Pacifica Independent Home Study

Pacifica Independent Home Study is one of the minimally staffed elementary-level communitys in Pacifica, California, overseen by Pacifica, with 12 students on its rolls from grades K through 8. That puts it 97% leaner than the typical public school in California, which averages around 465 students.

Within Pacifica, which oversees 7 schools and 2,640 students, Pacifica Independent Home Study is one campus in the system.

Looking at the student body, Pacifica Independent Home Study lists that 42% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. Other groups include 33% White, 17% Black, 8% Asian. By comparison, San Mateo County as a whole is about 25% Hispanic, so the school skews visibly more Hispanic than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Pacifica Independent Home Study has 1 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.5:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 22.3:1 average. Around 58% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy. That share is north of San Mateo County's rate of about 34%.

Zooming out to the county, census data for San Mateo County shows median household income runs about $158,855, about 54% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 4%. Across San Mateo County's 176 public schools (combined enrollment of about 82,403 students), Pacifica Independent Home Study is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Ortega Elementary, around 0.0 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The campus sits in a bedroom-community setting.

Five-year trend. Pacifica Independent Home Study's enrollment has fell 29% since 2018, when it stood at 17 (now 12). Over the same period, the Asian share declined from 41% to 8%. Class-load math has pulled in: from 20.2:1 in 2018 to 12.5:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, members of the Pacifica Independent Home Study community share and discuss school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Members of the school community can share what they know.