Enrollment
454
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Barstow, CA
Barstow Stem Academy
Federal NCES profile for Barstow Stem Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060402013771
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Barstow Stem Academy earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of California schools.
- #6 of 7
- elementary schools in Barstow · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 34.9:1
- large classes for California
- 54.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Barstow Stem Academy has class sizes larger than 98% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Barstow Stem Academy ranks #6 of 7 elementary schools in Barstow, CA.
School address
District: Barstow Unified · California
NCES ID 060402013771 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
34.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+62% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
54.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Barstow Stem Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Barstow Stem Academy
Barstow Stem Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Barstow, California, enrolling 454 students.
Class loads run heavy: 34.9:1 is larger than about 98% of California schools and 62% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 54.0% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 454 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,570 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,275, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (63%) and White (19%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 454 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Barstow's elementary schools, it stands alongside Cameron Elementary (436 students): Barstow Stem Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (34.9:1 vs 20.8:1).
Barstow Unified also operates Barstow High (1,558 students) and Barstow Junior High (646 students) alongside Barstow Stem Academy.
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 Barstow Stem Academy compares
Barstow Stem Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 34.9:1 | ▲ 62% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.0% | ▼ 3% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 454 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
34.9:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
454
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
54.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
34.9:1
students per teacher
- 62% above state mean
Top 98% in California - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
30.8%
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
$13,518
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 454 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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 63.0%
White 19.4%
African American 9.7%
Two or More 5.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.8%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 63.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.3, Barstow Stem Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Barstow Unified, which includes Barstow Stem Academy.
$13,518
Per student
-18%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 9.4%
State 79.5%
Federal 11.1%
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 Barstow Stem Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barstow High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Barstow Junior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cameron Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Barstow Fine Arts Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Montara Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Barstow Stem Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,558
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 646
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 405
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 403
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
Similar elementary schools in Barstow
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Cameron Elementary
Standard public school
436 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Barstow Fine Arts Academy
Standard public school
405 students 20.3:1 students per teacher
Montara Elementary
Standard public school
403 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Henderson Elementary
Standard public school
398 students 19:1 students per teacher
Crestline Elementary
Standard public school
371 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Skyline North Elementary
Standard public school
322 students 20.1:1 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 (~454 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Barstow Stem Academy's federal record.
- Compare Barstow Stem Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Barstow 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 Barstow Stem Academy
How many students attend Barstow Stem Academy?
Barstow Stem Academy has 454 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Barstow, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Barstow Stem Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Barstow Stem Academy is 34.9:1, which is 62% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 122% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Barstow Stem Academy?
54.0% of students at Barstow Stem Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Barstow Stem Academy?
The largest demographic group at Barstow Stem Academy is Hispanic or Latino at 63.0% of enrollment, in Barstow, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Barstow Stem Academy?
Barstow Stem Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (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 Barstow Stem Academy rank among elementary schools in Barstow?
By Resource Investment Index, Barstow Stem Academy ranks #6 of 7 elementary schools in Barstow, 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 Barstow on the city page.
Is Barstow Stem Academy a good school?
Barstow Stem Academy earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 Barstow Unified?
Besides Barstow Stem Academy, Barstow Unified also operates Barstow High (1,558 students), Barstow Junior High (646 students), and Cameron Elementary (436 students). See the Barstow 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.