Public schools in San Clemente, CA
11 open public schools with an address in San Clemente, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
11
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
8,374
11 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
23.6:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of San Clemente public schools
The federal directory lists 11 public schools in San Clemente, CA: 7 elementary, 3 middle, 1 high. The 11 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 8,374 students, an average of 761 per school. The largest campus is San Clemente High (2,740 students), and the largest elementary school is Las Palmas Elementary (743).
Capistrano Unified operates the most schools here (10), and 2 regular districts have at least one San Clemente campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 23.6:1, higher than the statewide school median of 21.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
About 36% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving San Clemente
Elementary schools in San Clemente
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarence Lobo Elementary Capistrano Unified | KG–05 | 328 | 20.5:1 | |
| Concordia Elementary Capistrano Unified | KG–05 | 533 | 26.7:1 | |
| Las Palmas Elementary Capistrano Unified | KG–05 | 743 | 25.6:1 | |
| Marblehead Flex Academy Capistrano Unified | KG–05 | 195 | 24.4:1 | |
| San Onofre Elementary Fallbrook Union Elementary | KG–08 | 489 | 20.3:1 | |
| Truman Benedict Elementary Capistrano Unified | KG–05 | 602 | 25.1:1 | |
| Vista del Mar Elementary Capistrano Unified | KG–05 | 692 | 26.6:1 |
Middle schools in San Clemente
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernice Ayer Middle Capistrano Unified | 06–08 | 919 | 22.4:1 | |
| Shorecliffs Middle Capistrano Unified | 06–08 | 634 | 19.8:1 | |
| Vista del Mar Middle Capistrano Unified | 06–08 | 499 | 22.3:1 |
High schools in San Clemente
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Clemente High Capistrano Unified | 09–12 | 2,740 | 23.6:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White59.3%
- Hispanic27.5%
- Black0.5%
- Asian2%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial10.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 11 San Clemente schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (8,374 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in San Clemente
How many public schools are in San Clemente, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 11 open public schools with a location address in San Clemente: 7 elementary, 3 middle, 1 high. Together they reported 8,374 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve San Clemente?
Schools with an address in San Clemente belong to 2 education agencies, led by Capistrano Unified (10 schools), Fallbrook Union Elementary (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in San Clemente?
San Clemente High reported the largest high-school enrollment in San Clemente, with 2,740 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in San Clemente?
No school with an address in San Clemente is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in California.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in San Clemente schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across San Clemente public schools is 23.6:1, higher than the California school median of 21.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in San Clemente guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby California cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All California cities