Enrollment
423
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Van Nuys, CA
Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062271012677
👥 S:T ratio 11
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #10 of 12
- elementary schools in Van Nuys · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.3:1
- students per teacher
- 94.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary ranks #10 of 12 elementary schools in Van Nuys, CA.
School address
District: Los Angeles Unified · California
NCES ID 062271012677 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
94.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
+70% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary
Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Van Nuys, California, enrolling 423 students.
At 22.3:1, 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 is high: 94.2% of students qualify for free meals, 70% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 423 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,013 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #545.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (88% of enrollment) (diversity index 22/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Los Angeles Unified spends $21,940 per pupil, 33% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Van Nuys's elementary schools, it stands alongside Kester Avenue Elementary (886 students): Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.3:1 vs 26.8:1).
Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students) and North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students) alongside Andres and Maria Cardenas 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 Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary compares
Andres and Maria Cardenas 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 | 22.3:1 | ▲ 4% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 94.2% | ▲ 70% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 423 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.3:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
423
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
94.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 70% 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
22.3:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 56% in California - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
42.6%
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
$21,940
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 88.4%
White 3.5%
Asian 3.5%
Two or More 2.8%
African American 1.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.5, Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Los Angeles Unified, which includes Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary.
$21,940
Per student
+33%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 54.5%
Federal 19.2%
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 Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grover Cleveland Charter High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Hollywood Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Phineas Banning Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Pedro Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Venice Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,719
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,444
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,398
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,293
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in Van Nuys
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Kester Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
886 students 26.8:1 students per teacher
Kittridge Street Elementary
Standard public school
768 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Valerio Street Elementary
Standard public school
645 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Sylvan Park Elementary
Standard public school
643 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Hazeltine Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
621 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Lashon Academy
Standard public school
595 students 23.8:1 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 (~423 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Los Angeles 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 Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary
How many students attend Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary?
Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary has 423 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Van Nuys, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary is 22.3:1, which is 4% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 42% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary?
94.2% of students at Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 88.4% of enrollment, in Van Nuys, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary?
Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (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 Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary rank among elementary schools in Van Nuys?
By Resource Investment Index, Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary ranks #10 of 12 elementary schools in Van Nuys, 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 Van Nuys on the city page.
Is Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary a good school?
Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary earns 27/100 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 Los Angeles Unified?
Besides Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary, Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students), North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students), and Phineas Banning Senior High (2,422 students). See the Los Angeles 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.