Enrollment
517
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lake Forest, CA
Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063386005313
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #3 of 7
- elementary schools in Lake Forest · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 27.2:1
- large classes for California
- 33.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary has class sizes larger than 90% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary ranks #3 of 7 elementary schools in Lake Forest, CA.
School address
District: Saddleback Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 063386005313 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
-40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary
Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Lake Forest, California, enrolling 517 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.2:1 is larger than about 90% of California schools and 27% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 517 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,348 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #131, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and White (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
15.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Lake Forest's elementary schools, it stands alongside Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary (896 students): Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (27.2:1 vs 26.4:1).
Saddleback Valley Unified also operates Trabuco Hills High (2,475 students) and El Toro High (1,902 students) alongside Santiago Steam Magnet 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 Steam Magnet Elementary compares
Santiago Steam Magnet 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 | 27.2:1 | ▲ 27% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.2% | ▼ 40% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 517 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.2:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
517
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
27.2:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 90% in California - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
15.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,733
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
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
4
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 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 40.2%
White 32.3%
Two or More 16.2%
Asian 9.9%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.8, Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Saddleback Valley Unified, which includes Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary.
$13,733
Per student
-17%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 62.6%
State 29.5%
Federal 7.9%
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 Steam Magnet Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trabuco Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| El Toro High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mission Viejo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Laguna Hills High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,475
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,902
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,566
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,317
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,153
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar elementary schools in Lake Forest
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Ralph a. Gates Dli Magnet Elementary
Standard public school
896 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Lake Forest Elementary
Standard public school
640 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Rancho Canada Elementary
Standard public school
633 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Oxford Preparatory Academy - Saddleback Valley
Standard public school
565 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
La Madera Elementary
Standard public school
554 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Olivewood Elementary
Standard public school
396 students 22:1 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 (~517 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~27.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Saddleback Valley 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 Steam Magnet Elementary
How many students attend Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary?
Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary has 517 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lake Forest, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary is 27.2:1, which is 27% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 73% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary?
33.2% of students at Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 40.2% of enrollment, in Lake Forest, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary?
Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical 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 Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary rank among elementary schools in Lake Forest?
By Resource Investment Index, Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary ranks #3 of 7 elementary schools in Lake Forest, 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 Lake Forest on the city page.
Is Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary a good school?
Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% 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 Saddleback Valley Unified?
Besides Santiago Steam Magnet Elementary, Saddleback Valley Unified also operates Trabuco Hills High (2,475 students), El Toro High (1,902 students), and Mission Viejo High (1,566 students). See the Saddleback Valley 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.