Enrollment
535
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Maria, CA
Bonita Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bonita 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 060558000502
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bonita Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #11 of 24
- elementary schools in Santa Maria · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.4:1
- students per teacher
- 90.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Bonita Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bonita Elementary ranks #11 of 24 elementary schools in Santa Maria, CA.
School address
District: Santa Maria-Bonita · California
NCES ID 060558000502 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
90.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bonita Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bonita Elementary
Bonita Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Santa Maria, California, enrolling 535 students.
At 21.4:1, 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 is high: 90.7% of students qualify for free meals, 63% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 535 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 1,409 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #605.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (99% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 2/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Santa Maria's elementary schools, it stands alongside Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary (1,177 students): Bonita Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.4:1 vs 29.4:1).
Santa Maria-Bonita also operates Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary (1,177 students) and Bruce (Robert) Elementary (1,050 students) alongside Bonita 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 Bonita Elementary compares
Bonita 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 | 21.4:1 | ▼ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 90.7% | ▲ 63% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 535 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
535
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
90.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% 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
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 0% below state mean
Top 47% in California - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
42.2%
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
$14,410
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 98.9%
White 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Two or More 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 98.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 2.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 2.2, Bonita Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Santa Maria-Bonita, which includes Bonita Elementary.
$14,410
Per student
-13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.7%
State 68.7%
Federal 11.6%
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 Bonita Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bruce (Robert) Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alvin Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fesler (Isaac) Junior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bonita Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,177
- Students per teacher
- 29.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,050
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 998
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 974
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 917
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Maria
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary
Standard public school
1,177 students 29.4:1 students per teacher
Bruce (Robert) Elementary
Standard public school
1,050 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Alvin Elementary
Standard public school
998 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Rice (William) Elementary
Standard public school
887 students 24:1 students per teacher
Miller (Isaac) Elementary
Standard public school
883 students 25.2:1 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 (~535 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bonita Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bonita Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Santa Maria-Bonita'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 Bonita Elementary
How many students attend Bonita Elementary?
Bonita Elementary has 535 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Maria, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bonita Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bonita Elementary is 21.4:1, which is 0% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bonita Elementary?
90.7% of students at Bonita Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bonita Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bonita Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 98.9% of enrollment, in Santa Maria, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bonita Elementary?
Bonita Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bonita Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santa Maria?
By Resource Investment Index, Bonita Elementary ranks #11 of 24 elementary schools in Santa Maria, 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 Santa Maria on the city page.
Is Bonita Elementary a good school?
Bonita Elementary earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less 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 Santa Maria-Bonita?
Besides Bonita Elementary, Santa Maria-Bonita also operates Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary (1,177 students), Bruce (Robert) Elementary (1,050 students), and Alvin Elementary (998 students). See the Santa Maria-Bonita 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.