Enrollment
571
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Davis, CA
Birch Lane Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Birch Lane Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061062001175
👥 S:T ratio 1
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Birch Lane Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #9 of 9
- elementary schools in Davis · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.8:1
- large classes for California
- 18.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Birch Lane Elementary has class sizes larger than 78% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Birch Lane Elementary ranks #9 of 9 elementary schools in Davis, CA.
School address
District: Davis Joint Unified · California
NCES ID 061062001175 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Birch Lane Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Birch Lane Elementary
Birch Lane Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Davis, California, enrolling 571 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.8:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.0% free-meal eligibility runs 68% below the California average.
Enrollment of 571 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,267 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,009, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 571 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Davis's elementary schools, it stands alongside Pioneer Elementary (572 students): Birch Lane Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.8:1 vs 24.9:1).
Davis Joint Unified also operates Davis Senior High (1,755 students) and Oliver Wendell Holmes Junior High (588 students) alongside Birch Lane 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 Birch Lane Elementary compares
Birch Lane 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 | 24.8:1 | ▲ 15% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.0% | ▼ 68% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 571 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.8:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
571
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% 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
24.8:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 78% in California - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
26.1%
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
$15,208
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 571 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 47.4%
Hispanic or Latino 18.8%
Asian 16.3%
Two or More 13.0%
African American 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Largest group: White at 47.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.5, Birch Lane Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Davis Joint Unified, which includes Birch Lane Elementary.
$15,208
Per student
-8%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.6%
State 40.4%
Federal 7.0%
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 Birch Lane Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davis Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oliver Wendell Holmes Junior High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pioneer Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Da Vinci Charter Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Davis Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Birch Lane Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,755
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 572
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 562
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 552
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in Davis
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Pioneer Elementary
Standard public school
572 students 24.9:1 students per teacher
North Davis Elementary
Standard public school
552 students 26.3:1 students per teacher
Cesar Chavez Elementary
Standard public school
510 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Fred T. Korematsu Elementary at Mace Ranch
Standard public school
509 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Robert E. Willett Elementary
Standard public school
506 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Marguerite Montgomery Elementary
Standard public school
457 students 24.1:1 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 (~571 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Birch Lane Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Birch Lane Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Davis Joint 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 Birch Lane Elementary
How many students attend Birch Lane Elementary?
Birch Lane Elementary has 571 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Davis, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Birch Lane Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Birch Lane Elementary is 24.8:1, which is 15% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 58% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Birch Lane Elementary?
18.0% of students at Birch Lane Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Birch Lane Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Birch Lane Elementary is White at 47.4% of enrollment, in Davis, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Birch Lane Elementary?
Birch Lane Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Birch Lane Elementary rank among elementary schools in Davis?
By Resource Investment Index, Birch Lane Elementary ranks #9 of 9 elementary schools in Davis, 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 Davis on the city page.
Is Birch Lane Elementary a good school?
Birch Lane Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger 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 Davis Joint Unified?
Besides Birch Lane Elementary, Davis Joint Unified also operates Davis Senior High (1,755 students), Oliver Wendell Holmes Junior High (588 students), and Pioneer Elementary (572 students). See the Davis Joint 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.