Enrollment
281
Elementary
DISTRICT 503 · STATE 465
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·CARLSBAD UNIFIED·NCES 060750000708
Buena Vista Elementary
1330 Buena Vista Way, Carlsbad, CA 92008 · (760) 331-5400 · San Diego County
GRADES KG–05ELEMENTARY12-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL281 STUDENTS
A
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 93% of California public elementary schools
- ATest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- ABeats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- BThree-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded California public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
23.4:1
12 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 22.6:1 · STATE 22.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
40%
112 students
DISTRICT 34% · STATE 65%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 44 | 16% |
| Grade 1 | 43 | 15% |
| Grade 2 | 49 | 17% |
| Grade 3 | 48 | 17% |
| Grade 4 | 39 | 14% |
| Grade 5 | 58 | 21% |
This year's kindergarten class (44) is 24% smaller than its 5th grade class (58).
Student demographics
62%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 61% · STATE 62% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
69.9%
CA avg 49.1% . +5.9pp since 2014
Math
68.5%
CA avg 37.7% . +5.5pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 70 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 69 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all California schools, those numbers are about 49 and 38. Reading and writing scores are up about 6 points since 2014, while math scores are up about 6 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 43.4% | 26.6% | 21.0% | 9.1% |
| Math | 34.3% | 34.3% | 21.7% | 9.8% |
Share of tested students at each CAASPP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
CAASPP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 69.9% | 68.5% |
| 2023-24 | 70.3% | 73.2% |
| 2022-23 | 56.9% | 58.2% |
| 2021-22 | 68.8% | 63.6% |
| 2018-19 | 72.1% | 68.0% |
| 2017-18 | 73.6% | 61.7% |
| 2016-17 | 74.2% | 72.1% |
| 2015-16 | 70.0% | 58.0% |
| 2014-15 | 64.0% | 63.0% |
% met or exceeded standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: CAASPP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
70.5%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
56.2%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+14.3pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 70% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 56% typical for California schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among California's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Buena Vista Elementary
Buena Vista Elementary's state test result (70.5% proficient) is higher than 5 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Vista Elementary this school | 281 | 39.9% | 70.5% |
| La Tercera Elementary Petaluma | 295 | 37.3% | 42.9% |
| Alcott Elementary San Diego | 234 | 38.9% | 44.3% |
| Park Side Elementary Sebastopol | 268 | 46.3% | 56.6% |
| California Elementary Costa Mesa | 373 | 41.3% | 62.6% |
| Poinsettia Elementary Ventura | 351 | 38.5% | 50.2% |
Matched among California elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Buena Vista Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In California | In San Diego County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 70.5% | #634 of 5,151 | #77 of 392 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 68.5% | #665 of 5,172 ▼ 192 | #79 of 393 ▼ 21 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 69.9% | #755 of 5,172 ▼ 48 | #93 of 393 ▼ 3 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +3.0pp | #2,268 of 5,116 | #155 of 387 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 281 | #4,916 of 5,915 | #384 of 453 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 23.4:1 | #3,301 of 5,352 | #237 of 418 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 62.1% | #1,604 of 5,354 | #166 of 418 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 39.9% | #4,341 of 5,625 | #301 of 442 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -13.3% | #2,239 of 3,837 | #164 of 279 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
281
-6 (-2%) vs 2020
-60% since 1990-91, when it was 699
Student : Teacher
23.4:1
was 22.1:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 281 | 12 | 23.4:1 | 40% (112) |
| 2023-24 | 288 | 13 | 22.1:1 | 27% (77) |
| 2022-23 | 276 | 13 | 21.2:1 | 30% (83) |
| 2020-21 | 287 | 13 | 22.1:1 | 28% (81) |
| 2017-18 | 324 | 13 | 24.9:1 | 31% (101) |
| 2015-16 | 282 | 10 | 28.2:1 | 33% (92) |
| 2010-11 | 276 | N/A | N/A | 43% (119) |
| 2000-01 | 498 | 24 | 20.8:1 | 44% (218) |
| 1990-91 | 699 | 25 | 28.0:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Buena Vista Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students down 13% (324 to 281); teachers down 8% (13 to 12).
About Buena Vista Elementary
Buena Vista Elementary is listed by the National Center for Education Statistics as an elementary school in Carlsbad, California. It enrolled 281 students in kindergarten through 5 for the 2024-25 school year. Enrollment is 40% lower than the average for elementary schools in California, which is about 465.
Carlsbad Unified has a total of 16 schools and 10,678 students, Buena Vista Elementary among them.
Enrollment at Buena Vista Elementary is mixed, with White students the largest group at 49%. The rest of enrollment is 35% Hispanic, 10% multiracial, and 4% Asian. The White share in San Diego County as a whole is similar, at about 48%. The chance that two students picked at random at Buena Vista Elementary belong to different racial or ethnic groups, known as the diversity index, is 62%.
The school employs the equivalent of 12 full-time teachers, for a ratio of 23.4:1. The average ratio among elementary schools in California is 22.3:1, lower than at this school. About 40% of students at the school meet free or reduced-price lunch income limits. On average, public schools in San Diego County report 54%.
Measured against California public elementary schools, Buena Vista Elementary receives an A. The grade weighs proficiency most heavily, then how results compare with what the school's low-income share predicts, then the three-year change.
Buena Vista Elementary scores 70.5% on state tests, averaged across results. The predicted figure, based on its student poverty level, is 56.2%.
Recent Census Bureau figures for San Diego County show that median household income is about $106,268, about 43% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and roughly 7% of residents are in poverty. Buena Vista Elementary is one of 766 public schools in San Diego County, which together enroll about 467,437 students.
Carlsbad Village Academy is located about 0.9 miles from Buena Vista Elementary. Within five miles are at least 8 other public schools. Of 7 schools in the immediate area with test results, Buena Vista Elementary ranks 2nd on average proficiency.
Federal data place Buena Vista Elementary in the City: Mid-size locale, which means it is inside a principal city with a population between 100,000 and 250,000.
In 2020-21, Buena Vista Elementary enrolled 287; in 2024-25, 281. There were more students per teacher in 2024-25 (23.4:1) than in 2020-21 (22.1:1).
The Buena Vista Elementary community page is open for posts about enrollment questions, class placement, and PTA news. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
San Diego County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
3,288,774
Census ACS
Median income
$106,268
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
43%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
7%
Below federal line
Schools in county
766
467,437 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Carlsbad Unified
- Carlsbad HighHigh · 2,336 students
- Sage Creek HighHigh · 1,289 students
- Aviara Oaks MiddleMiddle · 991 students
- Valley MiddleMiddle · 807 students
- Hope ElementaryElementary · 659 students
- Calavera Hills MiddleMiddle · 655 students
Other schools in Carlsbad
- Carlsbad HighHigh · 2,336 students
- La Costa Canyon HighHigh · 1,774 students
- Sage Creek HighHigh · 1,289 students
- Aviara Oaks MiddleMiddle · 991 students
- Valley MiddleMiddle · 807 students
- Carrillo ElementaryElementary · 725 students
Other Buena Vista Elementary schools
10 other US public schools in 6 states are named Buena Vista Elementary. Buena Vista Elementary is the 8th largest of the 11.
- Buena Vista ElementaryBakersfield, CA · 713 students
- Buena Vista ElementaryPalmdale, CA · 573 students
- Buena Vista ElementaryLompoc, CA · 498 students
- Buena Vista ElementaryWalnut Creek, CA · 495 students
- Buena Vista ElementaryTulare, CA · 180 students
Nearby schools
- Carlsbad Village Academy0.9 mi · 38
- Carlsbad High0.9 mi · 2,336
- Carlsbad Seaside Academy0.9 mi · 38
- South Oceanside Elementary1.0 mi · 487
- Valley Middle1.1 mi · 807
- Magnolia Elementary1.2 mi · 488
Frequently asked questions
About Buena Vista ElementaryHow large is Buena Vista Elementary?
Buena Vista Elementary enrolls approximately 281 students in grades KG-05.
What grades does Buena Vista Elementary serve?
Buena Vista Elementary serves grades KG-05.
How many teachers does Buena Vista Elementary have?
Buena Vista Elementary employs 12 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 23.4:1.
How diverse is Buena Vista Elementary?
Buena Vista Elementary reports a student body of 49% White, 35% Hispanic, 1% Black, 4% Asian, 10% Two or more.
Who oversees Buena Vista Elementary?
Buena Vista Elementary is overseen by Carlsbad Unified in San Diego County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.