CaliforniaSchoolsPortola Hills Elementary

Portola Hills Elementary

PublicRegular
Trabuco Canyon, California · Saddleback Valley Unified
Teachers28.0FTE
Ratio27.1:1students per teacher
Students758enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students758
Grade Span0–6
Student:Teacher27.1:1
Free/Reduced Lunch20%
Title INo
SectorPublic
Pupil : Teacher Ratio
27.0:1
(2024)
0.4%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
30
(2024)
7.1%vs prior yr
Enrollment
809
(2024)
6.7%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

14.3:117.5:120.6:123.8:126.9:130.1:12020202120222023202429.0:126.4:127.5:127.1:127.0:115.4:115.4:115.4:115.4:115.4:1Portola Hills ElementaryUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

655688721754787820222426272931202020212022202320246666867427588092326272830EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment666686742758809
Teacher FTE2326272830
Pupil : Teacher ratio29.0:126.4:127.5:127.1:127.0:115.4:1

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.

Pupil : Counselor
(2020)
ASCA max 250:1
Pupil : Nurse
8325.0:1
(2020)
NASN max 750:1
Pupil : Psychologist
1110.0:1
(2020)
NASP max 500:1
Pupil : Social Worker
(2020)
SSWAA max 250:1

Pupil-to-Support-Staff Ratios over Time

-396.0:11477.4:13350.8:15224.2:17097.6:18971.0:12015201720208325.0:11110.0:1250.0:1250.0:1250.0:1Pupil : CounselorPupil : NursePupil : PsychologistPupil : Social WorkerASCA recommended 250:1

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric201520172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)000
Nurses (FTE)0.10.10.1
Psychologists (FTE)10.50.6
Social Workers (FTE)000
Pupil : Counselor250.0:1
Pupil : Nurse8325.0:1750.0:1
Pupil : Psychologist1110.0:1500.0:1
Pupil : Social Worker250.0:1

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.