Enrollment
906
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Ana, CA
Santiago Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Santiago Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063531006006
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 19
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Santiago Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #42 of 51
- elementary schools in Santa Ana · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.6:1
- students per teacher
- 51.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Santiago Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Santiago Elementary ranks #42 of 51 elementary schools in Santa Ana, CA.
School address
District: Santa Ana Unified · California
NCES ID 063531006006 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Santiago Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Santiago Elementary
Santiago Elementary is a higher-need, large elementary school in Santa Ana, California, enrolling 906 students.
At 22.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 51.4% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 906 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,000 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #455.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 453 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.2% 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): Santiago Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.6:1 vs 20.3:1).
Santa Ana Unified also operates Santa Ana High (2,505 students) and Segerstrom High (2,376 students) alongside Santiago Elementary.
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 Santiago Elementary compares
Santiago Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.6:1 | ▲ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.4% | ▼ 7% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 906 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.6:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
906
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% 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
22.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 59% in California - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
32.2%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 453 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.1 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 90.9%
White 2.9%
Asian 2.4%
Two or More 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.2, Santiago Elementary 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 Santiago Elementary.
$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 Santiago Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Segerstrom High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hector G. Godinez | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Century High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Santiago Elementary'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
Romero-Cruz Academy
Standard public school
827 students 17.2:1 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 (~906 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Santiago Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Santiago Elementary 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 Santiago Elementary
How many students attend Santiago Elementary?
Santiago Elementary has 906 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Ana, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Santiago Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Santiago Elementary is 22.6:1, which is 5% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 44% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Santiago Elementary?
51.4% of students at Santiago Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Santiago Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Santiago Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 90.9% of enrollment, in Santa Ana, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Santiago Elementary?
Santiago Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Santiago Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santa Ana?
By Resource Investment Index, Santiago Elementary ranks #42 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 Santiago Elementary a good school?
Santiago Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. 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 Santiago Elementary, 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.