Enrollment
735
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Madera, CA
Alpha Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Alpha Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 8/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062334009397
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Alpha Elementary earns 8/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #22 of 24
- elementary schools in Madera · Resource Index
- 8
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.3:1
- large classes for California
- 80.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Alpha Elementary has class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Alpha Elementary ranks #22 of 24 elementary schools in Madera, CA.
School address
District: Madera Unified · California
NCES ID 062334009397 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
80.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Alpha Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Alpha Elementary
Alpha Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Madera, California, enrolling 735 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.3:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 80.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 735 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,728 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,671, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (90% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 19/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 735 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 9 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Madera's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lincoln Elementary (816 students): Alpha Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.3:1 vs 22.7:1).
Madera Unified also operates Matilda Torres High (2,017 students) and Madera High (1,869 students) alongside Alpha 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 Alpha Elementary compares
Alpha 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 | 25.3:1 | ▲ 18% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.1% | ▲ 44% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 735 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.3:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
735
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
80.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
25.3:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 81% in California - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
39.9%
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
$15,587
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 735 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 9 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 89.7%
Two or More 3.9%
White 2.4%
African American 1.8%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 89.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.3, Alpha Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Madera Unified, which includes Alpha Elementary.
$15,587
Per student
-6%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.4%
State 70.9%
Federal 15.7%
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 Alpha Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matilda Torres High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Madera High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Madera South High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Alpha Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,017
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,869
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,859
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 948
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 865
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools in Madera
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lincoln Elementary
Standard public school
816 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
John J. Pershing Elementary
Standard public school
788 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Sierra Vista Elementary
Standard public school
740 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
James Madison Elementary
Standard public school
739 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
John Adams Elementary
Standard public school
736 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Virginia Lee Rose Elementary
Standard public school
714 students 23:1 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 (~735 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Alpha Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Alpha Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Madera Unified'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 Alpha Elementary
How many students attend Alpha Elementary?
Alpha Elementary has 735 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Madera, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Alpha Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Alpha Elementary is 25.3:1, which is 18% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Alpha Elementary?
80.1% of students at Alpha Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Alpha Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Alpha Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 89.7% of enrollment, in Madera, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Alpha Elementary?
Alpha Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 8/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Alpha Elementary rank among elementary schools in Madera?
By Resource Investment Index, Alpha Elementary ranks #22 of 24 elementary schools in Madera, 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 Madera on the city page.
Is Alpha Elementary a good school?
Alpha Elementary earns 8/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 Madera Unified?
Besides Alpha Elementary, Madera Unified also operates Matilda Torres High (2,017 students), Madera High (1,869 students), and Madera South High (1,859 students). See the Madera Unified 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.