CaliforniaSchoolsVista La Mesa Academy

Vista La Mesa Academy

PublicRegular
La Mesa, California · Lemon Grove
Teachers22.0FTE
Ratio24.1:1students per teacher
Students531enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students531
Grade Span0–8
Student:Teacher24.1:1
Free/Reduced Lunch71%
Title INo
SectorPublic
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Student : Teacher
24.7:1
2.5%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
21
4.5%vs prior yr
Enrollment
518
2.4%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
ASCA max 1:250
Nurses
NASN max 1:750
Psychologists
1:509
15.2%vs prior yrNASP max 1:500
Social Workers
1:677
13%vs prior yrSSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

14.6:116.9:119.3:121.6:124.0:126.3:12020202120222023202423.3:125.5:124.6:124.1:124.7:1Vista La Mesa AcademyUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

505542579616653690202224262830202020212022202320246776125915315182924242221EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment677612591531518
Teacher FTE2924242221
Pupil : Teacher ratio23.3:125.5:124.6:124.1:124.7:115.4:1

What These Numbers Mean

Teacher FTE

Full-Time Equivalent counts part-time teachers proportionally. One full-time teacher = 1.0 FTE; two half-time teachers also = 1.0 FTE. This is the standard federal reporting unit.

Pupil : Teacher ratio

NCES-reported ratio divides total enrollment by teacher FTE. It is NOT the same as average class size — schools with specialists, coaches, and resource teachers will show lower ratios than typical class sizes.

How to read the trend

A falling pupil:teacher ratio (line going down) means more staffing per student — generally a positive signal. A rising line can indicate budget pressure or fast enrollment growth outpacing hiring. Always compare to the US average (dashed grey).

Historical data spans 20202024 from NCES CCD.

Student Support & Wellbeing

Non-teaching staff who support student mental health, physical health, and behavioural needs. Lower pupil-to-staff ratios mean more one-on-one access.

Counselors & Social Workers — staff to pupils (recommended 1:250)

1:01:1461:2921:4391:5851:7312015201720201:6001:6001:677Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:6481:1,2961:1,9441:2,5921:3,2402015201720201:3,0001:6001:1,2001:6001:509Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric201520172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)000
Nurses (FTE)0.210
Psychologists (FTE)0.511.3
Social Workers (FTE)111
Counselor : Pupils1:250
Nurse : Pupils1:3,0001:6001:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:1,2001:6001:5091:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:6001:6001:6771:250

Why these ratios matter

Counselors (ASCA 250:1)

School counselors support academic planning, college & career readiness, and social-emotional wellbeing. The American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor.

Nurses (NASN 750:1)

School nurses manage chronic conditions, medications, immunisations, and emergencies. The National Association of School Nurses recommends at least 1 full-time nurse per 750 students (more for high-need populations).

Psychologists (NASP 500:1)

School psychologists assess learning & behavioural needs, run mental-health interventions, and coordinate special-education services. NASP recommends 500:1 or lower.

Social workers (SSWAA 250:1)

School social workers bridge home-school relationships, address attendance & trauma, and connect families to community resources. SSWAA recommends 250:1.

Source: US Dept of Education CRDC (20152020) — Civil Rights Data Collection.