Enrollment
441
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Simi Valley, CA
Big Springs Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Big Springs 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 063684006251
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Big Springs Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools.
- #6 of 19
- elementary schools in Simi Valley · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.5:1
- large classes for California
- 22.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Big Springs Elementary has class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Big Springs Elementary ranks #6 of 19 elementary schools in Simi Valley, CA.
School address
District: Simi Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 063684006251 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Big Springs Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Big Springs Elementary
Big Springs Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Simi Valley, California, enrolling 441 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.5:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 22.7% free-meal eligibility runs 59% below the California average.
With 441 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,182 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #830.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%) (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1764 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Simi Valley's elementary schools, it stands alongside Vista Elementary (567 students): Big Springs Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.5:1 vs 22.7:1).
Simi Valley Unified also operates Simi Valley High (1,910 students) and Royal High (1,835 students) alongside Big Springs 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 Big Springs Elementary compares
Big Springs 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 | 24.5:1 | ▲ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.7% | ▼ 59% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 441 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.5:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
441
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
24.5:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 76% in California - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
23.8%
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
$13,320
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
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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 53.3%
Hispanic or Latino 33.8%
Asian 8.8%
Two or More 2.9%
African American 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 53.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.3, Big Springs Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Simi Valley Unified, which includes Big Springs Elementary.
$13,320
Per student
-19%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.6%
State 46.3%
Federal 8.1%
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 Big Springs Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simi Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Royal High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Valley View Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hillside Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Santa Susana High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Big Springs Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,910
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,835
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,329
- Students per teacher
- 30.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,138
- Students per teacher
- 29.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,033
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Simi Valley
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Vista Elementary
Standard public school
567 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Hollow Hills Elementary
Standard public school
560 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Township Elementary
Standard public school
521 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Berylwood Elementary
Standard public school
457 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Atherwood Elementary
Standard public school
456 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Wood Ranch Elementary
Standard public school
452 students 22.6:1 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 (~441 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Big Springs Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Big Springs Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Simi Valley 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 Big Springs Elementary
How many students attend Big Springs Elementary?
Big Springs Elementary has 441 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Simi Valley, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Big Springs Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Big Springs Elementary is 24.5:1, which is 14% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 56% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Big Springs Elementary?
22.7% of students at Big Springs Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Big Springs Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Big Springs Elementary is White at 53.3% of enrollment, in Simi Valley, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Big Springs Elementary?
Big Springs Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (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 Big Springs Elementary rank among elementary schools in Simi Valley?
By Resource Investment Index, Big Springs Elementary ranks #6 of 19 elementary schools in Simi Valley, 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 Simi Valley on the city page.
Is Big Springs Elementary a good school?
Big Springs Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% 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 Simi Valley Unified?
Besides Big Springs Elementary, Simi Valley Unified also operates Simi Valley High (1,910 students), Royal High (1,835 students), and Valley View Middle (1,329 students). See the Simi Valley 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.