Enrollment
338
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Grass Valley, CA
Alta Sierra Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Alta Sierra Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 19/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063093008942
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Alta Sierra Elementary earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #8 of 12
- elementary schools in Grass Valley · Resource Index
- 19
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.5:1
- students per teacher
- 32.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Alta Sierra Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Alta Sierra Elementary ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Grass Valley, CA.
School address
District: Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 063093008942 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Alta Sierra Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Alta Sierra Elementary
Alta Sierra Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Grass Valley, California, enrolling 338 students.
At 22.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 32.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 338 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 854 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #756, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 676 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary spends $12,557 per pupil, 24% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Grass Valley's elementary schools, it stands alongside Grass Valley Charter (546 students): Alta Sierra Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.5:1 vs 24.8:1).
Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary also operates Cottage Hill Elementary (485 students) and Magnolia Intermediate (410 students) alongside Alta Sierra 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 Alta Sierra Elementary compares
Alta Sierra 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 | 22.5:1 | ▲ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.3% | ▼ 42% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 338 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.5:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
338
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
22.5:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 58% in California - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
26.0%
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
$12,557
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
White 70.4%
Hispanic or Latino 16.6%
Two or More 11.2%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 70.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.4, Alta Sierra Elementary is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary, which includes Alta Sierra Elementary.
$12,557
Per student
-24%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.8%
State 31.1%
Federal 10.1%
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 Alta Sierra Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottage Hill Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Magnolia Intermediate | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Arete Charter Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Alta Sierra Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 410
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 207
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in Grass Valley
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Grass Valley Charter
Standard public school
546 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Union Hill Elementary
Standard public school
542 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Cottage Hill Elementary
Standard public school
485 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Lyman Gilmore Middle
Standard public school
464 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Margaret G. Scotten Elementary
Standard public school
357 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Yuba River Charter
Standard public school
323 students 23.1:1 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 (~338 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Alta Sierra Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Alta Sierra Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary'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 Alta Sierra Elementary
How many students attend Alta Sierra Elementary?
Alta Sierra Elementary has 338 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Grass Valley, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Alta Sierra Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Alta Sierra Elementary is 22.5:1, which is 5% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Alta Sierra Elementary?
32.3% of students at Alta Sierra Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Alta Sierra Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Alta Sierra Elementary is White at 70.4% of enrollment, in Grass Valley, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Alta Sierra Elementary?
Alta Sierra Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 19/100 (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 Alta Sierra Elementary rank among elementary schools in Grass Valley?
By Resource Investment Index, Alta Sierra Elementary ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Grass Valley, 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 Grass Valley on the city page.
Is Alta Sierra Elementary a good school?
Alta Sierra Elementary earns 19/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary?
Besides Alta Sierra Elementary, Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary also operates Cottage Hill Elementary (485 students), Magnolia Intermediate (410 students), and Arete Charter Academy (207 students). See the Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary 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.