Enrollment
269
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lakeside, CA
Winter Gardens Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Winter Gardens Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062079002499
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 69
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Winter Gardens Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #5 of 8
- elementary schools in Lakeside · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.4:1
- students per teacher
- 20.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Winter Gardens Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Winter Gardens Elementary ranks #5 of 8 elementary schools in Lakeside, CA.
School address
District: Lakeside Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 062079002499 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Winter Gardens Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Winter Gardens Elementary
Winter Gardens Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Lakeside, California, enrolling 269 students.
At 22.4:1, 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, 20.3% free-meal eligibility runs 63% below the California average.
Enrollment of 269 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 385 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #301, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (52%) and White (34%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 897 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
12.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Lakeside's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lakeside Farms Elementary (667 students): Winter Gardens Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.4:1 vs 23.8:1).
Lakeside Union Elementary also operates Lakeside Middle (724 students) and Tierra Del Sol Middle (713 students) alongside Winter Gardens 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 Winter Gardens Elementary compares
Winter Gardens 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 | 22.4:1 | ▲ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.3% | ▼ 63% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 269 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.4:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
269
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% 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
22.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 57% in California - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
12.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$15,593
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
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 52.4%
White 33.5%
Two or More 8.6%
Asian 4.1%
African American 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.4, Winter Gardens Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lakeside Union Elementary, which includes Winter Gardens Elementary.
$15,593
Per student
-6%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.2%
State 59.5%
Federal 11.3%
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 Winter Gardens Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tierra Del Sol Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakeside Farms Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakeview Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Riverview Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Winter Gardens Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 724
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 713
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 667
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 666
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 469
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Lakeside
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lakeside Farms Elementary
Standard public school
667 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Lakeview Elementary
Standard public school
666 students 24.7:1 students per teacher
Riverview Elementary
Standard public school
469 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Lemon Crest Elementary
Standard public school
437 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Lindo Park Elementary
Standard public school
421 students 20:1 students per teacher
Lakeside Union Alternative Education
Alternative education program
138 students 46:1 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 (~269 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Winter Gardens Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Winter Gardens Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Lakeside 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 Winter Gardens Elementary
How many students attend Winter Gardens Elementary?
Winter Gardens Elementary has 269 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lakeside, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Winter Gardens Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Winter Gardens Elementary is 22.4:1, which is 4% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Winter Gardens Elementary?
20.3% of students at Winter Gardens Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Winter Gardens Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Winter Gardens Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 52.4% of enrollment, in Lakeside, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Winter Gardens Elementary?
Winter Gardens Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Winter Gardens Elementary rank among elementary schools in Lakeside?
By Resource Investment Index, Winter Gardens Elementary ranks #5 of 8 elementary schools in Lakeside, 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 Lakeside on the city page.
Is Winter Gardens Elementary a good school?
Winter Gardens Elementary earns 27/100 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 Lakeside Union Elementary?
Besides Winter Gardens Elementary, Lakeside Union Elementary also operates Lakeside Middle (724 students), Tierra Del Sol Middle (713 students), and Lakeside Farms Elementary (667 students). See the Lakeside 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.