Enrollment
387
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Red Bluff, CA
Bidwell Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bidwell Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063198004920
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bidwell Elementary earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #7 of 8
- elementary schools in Red Bluff · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.5:1
- students per teacher
- 68.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Bidwell Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bidwell Elementary ranks #7 of 8 elementary schools in Red Bluff, CA.
School address
District: Red Bluff Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 063198004920 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bidwell Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bidwell Elementary
Bidwell Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Red Bluff, California, enrolling 387 students.
At 21.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 387 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 1,768 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,399, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (37%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 387 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 63.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Red Bluff's elementary schools, it stands alongside William M. Metteer Elementary (458 students): Bidwell Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.5:1 vs 20.8:1).
Red Bluff Union Elementary also operates Vista Preparatory Academy (541 students) and William M. Metteer Elementary (458 students) alongside Bidwell 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 Bidwell Elementary compares
Bidwell 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 | 21.5:1 | ▼ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.3% | ▲ 23% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 387 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.5:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
387
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
21.5:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 48% in California - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
63.0%
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
$15,728
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 387 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 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 49.4%
Hispanic or Latino 36.7%
Two or More 7.8%
African American 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.6%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.3%
Largest group: White at 49.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.4, Bidwell Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Red Bluff Union Elementary, which includes Bidwell Elementary.
$15,728
Per student
-5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.6%
State 67.1%
Federal 15.3%
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 Bidwell Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vista Preparatory Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| William M. Metteer Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jackson Heights Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Red Bluff Community Day | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Bidwell Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 541
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 458
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 407
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 16
- Students per teacher
- -
Similar elementary schools in Red Bluff
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
William M. Metteer Elementary
Standard public school
458 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Antelope Elementary
Standard public school
442 students 22.1:1 students per teacher
Jackson Heights Elementary
Standard public school
407 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Reeds Creek Elementary
Standard public school
195 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Bend Elementary
Standard public school
102 students 17:1 students per teacher
Lassen-Antelope Volcanic Academy (Lava)
Standard public school
97 students 24.3:1 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 (~387 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bidwell Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bidwell Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Red Bluff Union Elementary'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 Bidwell Elementary
How many students attend Bidwell Elementary?
Bidwell Elementary has 387 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Red Bluff, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bidwell Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bidwell Elementary is 21.5:1, which is 0% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 37% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bidwell Elementary?
68.3% of students at Bidwell Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bidwell Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bidwell Elementary is White at 49.4% of enrollment, in Red Bluff, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bidwell Elementary?
Bidwell Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (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 Bidwell Elementary rank among elementary schools in Red Bluff?
By Resource Investment Index, Bidwell Elementary ranks #7 of 8 elementary schools in Red Bluff, 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 Red Bluff on the city page.
Is Bidwell Elementary a good school?
Bidwell Elementary earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Red Bluff Union Elementary?
Besides Bidwell Elementary, Red Bluff Union Elementary also operates Vista Preparatory Academy (541 students), William M. Metteer Elementary (458 students), and Jackson Heights Elementary (407 students). See the Red Bluff Union Elementary 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.