Enrollment
985
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Phelan, CA
Baldy Mesa Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Baldy Mesa Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063697009195
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Baldy Mesa Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of California schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Phelan · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.9:1
- large classes for California
- 63.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Baldy Mesa Elementary has class sizes larger than 85% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Baldy Mesa Elementary ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Phelan, CA.
School address
District: Snowline Joint Unified · California
NCES ID 063697009195 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Baldy Mesa Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Baldy Mesa Elementary
Baldy Mesa Elementary is a higher-need, large elementary school in Phelan, California, enrolling 985 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.9:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 63.6% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 985 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 976 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #739, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (71%) and White (18%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 985 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Snowline Joint Unified spends $12,967 per pupil, 21% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Phelan's elementary schools, it stands alongside Phelan Elementary (743 students): Baldy Mesa Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (25.9:1 vs 27.5:1).
Snowline Joint Unified also operates Serrano High (2,163 students) and Quail Valley Middle (870 students) alongside Baldy Mesa 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 Baldy Mesa Elementary compares
Baldy Mesa 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 | 25.9:1 | ▲ 20% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.6% | ▲ 15% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 985 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.9:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
985
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% 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
25.9:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 85% in California - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
45.6%
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
$12,967
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 985 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 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 70.7%
White 17.7%
Two or More 5.7%
African American 3.8%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 70.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.4, Baldy Mesa Elementary is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Snowline Joint Unified, which includes Baldy Mesa Elementary.
$12,967
Per student
-21%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 14.8%
State 76.7%
Federal 8.5%
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 Baldy Mesa Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serrano High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Quail Valley Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pinon Mesa Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Vista Verde Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Phelan Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Baldy Mesa Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,163
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 870
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 835
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 774
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 743
- Students per teacher
- 27.5:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
Similar elementary schools in Phelan
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~985 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Baldy Mesa Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Baldy Mesa Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Snowline Joint 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 Baldy Mesa Elementary
How many students attend Baldy Mesa Elementary?
Baldy Mesa Elementary has 985 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Phelan, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Baldy Mesa Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Baldy Mesa Elementary is 25.9:1, which is 20% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 65% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Baldy Mesa Elementary?
63.6% of students at Baldy Mesa Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Baldy Mesa Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Baldy Mesa Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 70.7% of enrollment, in Phelan, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Baldy Mesa Elementary?
Baldy Mesa Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (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 Baldy Mesa Elementary rank among elementary schools in Phelan?
By Resource Investment Index, Baldy Mesa Elementary ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Phelan, 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 Phelan on the city page.
Is Baldy Mesa Elementary a good school?
Baldy Mesa Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of 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 Snowline Joint Unified?
Besides Baldy Mesa Elementary, Snowline Joint Unified also operates Serrano High (2,163 students), Quail Valley Middle (870 students), and Pinon Mesa Middle (835 students). See the Snowline Joint 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.