- Enrollment
- 973
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bakersfield, CA
Bessie E. Owens Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bessie E. Owens Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060363000313
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bessie E. Owens Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #50 of 97
- elementary schools in Bakersfield · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.7:1
- students per teacher
- 89.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Bessie E. Owens Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bessie E. Owens Elementary ranks #50 of 97 elementary schools in Bakersfield, CA.
School address
District: Bakersfield City · California
NCES ID 060363000313 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+11 students YoY
Bessie E. Owens Elementary held near 900 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+11 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 40.0 → 43.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+11 students YoY 060363000313 · Bakersfield, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
867 enr · 21.7:1 · 89.2% lunch · RII 28
Nearest enrollment peer: Curran Middle (973 students)
Bessie E. Owens Elementary held near 900 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+11 headcount). Teacher FTE added 40.0 → 43.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Bessie E. Owens Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Curran Middle
Curran Middle
973 students
- Colonel Howard
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary
960 students
- Voorhies Eleme
Voorhies Elementary
915 students
- Walter Stiern
Walter Stiern Middle
891 students
- Horace Mann El
Horace Mann Elementary
870 students
- This school
Bessie E. Owens Elementary
867 students
What this shows Bessie E. Owens Elementary reports 867 students on the CCD universe file.
How Bessie E. Owens Elementary compares
Bessie E. Owens Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 89.2% | ▲ 61% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 867 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
867
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
89.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 50% in California - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
47.8%
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
$19,155
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting 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 + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 84.1%
African American 9.4%
White 5.7%
Asian 0.6%
Two or More 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 84.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.1, Bessie E. Owens Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Bakersfield City reports $19,155 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Bessie E. Owens Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curran Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Voorhies Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Walter Stiern Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horace Mann Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bessie E. Owens Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 960
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 915
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 891
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 870
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Bakersfield
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8
Standard public school
1,151 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Veterans Elementary
Standard public school
1,002 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Douglas J. Miller Elementary
Standard public school
994 students 29.2:1 students per teacher
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary
Standard public school
960 students 24:1 students per teacher
Berkshire Elementary
Standard public school
932 students 28.2:1 students per teacher
Patriot Elementary
Standard public school
931 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~867 students)
Frequently asked questions about Bessie E. Owens Elementary
How many students attend Bessie E. Owens Elementary?
Bessie E. Owens Elementary has 867 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bakersfield, CA. CCD year-over-year: 889 (2022-23) → 900 (2023-24), nearly flat (+11).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bessie E. Owens Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bessie E. Owens Elementary is 21.7:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bessie E. Owens Elementary?
89.2% of students at Bessie E. Owens Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bessie E. Owens Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bessie E. Owens Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 84.1% of enrollment, in Bakersfield, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bessie E. Owens Elementary?
Bessie E. Owens Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bessie E. Owens Elementary rank among elementary schools in Bakersfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Bessie E. Owens Elementary ranks #50 of 97 elementary schools in Bakersfield, 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 Bakersfield on the city page.
What other schools are in Bakersfield City?
Besides Bessie E. Owens Elementary, Bakersfield City also operates Curran Middle (973 students), Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary (960 students), and Voorhies Elementary (915 students). See the Bakersfield City district page for the complete list.