Enrollment
429
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Goleta, CA
Brandon Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Brandon Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061551006622
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Brandon Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of California schools.
- #3 of 6
- elementary schools in Goleta · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.7:1
- small classes for California
- 33.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Brandon Elementary has class sizes smaller than 75% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Brandon Elementary ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Goleta, CA.
School address
District: Goleta Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 061551006622 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Brandon Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Brandon Elementary
Brandon Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Goleta, California, enrolling 429 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 429 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 1,204 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #38, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (48%) and White (38%) (diversity index 62/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.2% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Goleta Union Elementary spends $22,500 per pupil, 36% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Goleta's elementary schools, it stands alongside Isla Vista Elementary (418 students): Brandon Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.7:1 vs 17.4:1).
Goleta Union Elementary also operates Isla Vista Elementary (418 students) and Foothill Elementary (413 students) alongside Brandon 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 Brandon Elementary compares
Brandon 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 | 18.7:1 | ▼ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.3% | ▼ 40% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 429 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.7:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
429
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.7:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 25% in California - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
18.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$22,500
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 48.0%
White 37.8%
Two or More 9.8%
Asian 3.7%
African American 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.6, Brandon Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Goleta Union Elementary, which includes Brandon Elementary.
$22,500
Per student
+36%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 70.3%
State 19.6%
Federal 10.1%
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 Brandon Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isla Vista Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Foothill Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hollister Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kellogg Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| La Patera Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Brandon Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 418
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 393
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar elementary schools in Goleta
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Isla Vista Elementary
Standard public school
418 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Kellogg Elementary
Standard public school
369 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
La Patera Elementary
Standard public school
369 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Ellwood Elementary
Standard public school
303 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Santa Barbara Charter
Standard public school
269 students 22.4:1 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 (~429 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Brandon Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Brandon Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Goleta 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 Brandon Elementary
How many students attend Brandon Elementary?
Brandon Elementary has 429 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Goleta, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Brandon Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Brandon Elementary is 18.7:1, which is 13% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 19% 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 Brandon Elementary?
33.3% of students at Brandon Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Brandon Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Brandon Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 48.0% of enrollment, in Goleta, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Brandon Elementary?
Brandon Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 Brandon Elementary rank among elementary schools in Goleta?
By Resource Investment Index, Brandon Elementary ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Goleta, 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 Goleta on the city page.
Is Brandon Elementary a good school?
Brandon Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% 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 Goleta Union Elementary?
Besides Brandon Elementary, Goleta Union Elementary also operates Isla Vista Elementary (418 students), Foothill Elementary (413 students), and Hollister Elementary (393 students). See the Goleta 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.