CaliforniaSchoolsOrange County Special Education

Orange County Special Education

PublicSpecial education
Costa Mesa, California · Orange County Department of Education
Teachers47.0FTE
Ratio7.5:1students per teacher
Students353enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students353
Grade Span0–12
Student:Teacher7.5:1
Free/Reduced Lunch39%
Title INo
SectorPublic
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Student : Teacher
7.0:1
6.7%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
47
0.0%vs prior yr
Enrollment
331
6.2%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
1:383
4.6%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
1:77
1.7%vs prior yrNASN max 1:750
Psychologists
1:64
12.8%vs prior yrNASP max 1:500
Social Workers
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

6.3:18.3:110.2:112.2:114.1:116.1:1202020212022202320248.1:17.7:17.4:17.5:17.0:1This schoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

327339351363375387464647474848202020212022202320243833643473533314747474747EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment383364347353331
Teacher FTE4747474747
Pupil : Teacher ratio8.1:17.7:17.4:17.5:17.0:115.4:1

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.

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

1:01:831:1651:2481:3311:4142015201720201:3661:3661:383Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:1621:3241:4861:6481:8102015201720201:621:751:771:621:731:64Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric201520172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)111
Nurses (FTE)5.94.95
Psychologists (FTE)656
Social Workers (FTE)000
Counselor : Pupils1:3661:3661:3831:250
Nurse : Pupils1:621:751:771:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:621:731:641:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:250

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.