Enrollment
1,282
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Irvine, CA
Sierra Vista Middle
Federal NCES profile for Sierra Vista Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 068450007375
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 82
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sierra Vista Middle earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of California schools.
- #4 of 6
- middle schools in Irvine · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 31.3:1
- large classes for California
- 15.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Sierra Vista Middle has class sizes larger than 97% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra Vista Middle ranks #4 of 6 middle schools in Irvine, CA.
School address
District: Irvine Unified · California
NCES ID 068450007375 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
31.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+46% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
15.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sierra Vista Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sierra Vista Middle
Sierra Vista Middle is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Irvine, California, enrolling 1,282 students.
Class loads run heavy: 31.3:1 is larger than about 97% of California schools and 46% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 15.8% free-meal eligibility runs 72% below the California average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in California, bigger than 92% of state schools at 1,282 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 393 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #88.
Its student body is led by Asian (67%) and White (15%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 427 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Irvine Unified spends $13,289 per pupil, 20% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Irvine's middle schools, it stands alongside Jeffrey Trail Middle (1,049 students): Sierra Vista Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (31.3:1 vs 26.9:1).
Irvine Unified also operates Portola High (2,693 students) and University High (2,307 students) alongside Sierra Vista Middle.
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 Sierra Vista Middle compares
Sierra Vista Middle on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 31.3:1 | ▲ 46% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.8% | ▼ 72% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,282 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
31.3:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,282
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
15.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
31.3:1
students per teacher
- 46% above state mean
Top 97% in California - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
7.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,289
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 427 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: 0.2 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
Asian 67.1%
White 14.7%
Two or More 8.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%
African American 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Asian at 67.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.4, Sierra Vista Middle is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Irvine Unified, which includes Sierra Vista Middle.
$13,289
Per student
-20%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 62.4%
State 31.0%
Federal 6.6%
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 Sierra Vista Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portola High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| University High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northwood High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Woodbridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Irvine High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sierra Vista Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,693
- Students per teacher
- 32.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,307
- Students per teacher
- 28.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,244
- Students per teacher
- 27.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,232
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,964
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar middle schools in Irvine
5 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Jeffrey Trail Middle
Standard public school
1,049 students 26.9:1 students per teacher
Rancho San Joaquin Middle
Standard public school
860 students 26.9:1 students per teacher
South Lake Middle
Standard public school
652 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Lakeside Middle
Standard public school
629 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Venado Middle
Standard public school
506 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~1,282 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sierra Vista Middle's federal record.
- Compare Sierra Vista Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Irvine 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 Sierra Vista Middle
How many students attend Sierra Vista Middle?
Sierra Vista Middle has 1,282 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Irvine, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sierra Vista Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Sierra Vista Middle is 31.3:1, which is 46% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 99% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sierra Vista Middle?
15.8% of students at Sierra Vista Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sierra Vista Middle?
The largest demographic group at Sierra Vista Middle is Asian at 67.1% of enrollment, in Irvine, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sierra Vista Middle?
Sierra Vista Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical 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 Sierra Vista Middle rank among middle schools in Irvine?
By Resource Investment Index, Sierra Vista Middle ranks #4 of 6 middle schools in Irvine, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Irvine on the city page.
Is Sierra Vista Middle a good school?
Sierra Vista Middle earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of 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 Irvine Unified?
Besides Sierra Vista Middle, Irvine Unified also operates Portola High (2,693 students), University High (2,307 students), and Northwood High (2,244 students). See the Irvine 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.