Enrollment
554
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chula Vista, CA
Vista Square Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Vista Square Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060861000882
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vista Square Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #29 of 42
- elementary schools in Chula Vista · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.5:1
- students per teacher
- 75.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Vista Square Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Square Elementary ranks #29 of 42 elementary schools in Chula Vista, CA.
School address
District: Chula Vista Elementary · California
NCES ID 060861000882 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vista Square Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vista Square Elementary
Vista Square Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Chula Vista, California, enrolling 554 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 20.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 75.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 554 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 2,194 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #688.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 59.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Chula Vista's elementary schools, it stands alongside Feaster (Mae L.) Charter (1,095 students): Vista Square Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.5:1 vs 19.6:1).
Chula Vista Elementary also operates Wolf Canyon Elementary (954 students) and Camarena (Enrique S.) Elementary (889 students) alongside Vista Square 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 Vista Square Elementary compares
Vista Square 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 | 20.5:1 | ▼ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.1% | ▲ 35% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 554 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.5:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
554
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
20.5:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 39% in California - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
59.4%
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
$18,653
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
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 87.2%
White 5.1%
Two or More 2.9%
African American 2.5%
Asian 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 87.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.5, Vista Square Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chula Vista Elementary, which includes Vista Square Elementary.
$18,653
Per student
+13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.0%
State 47.1%
Federal 12.0%
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 Square Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf Canyon Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Camarena (Enrique S.) Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hedenkamp (Anne and William) Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Salt Creek Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Veterans Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vista Square Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 954
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 889
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 835
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 832
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools in Chula Vista
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Feaster (Mae L.) Charter
Standard public school
1,095 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Wolf Canyon Elementary
Standard public school
954 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Discovery Charter
Standard public school
945 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Arroyo Vista Charter
Standard public school
911 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Camarena (Enrique S.) Elementary
Standard public school
889 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Hedenkamp (Anne and William) Elementary
Standard public school
855 students 21.9:1 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 (~554 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vista Square Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Vista Square Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Chula Vista 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 Vista Square Elementary
How many students attend Vista Square Elementary?
Vista Square Elementary has 554 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chula Vista, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vista Square Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Vista Square Elementary is 20.5:1, which is 5% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 31% 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 Square Elementary?
75.1% of students at Vista Square Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vista Square Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Vista Square Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 87.2% of enrollment, in Chula Vista, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vista Square Elementary?
Vista Square Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Square Elementary rank among elementary schools in Chula Vista?
By Resource Investment Index, Vista Square Elementary ranks #29 of 42 elementary schools in Chula Vista, 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 Chula Vista on the city page.
Is Vista Square Elementary a good school?
Vista Square Elementary earns 29/100 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 Chula Vista Elementary?
Besides Vista Square Elementary, Chula Vista Elementary also operates Wolf Canyon Elementary (954 students), Camarena (Enrique S.) Elementary (889 students), and Hedenkamp (Anne and William) Elementary (855 students). See the Chula Vista 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.