- Enrollment
- 1,678
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Luis Obispo, CA
C L Smith Elementary
Federal NCES profile for C L Smith Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063480005882
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
C L Smith Elementary earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of California schools.
- #7 of 8
- elementary schools in San Luis Obispo · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24:1
- large classes for California
- 43.0%
- free-lunch eligible
C L Smith Elementary has class sizes larger than 71% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, C L Smith Elementary ranks #7 of 8 elementary schools in San Luis Obispo, CA.
School address
District: San Luis Coastal Unified · California
NCES ID 063480005882 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+19 students YoY
C L Smith Elementary held near 484 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+19 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 22.0 → 22.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+19 students YoY 063480005882 · San Luis Obispo, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
528 enr · 24:1 · 43.0% lunch · RII 16
Nearest enrollment peer: San Luis Obispo High (1,678 students)
C L Smith Elementary held near 484 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+19 headcount). Teacher FTE held 22.0 → 22.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
C L Smith Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- San Luis Obisp
San Luis Obispo High
1,678 students
- Laguna Middle
Laguna Middle
780 students
- Morro Bay High
Morro Bay High
751 students
- This school 528
C L Smith Elementary
528 students
- Los Ranchos El 521
Los Ranchos Elementary
521 students
- Los Osos Middl 494
Los Osos Middle
494 students
What this shows C L Smith Elementary reports 528 students on the CCD universe file.
How C L Smith Elementary compares
C L Smith Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24:1 | ▲ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.0% | ▼ 23% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 528 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
528
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
43.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
24:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 71% in California - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
28.0%
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
$18,117
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 528 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 45.6%
Hispanic or Latino 41.5%
Two or More 6.4%
Asian 4.4%
African American 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 45.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.3, C L Smith Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for San Luis Coastal Unified reports $18,117 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How C L Smith Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Laguna Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Morro Bay High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Los Ranchos Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Los Osos Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to C L Smith Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 780
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 751
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 521
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 494
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar elementary schools in San Luis Obispo
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Los Ranchos Elementary
Standard public school
521 students 27.4:1 students per teacher
Pacheco Elementary
Standard public school
488 students 23.2:1 students per teacher
Hawthorne Elementary
Standard public school
437 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Sinsheimer Elementary
Standard public school
401 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Bishop's Peak Elementary
Standard public school
358 students 22.4:1 students per teacher
Teach Elementary
Standard public school
193 students 32.2:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~528 students)
Frequently asked questions about C L Smith Elementary
How many students attend C L Smith Elementary?
C L Smith Elementary has 528 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Luis Obispo, CA. CCD year-over-year: 465 (2022-23) → 484 (2023-24), nearly flat (+19).
What is the student-teacher ratio at C L Smith Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at C L Smith Elementary is 24:1, which is 12% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 53% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at C L Smith Elementary?
43.0% of students at C L Smith Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of C L Smith Elementary?
The largest demographic group at C L Smith Elementary is White at 45.6% of enrollment, in San Luis Obispo, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for C L Smith Elementary?
C L Smith Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does C L Smith Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Luis Obispo?
By Resource Investment Index, C L Smith Elementary ranks #7 of 8 elementary schools in San Luis Obispo, 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 San Luis Obispo on the city page.
What other schools are in San Luis Coastal Unified?
Besides C L Smith Elementary, San Luis Coastal Unified also operates San Luis Obispo High (1,678 students), Laguna Middle (780 students), and Morro Bay High (751 students). See the San Luis Coastal Unified district page for the complete list.