Enrollment
432
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Redondo Beach, CA
Birney Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Birney Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060003204952
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Birney Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 8
- elementary schools in Redondo Beach · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25.4:1
- large classes for California
- 10.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Birney Elementary has class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Birney Elementary ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Redondo Beach, CA.
School address
District: Redondo Beach Unified · California
NCES ID 060003204952 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
10.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-82% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Birney Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Birney Elementary
Birney Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Redondo Beach, California, enrolling 432 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.4:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 10.1% free-meal eligibility runs 82% below the California average.
With 432 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 772 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #347.
Its student body is led by White (37%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 864 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Redondo Beach Unified spends $12,593 per pupil, 24% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Redondo Beach's elementary schools, it stands alongside Washington Elementary (776 students): Birney Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (25.4:1 vs 25.9:1).
Redondo Beach Unified also operates Redondo Union High (2,921 students) and Adams Middle (1,165 students) alongside Birney 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 Birney Elementary compares
Birney 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 | 25.4:1 | ▲ 18% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.1% | ▼ 82% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 432 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.4:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
432
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
10.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 82% 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
25.4:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 82% in California - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
9.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,593
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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 37.3%
Hispanic or Latino 20.4%
Asian 19.0%
Two or More 18.5%
African American 4.9%
Largest group: White at 37.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.7, Birney Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Redondo Beach Unified, which includes Birney Elementary.
$12,593
Per student
-24%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.4%
State 40.7%
Federal 7.9%
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 Birney Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redondo Union High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Adams Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parras (Nick G.) Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Birney Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,921
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 27.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,031
- Students per teacher
- 28.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 776
- Students per teacher
- 25.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 626
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar elementary schools in Redondo Beach
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Washington Elementary
Standard public school
776 students 25.9:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Elementary
Standard public school
626 students 25:1 students per teacher
Jefferson Elementary
Standard public school
555 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Alta Vista Elementary
Standard public school
547 students 26:1 students per teacher
Madison Elementary
Standard public school
476 students 28:1 students per teacher
Tulita Elementary
Standard public school
443 students 23.3:1 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 (~432 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Birney Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Birney Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Redondo Beach 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 Birney Elementary
How many students attend Birney Elementary?
Birney Elementary has 432 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Redondo Beach, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Birney Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Birney Elementary is 25.4:1, which is 18% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 62% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Birney Elementary?
10.1% of students at Birney Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Birney Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Birney Elementary is White at 37.3% of enrollment, in Redondo Beach, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Birney Elementary?
Birney Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical 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 Birney Elementary rank among elementary schools in Redondo Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, Birney Elementary ranks #2 of 8 elementary schools in Redondo Beach, 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 Redondo Beach on the city page.
Is Birney Elementary a good school?
Birney Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Redondo Beach Unified?
Besides Birney Elementary, Redondo Beach Unified also operates Redondo Union High (2,921 students), Adams Middle (1,165 students), and Parras (Nick G.) Middle (1,031 students). See the Redondo Beach 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.