Enrollment
650
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Northridge, CA
Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062271002833
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 85
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 10
- elementary schools in Northridge · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 24.1:1
- large classes for California
- 20.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary has class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary ranks #1 of 10 elementary schools in Northridge, CA.
School address
District: Los Angeles Unified · California
NCES ID 062271002833 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary
Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Northridge, California, enrolling 650 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.1:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 20.1% free-meal eligibility runs 64% below the California average.
Enrollment of 650 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 1,289 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #19, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (30%) and Asian (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
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 Northridge's elementary schools, it stands alongside Topeka Charter School for Advanced Studies (610 students): Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.1:1 vs 25.4:1).
Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students) and North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students) alongside Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet 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 Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary compares
Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet 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 | 24.1:1 | ▲ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.1% | ▼ 64% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 650 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.1:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
650
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
24.1:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 72% in California - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
6.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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 + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
White 30.2%
Asian 27.8%
Hispanic or Latino 23.2%
Two or More 16.3%
African American 2.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 30.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.1, Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary is more 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 Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet 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 Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grover Cleveland Charter High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Hollywood Senior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Phineas Banning Senior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Pedro Senior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Venice Senior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet 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 Northridge
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Topeka Charter School for Advanced Studies
Standard public school
610 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Beckford Charter for Enriched Studies
Standard public school
588 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Dearborn Elementary Charter Academy
Standard public school
527 students 24:1 students per teacher
Calahan Street Elementary
Standard public school
474 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Darby Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
412 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Andasol Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
411 students 21.6:1 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 (~650 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet 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 Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary
How many students attend Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary?
Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary has 650 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Northridge, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary is 24.1:1, which is 12% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 54% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary?
20.1% of students at Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary is White at 30.2% of enrollment, in Northridge, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary?
Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher 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 Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary rank among elementary schools in Northridge?
By Resource Investment Index, Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary ranks #1 of 10 elementary schools in Northridge, 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 Northridge on the city page.
Is Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary a good school?
Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. It is also more 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 Los Angeles Unified?
Besides Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet 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.