Enrollment
874
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Maria, CA
Adam (William Laird) Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Adam (William Laird) Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060558009312
👥 S:T ratio 3
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Adam (William Laird) Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #5 of 24
- elementary schools in Santa Maria · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.3:1
- large classes for California
- 88.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Adam (William Laird) Elementary has class sizes larger than 74% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Adam (William Laird) Elementary ranks #5 of 24 elementary schools in Santa Maria, CA.
School address
District: Santa Maria-Bonita · California
NCES ID 060558009312 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
88.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Adam (William Laird) Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Adam (William Laird) Elementary
Adam (William Laird) Elementary is a high-poverty, large elementary school in Santa Maria, California, enrolling 874 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.3:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 88.6% of students qualify for free meals, 60% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 874 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 933 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #310.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (98% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 4/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Santa Maria's elementary schools, it stands alongside Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary (1,177 students): Adam (William Laird) Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.3:1 vs 29.4:1).
Santa Maria-Bonita also operates Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary (1,177 students) and Bruce (Robert) Elementary (1,050 students) alongside Adam (William Laird) Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Adam (William Laird) Elementary compares
Adam (William Laird) Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.3:1 | ▲ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 88.6% | ▲ 60% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 874 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.3:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
874
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
88.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24.3:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 74% in California - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
33.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$14,410
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 98.1%
White 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Two or More 0.6%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 98.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 3.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 3.8, Adam (William Laird) Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Santa Maria-Bonita, which includes Adam (William Laird) Elementary.
$14,410
Per student
-13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.7%
State 68.7%
Federal 11.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Adam (William Laird) Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bruce (Robert) Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Alvin Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fesler (Isaac) Junior High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Adam (William Laird) Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,177
- Students per teacher
- 29.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,050
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 998
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 974
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 917
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Maria
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary
Standard public school
1,177 students 29.4:1 students per teacher
Bruce (Robert) Elementary
Standard public school
1,050 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Alvin Elementary
Standard public school
998 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Rice (William) Elementary
Standard public school
887 students 24:1 students per teacher
Miller (Isaac) Elementary
Standard public school
883 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~874 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Adam (William Laird) Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Adam (William Laird) Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Santa Maria-Bonita's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Adam (William Laird) Elementary
How many students attend Adam (William Laird) Elementary?
Adam (William Laird) Elementary has 874 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Maria, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Adam (William Laird) Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Adam (William Laird) Elementary is 24.3:1, which is 13% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 55% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Adam (William Laird) Elementary?
88.6% of students at Adam (William Laird) Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Adam (William Laird) Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Adam (William Laird) Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 98.1% of enrollment, in Santa Maria, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Adam (William Laird) Elementary?
Adam (William Laird) Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Adam (William Laird) Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santa Maria?
By Resource Investment Index, Adam (William Laird) Elementary ranks #5 of 24 elementary schools in Santa Maria, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Santa Maria on the city page.
Is Adam (William Laird) Elementary a good school?
Adam (William Laird) Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Santa Maria-Bonita?
Besides Adam (William Laird) Elementary, Santa Maria-Bonita also operates Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary (1,177 students), Bruce (Robert) Elementary (1,050 students), and Alvin Elementary (998 students). See the Santa Maria-Bonita district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.