Enrollment
19
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Berkeley, CA
Berkeley Independent Study K-8
Federal NCES profile for Berkeley Independent Study K-8, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 81/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060474014650
👥 S:T ratio 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Berkeley Independent Study K-8 earns 81/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California.
- #1 of 12
- elementary schools in Berkeley · Resource Index
- 81
- Resource Index · Higher
- 4.8:1
- small classes for California
- 38.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Berkeley Independent Study K-8 has class sizes smaller than 99% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Berkeley Independent Study K-8 ranks #1 of 12 elementary schools in Berkeley, CA.
School address
District: Berkeley Unified · California
NCES ID 060474014650 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
4.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
4.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-78% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Berkeley Independent Study K-8 compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Berkeley Independent Study K-8
Berkeley Independent Study K-8 is a small elementary school in Berkeley, California, enrolling 19 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 4.8:1, Berkeley Independent Study K-8 is leaner than roughly 99% of California schools and 78% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.9% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 97% of California schools, with 19 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 100% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 51 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (39%) and White (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
The surrounding Berkeley Unified spends $21,454 per pupil, 30% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Berkeley's elementary schools, it stands alongside Malcolm X Elementary (469 students): Berkeley Independent Study K-8 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (4.8:1 vs 17.4:1).
Berkeley Unified also operates Berkeley High (3,218 students) and Martin Luther King Middle (851 students) alongside Berkeley Independent Study K-8.
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 Berkeley Independent Study K-8 compares
Berkeley Independent Study K-8 on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 4.8:1 | ▼ 78% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.9% | ▼ 30% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 19 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
4.8:1
Leaner classes than 99% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
19
Bigger than 3% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% 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
4.8:1
students per teacher
- 78% below state mean
Top 1% in California - lower ratio than 99% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$21,454
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.
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 38.9%
White 22.2%
Two or More 22.2%
African American 11.1%
Asian 5.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.5, Berkeley Independent Study K-8 is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Berkeley Unified, which includes Berkeley Independent Study K-8.
$21,454
Per student
+30%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 64.6%
State 29.0%
Federal 6.4%
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 Berkeley Independent Study K-8 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Martin Luther King Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Willard Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Malcolm X Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Longfellow Arts and Technology Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Berkeley Independent Study K-8's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,218
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 851
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 469
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 462
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar elementary schools in Berkeley
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Malcolm X Elementary
Standard public school
469 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Ruth Acty Elementary
Standard public school
410 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier
Standard public school
407 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Washington Elementary
Standard public school
401 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Rosa Parks Environmental Science
Standard public school
393 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Sylvia Mendez Elementary
Standard public school
379 students 18:1 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 (~19 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~4.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Berkeley Independent Study K-8's federal record.
- Compare Berkeley Independent Study K-8 against another school. Compare schools
- Berkeley 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 Berkeley Independent Study K-8
How many students attend Berkeley Independent Study K-8?
Berkeley Independent Study K-8 has 19 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Berkeley, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Berkeley Independent Study K-8?
The student-teacher ratio at Berkeley Independent Study K-8 is 4.8:1, which is 78% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 69% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Berkeley Independent Study K-8?
38.9% of students at Berkeley Independent Study K-8 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Berkeley Independent Study K-8?
The largest demographic group at Berkeley Independent Study K-8 is Hispanic or Latino at 38.9% of enrollment, in Berkeley, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Berkeley Independent Study K-8?
Berkeley Independent Study K-8 has a Resource Investment Index of 81/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 1 factor: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Berkeley Independent Study K-8 rank among elementary schools in Berkeley?
By Resource Investment Index, Berkeley Independent Study K-8 ranks #1 of 12 elementary schools in Berkeley, 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 Berkeley on the city page.
Is Berkeley Independent Study K-8 a good school?
Berkeley Independent Study K-8 earns 81/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of California schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in California. 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 Berkeley Unified?
Besides Berkeley Independent Study K-8, Berkeley Unified also operates Berkeley High (3,218 students), Martin Luther King Middle (851 students), and Willard Middle (596 students). See the Berkeley 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.