Enrollment
217
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Crescent City, CA
Bess Maxwell Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bess Maxwell Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061077001191
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bess Maxwell Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #3 of 5
- elementary schools in Crescent City · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.1:1
- small classes for California
- 78.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Bess Maxwell Elementary has class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bess Maxwell Elementary ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Crescent City, CA.
School address
District: Del Norte County Unified · California
NCES ID 061077001191 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
78.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bess Maxwell Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bess Maxwell Elementary
Bess Maxwell Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Crescent City, California, enrolling 217 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 78.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 217 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 633 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #394.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 217 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 66.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Crescent City's elementary schools, it stands alongside Redwood Elementary (452 students): Bess Maxwell Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.1:1 vs 25.1:1).
Del Norte County Unified also operates Del Norte High (918 students) and Crescent Elk Middle (507 students) alongside Bess Maxwell 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 Bess Maxwell Elementary compares
Bess Maxwell 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 | 18.1:1 | ▼ 16% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 78.1% | ▲ 41% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 217 | top 82% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
217
Bigger than 21% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
78.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 22% in California - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
66.8%
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
$15,514
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 217 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.2 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
White 47.0%
Hispanic or Latino 23.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 16.6%
Two or More 9.7%
Asian 3.2%
Largest group: White at 47.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.6, Bess Maxwell Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Del Norte County Unified, which includes Bess Maxwell Elementary.
$15,514
Per student
-6%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-7%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.0%
State 60.2%
Federal 14.8%
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 Bess Maxwell Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Del Norte High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Crescent Elk Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Redwood Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Joe Hamilton Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Grove Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bess Maxwell Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 918
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 507
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 452
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 298
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 265
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in Crescent City
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Redwood Elementary
Standard public school
452 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Joe Hamilton Elementary
Standard public school
298 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Pine Grove Elementary
Standard public school
265 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Mary Peacock Elementary
Standard public school
251 students 20.9:1 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 (~217 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bess Maxwell Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bess Maxwell Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Del Norte County 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 Bess Maxwell Elementary
How many students attend Bess Maxwell Elementary?
Bess Maxwell Elementary has 217 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Crescent City, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bess Maxwell Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bess Maxwell Elementary is 18.1:1, which is 16% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 15% higher 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 Bess Maxwell Elementary?
78.1% of students at Bess Maxwell Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bess Maxwell Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bess Maxwell Elementary is White at 47.0% of enrollment, in Crescent City, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bess Maxwell Elementary?
Bess Maxwell Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Bess Maxwell Elementary rank among elementary schools in Crescent City?
By Resource Investment Index, Bess Maxwell Elementary ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Crescent City, 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 Crescent City on the city page.
Is Bess Maxwell Elementary a good school?
Bess Maxwell Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 78% 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 Del Norte County Unified?
Besides Bess Maxwell Elementary, Del Norte County Unified also operates Del Norte High (918 students), Crescent Elk Middle (507 students), and Redwood Elementary (452 students). See the Del Norte County 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.