Compare with peers
Most similar nearby schools
Lemon Grove Academy For The Sciences And Humanities → The Learning Choice Academy - East County → Darnall Charter → Iftin Charter → Health Sciences High And Middle College → Compare all similar →No UC admissions data on file for Vista La Mesa Academy.
This school doesn't appear in UCOP's source-school records (it may send few or no applicants to UC). Its enrollment trend and similar-school comparison are still below.
Enrollment trend & projection
If this trend holds (-2.4%/yr, Total enrollment)
At per-pupil funding of $ / student:
| Horizon | Projected Total enrollment | Change | Funding impact / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 yr (2027) | ~505 | -12 | $0 |
| 3 yr (2029) | ~481 | -36 | $0 |
| 5 yr (2031) | ~458 | -59 | $0 |
Straight-line extrapolation of the recent annual rate — a what-if, not a forecast of intent. Default = California's LCFF base grant for grades 9–12 ($12,423/ADA). Edit the figure to match your school.
Enrollment stability & demand — 2024-25
Two complementary signals: retention (do students stay once enrolled?) and demand (are families choosing the school?). Read against the San Diego County baseline — the demographic tide is moving every CA HS, so a school's gap vs. county is the actionable signal.
104 of 582 students who enrolled at Vista La Mesa Academy this year didn't maintain continuous enrollment (17.9% non-stability). Mid-year transfers, dropouts, and other exits are all counted.
Stability by student group
Nearest peer high schools
Source: California Department of Education, Stability Rate 2024-25. Benchmarks limited to non-virtual public & charter HS with ≥100 cumulative enrollees so by-design-high-churn continuation schools don't dominate the bottom of the distribution. Cumulative enrollment counts every student on the rolls during the year, so it can exceed peak-day enrollment.
Chronic absenteeism — 2024-25
Share of students missing 10% or more of expected attendance — the leading indicator that often precedes the demand decline shown above. Families disengaging tend to raise absenteeism first, then formally leave. Basis: total enrollment.
Absenteeism is up 15.5 pp since 2016-17. A rising absenteeism trend often precedes formal departure — worth investigating which subgroups are driving it.
Source: California Department of Education, Chronic Absenteeism 2024-25. Benchmarks limited to non-virtual public & charter HS with ≥100 eligible students. CDE didn't publish a usable 2019-20 file (COVID).
Vista La Mesa Academy — Enrollment & Outcomes Snapshot
Public · vs. 10 most similar nearby schools
- ▸At its recent rate (-2.4%/yr), enrollment projects to ~481 by 2029 — about 36 fewer students than today.
Enrollment projection
That's about 36 fewer students. At per-student funding of $ per student, that's roughly $0 in annual state funding at risk.
Default = California's LCFF base grant for grades 9–12 ($12,423 per ADA) — adjust to your district's actual per-pupil figure. Projection extrapolates the recent annual rate — not a forecast of intent.
Your school vs. its 10 most similar nearby schools
| School | Type | Size | UC Reach | Enroll. trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vista La Mesa Academy | Public | 517 | — | — |
| Peer-group median | — | -0% | ||
| Lemon Grove Academy For The Sciences And Humanities | Public | 505 | — | — |
| The Learning Choice Academy - East County | Public | 529 | — | +12% |
| Darnall Charter | Public | 473 | — | — |
| Iftin Charter | Public | 593 | — | — |
| Health Sciences High And Middle College | Public | 552 | — | -13% |
| Magnolia Science Academy San Diego | Public | 481 | — | — |
| Spring Valley Academy | Public | 595 | — | — |
| Kempton Street Literacy Academy | Public | 450 | — | — |
| San Diego Global Vision Academy | Public | 460 | — | — |
| Lemon Grove Academy Elementary | Public | 386 | — | — |
UC Reach = top-6 UC admits ÷ senior class (can exceed 100% when students are admitted to multiple campuses). Enrollment trend = first-to-latest grade-12 change on file. Similar schools matched on proximity, size, type. Methodology →