Enrollment
384
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Diego, CA
Solana Highlands Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Solana Highlands Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063699009196
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Solana Highlands Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #33 of 179
- elementary schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.3:1
- students per teacher
- 5.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Solana Highlands Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Solana Highlands Elementary ranks #33 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
District: Solana Beach Elementary · California
NCES ID 063699009196 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
5.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-89% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Solana Highlands Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Solana Highlands Elementary
Solana Highlands Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in San Diego, California, enrolling 384 students.
At 21.3:1, 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.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 5.9% free-meal eligibility runs 89% below the California average.
With 384 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.
Against 510 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #219.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Asian (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 384 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.3% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Solana Beach Elementary spends $21,403 per pupil, 30% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among San Diego's elementary schools, it stands alongside Albert Einstein Academies (1,448 students): Solana Highlands Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.3:1 vs 24.1:1).
Solana Beach Elementary also operates Solana Ranch Elementary (482 students) and Skyline Elementary (410 students) alongside Solana Highlands 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 Solana Highlands Elementary compares
Solana Highlands 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 | 21.3:1 | ▼ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 5.9% | ▼ 89% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 384 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
384
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
5.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 89% 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
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 46% in California - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
6.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$21,403
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 384 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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
White 46.1%
Asian 28.9%
Two or More 13.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
African American 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 46.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.6, Solana Highlands Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Solana Beach Elementary, which includes Solana Highlands Elementary.
$21,403
Per student
+30%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 82.0%
State 11.7%
Federal 6.3%
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 Solana Highlands Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solana Ranch Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Skyline Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Solana Pacific Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Solana Santa Fe Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carmel Creek Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Solana Highlands Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 482
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 410
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 375
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 334
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 317
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in San Diego
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Albert Einstein Academies
Standard public school
1,448 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Design 39 Campus
Standard public school
1,216 students 27:1 students per teacher
Nestor Language Academy Charter
Standard public school
1,079 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Ocean View Hills
Standard public school
1,020 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Language Academy
Standard public school
1,015 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Del Sur Elementary
Standard public school
891 students 24.1:1 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 (~384 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Solana Highlands Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Solana Highlands Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Solana Beach Elementary'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 Solana Highlands Elementary
How many students attend Solana Highlands Elementary?
Solana Highlands Elementary has 384 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Diego, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Solana Highlands Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Solana Highlands Elementary is 21.3:1, which is 1% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Solana Highlands Elementary?
5.9% of students at Solana Highlands Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Solana Highlands Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Solana Highlands Elementary is White at 46.1% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Solana Highlands Elementary?
Solana Highlands Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Solana Highlands Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, Solana Highlands Elementary ranks #33 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, 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 San Diego on the city page.
Is Solana Highlands Elementary a good school?
Solana Highlands Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. 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 Solana Beach Elementary?
Besides Solana Highlands Elementary, Solana Beach Elementary also operates Solana Ranch Elementary (482 students), Skyline Elementary (410 students), and Solana Pacific Elementary (375 students). See the Solana Beach Elementary 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.