Enrollment
386
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Diego, CA
Sycamore Ridge
Federal NCES profile for Sycamore Ridge, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061074011753
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sycamore Ridge earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #16 of 179
- elementary schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- small classes for California
- 21.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Sycamore Ridge has class sizes smaller than 86% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sycamore Ridge ranks #16 of 179 elementary schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
District: Del Mar Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 061074011753 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sycamore Ridge compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sycamore Ridge
Sycamore Ridge is a mid-sized elementary school in San Diego, California, enrolling 386 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 16.1:1, Sycamore Ridge is leaner than roughly 86% of California schools and 25% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.5% free-meal eligibility runs 61% below the California average.
With 386 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 946 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #210.
Its student body is led by Asian (38%) and White (37%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
16.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among San Diego's elementary schools, it stands alongside Albert Einstein Academies (1,448 students): Sycamore Ridge is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.1:1 vs 24.1:1).
Del Mar Union Elementary also operates Carmel Del Mar Elementary (562 students) and Sage Canyon (457 students) alongside Sycamore Ridge.
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 Sycamore Ridge compares
Sycamore Ridge on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▼ 25% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.5% | ▼ 61% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 386 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
386
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 25% below state mean
Top 14% in California - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
16.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$18,416
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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
Asian 38.3%
White 36.8%
Hispanic or Latino 11.7%
Two or More 10.4%
African American 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Asian at 38.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, Sycamore Ridge is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Del Mar Union Elementary, which includes Sycamore Ridge.
$18,416
Per student
+12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 84.4%
State 13.1%
Federal 2.5%
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 Sycamore Ridge Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carmel Del Mar Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sage Canyon | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ocean Air | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Torrey Hills | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pacific Sky | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sycamore Ridge's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 562
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 457
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 450
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 389
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 368
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 8/100
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 (~386 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sycamore Ridge's federal record.
- Compare Sycamore Ridge against another school. Compare schools
- Del Mar Union 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 Sycamore Ridge
How many students attend Sycamore Ridge?
Sycamore Ridge has 386 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Diego, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sycamore Ridge?
The student-teacher ratio at Sycamore Ridge is 16.1:1, which is 25% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 3% 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 Sycamore Ridge?
21.5% of students at Sycamore Ridge are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sycamore Ridge?
The largest demographic group at Sycamore Ridge is Asian at 38.3% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sycamore Ridge?
Sycamore Ridge has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Sycamore Ridge rank among elementary schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, Sycamore Ridge ranks #16 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 Sycamore Ridge a good school?
Sycamore Ridge earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% 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 Del Mar Union Elementary?
Besides Sycamore Ridge, Del Mar Union Elementary also operates Carmel Del Mar Elementary (562 students), Sage Canyon (457 students), and Ocean Air (450 students). See the Del Mar Union 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.