463
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Oceanside, CA
Santa Margarita Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Santa Margarita Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062825004373
👥 S:T ratio 5
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Santa Margarita Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 23
- elementary schools in Oceanside · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.7:1
- students per teacher
- 27.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Santa Margarita Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Santa Margarita Elementary ranks #2 of 23 elementary schools in Oceanside, CA.
School address
District: Oceanside Unified · California
NCES ID 062825004373 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+15 students YoY
Santa Margarita Elementary held near 556 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+15 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 23.6 → 24.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+15 students YoY 062825004373 · Oceanside, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
544 enr · 23.7:1 · 27.5% lunch · RII 25
Nearest enrollment peer: El Camino High (2,463 students)
Santa Margarita Elementary held near 556 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+15 headcount). Teacher FTE added 23.6 → 24.5 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
- El Camino High
El Camino High
2,463 students
- Oceanside High
Oceanside High
1,948 students
- Martin Luther
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle
1,098 students
- North Terrace 771
North Terrace Elementary
771 students
- Louise Foussat 755
Louise Foussat Elementary
755 students
- This school 544
Santa Margarita Elementary
544 students
What this shows Santa Margarita Elementary reports 544 students on the CCD universe file.
How Santa Margarita Elementary compares
Santa Margarita 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 | 23.7:1 | ▲ 10% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.5% | ▼ 50% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 544 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.7:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
544
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
27.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
23.7:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 69% in California - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
13.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$18,118
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 544 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 43.2%
White 34.2%
Two or More 10.7%
African American 8.1%
Asian 2.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.8, Santa Margarita Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Oceanside Unified reports $18,118 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Camino High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Oceanside High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Terrace Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Louise Foussat Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher 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
- 1,948
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 1,098
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 8/100
- Enrollment
- 755
- Students per teacher
- 34.3:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
Similar elementary schools in Oceanside
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary
Standard public school
820 students 21.6:1 students per teacher
North Terrace Elementary
Standard public school
771 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Louise Foussat Elementary
Standard public school
755 students 34.3:1 students per teacher
Empresa Elementary
Standard public school
705 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Ivey Ranch Elementary
Standard public school
698 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Lake Elementary
Standard public school
696 students 24.9:1 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 (~544 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.7:1)
Frequently asked questions about Santa Margarita Elementary
How many students attend Santa Margarita Elementary?
Santa Margarita Elementary has 544 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Oceanside, CA. CCD year-over-year: 541 (2022-23) → 556 (2023-24), nearly flat (+15).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Santa Margarita Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Santa Margarita Elementary is 23.7:1, which is 10% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 51% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Santa Margarita Elementary?
27.5% 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 Hispanic or Latino at 43.2% of enrollment, in Oceanside, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Santa Margarita Elementary?
Santa Margarita Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Santa Margarita Elementary rank among elementary schools in Oceanside?
By Resource Investment Index, Santa Margarita Elementary ranks #2 of 23 elementary schools in Oceanside, 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 Oceanside on the city page.
What other schools are in Oceanside Unified?
Besides Santa Margarita Elementary, Oceanside Unified also operates El Camino High (2,463 students), Oceanside High (1,948 students), and Martin Luther King Jr. Middle (1,098 students). See the Oceanside Unified district page for the complete list.