Enrollment
499
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · San Clemente, CA
Vista Del Mar Middle
Federal NCES profile for Vista Del Mar Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060744011266
👥 S:T ratio 23
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vista Del Mar Middle earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 71% of California schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in San Clemente · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19.2:1
- small classes for California
- 10.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Vista Del Mar Middle has class sizes smaller than 71% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Del Mar Middle ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in San Clemente, CA.
School address
District: Capistrano Unified · California
NCES ID 060744011266 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
10.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-81% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vista Del Mar Middle compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vista Del Mar Middle
Vista Del Mar Middle is a lower-poverty, mid-sized middle school in San Clemente, California, enrolling 499 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 10.6% free-meal eligibility runs 81% below the California average.
With 499 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 898 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #57, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 250 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among San Clemente's middle schools, it stands alongside Bernice Ayer Middle (919 students): Vista Del Mar Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.2:1 vs 21.4:1).
Capistrano Unified also operates San Clemente High (2,740 students) and San Juan Hills High (2,641 students) alongside Vista Del Mar 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 Vista Del Mar Middle compares
Vista Del Mar 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 | 19.2:1 | ▼ 11% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.6% | ▼ 81% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 499 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.2:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
499
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
10.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 81% 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
19.2:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 29% in California - lower ratio than 71% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
18.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,421
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 250 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.0 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 73.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.8%
Two or More 10.2%
Asian 4.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 73.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.1, Vista Del Mar Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Capistrano Unified, which includes Vista Del Mar Middle.
$14,421
Per student
-13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 61.2%
State 31.0%
Federal 7.7%
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 Vista Del Mar Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Clemente High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| San Juan Hills High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Aliso Niguel High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tesoro High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Capistrano Valley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vista Del Mar Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,740
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,641
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,563
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,030
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,991
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar middle schools in San Clemente
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~499 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vista Del Mar Middle's federal record.
- Compare Vista Del Mar Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Capistrano 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 Vista Del Mar Middle
How many students attend Vista Del Mar Middle?
Vista Del Mar Middle has 499 students enrolled. It is a middle school in San Clemente, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista Del Mar Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Vista Del Mar Middle is 19.2:1, which is 11% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 22% 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 Vista Del Mar Middle?
10.6% of students at Vista Del Mar Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vista Del Mar Middle?
The largest demographic group at Vista Del Mar Middle is White at 73.7% of enrollment, in San Clemente, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vista Del Mar Middle?
Vista Del Mar Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 Vista Del Mar Middle rank among middle schools in San Clemente?
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Del Mar Middle ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in San Clemente, 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 San Clemente on the city page.
Is Vista Del Mar Middle a good school?
Vista Del Mar Middle earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 71% 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 Capistrano Unified?
Besides Vista Del Mar Middle, Capistrano Unified also operates San Clemente High (2,740 students), San Juan Hills High (2,641 students), and Aliso Niguel High (2,563 students). See the Capistrano 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.