Enrollment
495
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Walnut Creek, CA
Buena Vista Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Buena Vista Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064125006827
👥 S:T ratio 1
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 77
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buena Vista Elementary earns 36/100 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.
- #3 of 10
- elementary schools in Walnut Creek · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 24.8:1
- large classes for California
- 16.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Buena Vista Elementary has class sizes larger than 78% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buena Vista Elementary ranks #3 of 10 elementary schools in Walnut Creek, CA.
School address
District: Walnut Creek Elementary · California
NCES ID 064125006827 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
16.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Buena Vista Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Buena Vista Elementary
Buena Vista Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Walnut Creek, California, enrolling 495 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, 16.1% free-meal eligibility runs 71% below the California average.
With 495 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 1,143 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #543.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and Asian (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Walnut Creek's elementary schools, it stands alongside Walnut Acres Elementary (689 students): Buena Vista Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.8:1 vs 32.8:1).
Walnut Creek Elementary also operates Walnut Creek Intermediate (940 students) and Parkmead Elementary (478 students) alongside Buena Vista 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 Buena Vista Elementary compares
Buena Vista 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 | 16.1% | ▼ 71% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 495 | top 46% | - | - |
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.
495
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
16.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% 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
9.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,428
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
3
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 40.4%
Asian 22.0%
Two or More 19.2%
Hispanic or Latino 15.4%
African American 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 40.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.7, Buena Vista Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Walnut Creek Elementary, which includes Buena Vista Elementary.
$13,428
Per student
-19%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 74.2%
State 17.4%
Federal 8.3%
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 Buena Vista Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut Creek Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Parkmead Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Murwood Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tice Creek | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Walnut Heights Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buena Vista Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 940
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 478
- Students per teacher
- 26.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 451
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 451
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 427
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar elementary schools in Walnut Creek
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Walnut Acres Elementary
Standard public school
689 students 32.8:1 students per teacher
Bancroft Elementary
Standard public school
672 students 26.9:1 students per teacher
Valle Verde Elementary
Standard public school
485 students 32.3:1 students per teacher
Parkmead Elementary
Standard public school
478 students 26.6:1 students per teacher
Murwood Elementary
Standard public school
451 students 26.5:1 students per teacher
Tice Creek
Standard public school
451 students 23.7:1 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 (~495 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Buena Vista Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Buena Vista Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Walnut Creek 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 Buena Vista Elementary
How many students attend Buena Vista Elementary?
Buena Vista Elementary has 495 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Walnut Creek, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buena Vista Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Buena Vista 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 Buena Vista Elementary?
16.1% of students at Buena Vista Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buena Vista Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Buena Vista Elementary is White at 40.4% of enrollment, in Walnut Creek, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buena Vista Elementary?
Buena Vista Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical 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 Buena Vista Elementary rank among elementary schools in Walnut Creek?
By Resource Investment Index, Buena Vista Elementary ranks #3 of 10 elementary schools in Walnut Creek, 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 Walnut Creek on the city page.
Is Buena Vista Elementary a good school?
Buena Vista Elementary earns 36/100 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 Walnut Creek Elementary?
Besides Buena Vista Elementary, Walnut Creek Elementary also operates Walnut Creek Intermediate (940 students), Parkmead Elementary (478 students), and Murwood Elementary (451 students). See the Walnut Creek 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.