Enrollment
518
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · La Mesa, CA
Vista La Mesa Academy
Federal NCES profile for Vista La Mesa Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062133002556
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vista La Mesa Academy earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #3 of 12
- elementary schools in La Mesa · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.6:1
- students per teacher
- 55.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Vista La Mesa Academy has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vista La Mesa Academy ranks #3 of 12 elementary schools in La Mesa, CA.
School address
District: Lemon Grove · California
NCES ID 062133002556 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
+0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vista La Mesa Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vista La Mesa Academy
Vista La Mesa Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in La Mesa, California, enrolling 518 students.
At 21.6:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 55.5% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 518 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,707 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #677.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (63%) and African American (15%) (diversity index 57/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 64.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among La Mesa's elementary schools, it stands alongside La Mesa Arts Academy (1,059 students): Vista La Mesa Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.6:1 vs 24.6:1).
Lemon Grove also operates Lemon Grove Academy for the Sciences and Humanities (516 students) and San Miguel Elementary (435 students) alongside Vista La Mesa Academy.
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 La Mesa Academy compares
Vista La Mesa Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.6:1 | ▲ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.5% | ▼ 0% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 518 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.6:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
518
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.6:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 49% in California - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
64.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,124
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.9 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 62.7%
African American 14.5%
White 9.8%
Asian 7.5%
Two or More 3.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 62.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.9, Vista La Mesa Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lemon Grove, which includes Vista La Mesa Academy.
$17,124
Per student
+4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.1%
State 58.9%
Federal 14.9%
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 Vista La Mesa Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon Grove Academy for the Sciences and Humanities | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Miguel Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lemon Grove Academy Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mt. Vernon | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Monterey Heights Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vista La Mesa Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 399
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 6/100
- Enrollment
- 359
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 341
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
Similar elementary schools in La Mesa
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
La Mesa Arts Academy
Standard public school
1,059 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Murdock Elementary
Standard public school
608 students 27.6:1 students per teacher
Avocado Elementary
Standard public school
573 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Murray Manor Elementary
Standard public school
530 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Lemon Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
502 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
La Mesa Dale Elementary
Standard public school
460 students 24.2:1 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 (~518 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vista La Mesa Academy's federal record.
- Compare Vista La Mesa Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Lemon Grove'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 La Mesa Academy
How many students attend Vista La Mesa Academy?
Vista La Mesa Academy has 518 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in La Mesa, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista La Mesa Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Vista La Mesa Academy is 21.6:1, which is 0% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vista La Mesa Academy?
55.5% of students at Vista La Mesa Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vista La Mesa Academy?
The largest demographic group at Vista La Mesa Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 62.7% of enrollment, in La Mesa, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vista La Mesa Academy?
Vista La Mesa Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Vista La Mesa Academy rank among elementary schools in La Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Vista La Mesa Academy ranks #3 of 12 elementary schools in La Mesa, 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 La Mesa on the city page.
Is Vista La Mesa Academy a good school?
Vista La Mesa Academy earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Lemon Grove?
Besides Vista La Mesa Academy, Lemon Grove also operates Lemon Grove Academy for the Sciences and Humanities (516 students), San Miguel Elementary (435 students), and Lemon Grove Academy Elementary (399 students). See the Lemon Grove 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.