Enrollment
425
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Aliso Viejo, CA
Wood Canyon Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Wood Canyon Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060744003389
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wood Canyon Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 5
- elementary schools in Aliso Viejo · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.3:1
- students per teacher
- 44.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Wood Canyon Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wood Canyon Elementary ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Aliso Viejo, CA.
School address
District: Capistrano Unified · California
NCES ID 060744003389 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wood Canyon Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wood Canyon Elementary
Wood Canyon Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Aliso Viejo, California, enrolling 425 students.
At 21.3:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 425 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,277 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #728.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (39%) and White (37%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 425 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Aliso Viejo's elementary schools, it stands alongside Don Juan Avila Elementary (672 students): Wood Canyon Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.3:1 vs 24.9:1).
Capistrano Unified also operates San Clemente High (2,740 students) and San Juan Hills High (2,641 students) alongside Wood Canyon 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 Wood Canyon Elementary compares
Wood Canyon 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 | 21.3:1 | ▼ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.7% | ▼ 19% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 425 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
425
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 46% in California - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
37.9%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 425 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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 38.8%
White 37.2%
Two or More 14.8%
Asian 8.2%
African American 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.2, Wood Canyon Elementary is more 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 Wood Canyon Elementary.
$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 Wood Canyon Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Clemente High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| San Juan Hills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Aliso Niguel High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tesoro High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Capistrano Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wood Canyon Elementary'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 elementary schools in Aliso Viejo
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Don Juan Avila Elementary
Standard public school
672 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
Journey
Standard public school
617 students 26.8:1 students per teacher
Oak Grove Elementary
Standard public school
569 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Canyon Vista Elementary
Standard public school
533 students 28.1:1 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 (~425 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wood Canyon Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Wood Canyon Elementary 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 Wood Canyon Elementary
How many students attend Wood Canyon Elementary?
Wood Canyon Elementary has 425 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Aliso Viejo, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wood Canyon Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Wood Canyon Elementary is 21.3:1, which is 1% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% 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 Wood Canyon Elementary?
44.7% of students at Wood Canyon Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wood Canyon Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Wood Canyon Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 38.8% of enrollment, in Aliso Viejo, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wood Canyon Elementary?
Wood Canyon Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Wood Canyon Elementary rank among elementary schools in Aliso Viejo?
By Resource Investment Index, Wood Canyon Elementary ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Aliso Viejo, 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 Aliso Viejo on the city page.
Is Wood Canyon Elementary a good school?
Wood Canyon Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Capistrano Unified?
Besides Wood Canyon Elementary, 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.