Enrollment
713
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bakersfield, CA
Buena Vista Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Buena Vista Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060639000561
👥 S:T ratio 2
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buena Vista Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of California schools.
- #42 of 97
- elementary schools in Bakersfield · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.6:1
- large classes for California
- 49.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Buena Vista Elementary has class sizes larger than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buena Vista Elementary ranks #42 of 97 elementary schools in Bakersfield, CA.
School address
District: Panama-Buena Vista Union · California
NCES ID 060639000561 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-11% 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 mid-sized elementary school in Bakersfield, California, enrolling 713 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.6:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 49.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 713 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,329 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #510.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (52%) and White (18%) (diversity index 66/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Bakersfield's elementary schools, it stands alongside Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8 (1,151 students): Buena Vista Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.6:1 vs 25.6:1).
Panama-Buena Vista Union also operates Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8 (1,151 students) and Douglas J. Miller Elementary (994 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 | 24.6:1 | ▲ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.6% | ▼ 11% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 713 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.6:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
713
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
24.6:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 76% in California - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
34.4%
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
$14,357
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
0
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 51.8%
White 18.2%
Asian 17.4%
African American 9.0%
Two or More 3.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.9, Buena Vista Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Panama-Buena Vista Union, which includes Buena Vista Elementary.
$14,357
Per student
-13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 10.2%
State 71.3%
Federal 18.5%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8 | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Douglas J. Miller Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stonecreek Junior High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Earl Warren Junior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Berkshire Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher 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
- 1,151
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 994
- Students per teacher
- 29.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 986
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 965
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 932
- Students per teacher
- 28.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar elementary schools in Bakersfield
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8
Standard public school
1,151 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Veterans Elementary
Standard public school
1,002 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Douglas J. Miller Elementary
Standard public school
994 students 29.2:1 students per teacher
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary
Standard public school
960 students 24:1 students per teacher
Berkshire Elementary
Standard public school
932 students 28.2:1 students per teacher
Patriot Elementary
Standard public school
931 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 (~713 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Buena Vista Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Buena Vista Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Panama-Buena Vista Union'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 713 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bakersfield, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buena Vista Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Buena Vista Elementary is 24.6:1, which is 14% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 57% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Buena Vista Elementary?
49.6% 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 Hispanic or Latino at 51.8% of enrollment, in Bakersfield, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buena Vista Elementary?
Buena Vista Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Buena Vista Elementary rank among elementary schools in Bakersfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Buena Vista Elementary ranks #42 of 97 elementary schools in Bakersfield, 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 Bakersfield on the city page.
Is Buena Vista Elementary a good school?
Buena Vista Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% 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 Panama-Buena Vista Union?
Besides Buena Vista Elementary, Panama-Buena Vista Union also operates Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8 (1,151 students), Douglas J. Miller Elementary (994 students), and Stonecreek Junior High (986 students). See the Panama-Buena Vista Union 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.