Enrollment
415
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Orange, CA
Cambridge Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cambridge Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062865004420
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cambridge Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #15 of 17
- elementary schools in Orange · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.1:1
- students per teacher
- 77.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Cambridge Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cambridge Elementary ranks #15 of 17 elementary schools in Orange, CA.
School address
District: Orange Unified · California
NCES ID 062865004420 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cambridge Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cambridge Elementary
Cambridge Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Orange, California, enrolling 415 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23.1:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 77.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 415 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,986 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #1,113.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (88% of enrollment) (diversity index 22/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 415 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Orange's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mcpherson Magnet (863 students): Cambridge Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (23.1:1 vs 27:1).
Orange Unified also operates Canyon High (2,183 students) and Villa Park High (2,023 students) alongside Cambridge 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 Cambridge Elementary compares
Cambridge 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 | 23.1:1 | ▲ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.1% | ▲ 39% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 415 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.1:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
415
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
23.1:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 63% in California - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
48.2%
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
$14,036
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 415 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.9 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 88.0%
White 7.2%
Two or More 2.4%
African American 1.4%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 22.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 22.0, Cambridge Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Orange Unified, which includes Cambridge Elementary.
$14,036
Per student
-15%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 53.9%
State 35.0%
Federal 11.0%
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 Cambridge Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Villa Park High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| El Modena High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Orange High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| El Rancho Charter | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cambridge Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,183
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,023
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,795
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,728
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,144
- Students per teacher
- 29.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Orange
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mcpherson Magnet
Standard public school
863 students 27:1 students per teacher
California Iinspire Academy
Standard public school
699 students 33.3:1 students per teacher
Fletcher Mandarin Language & Gate Academy
Standard public school
493 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Jordan Academy of Language and Computer Science
Standard public school
430 students 30.7:1 students per teacher
Palmyra Elementary
Standard public school
429 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
West Orange Elementary
Standard public school
410 students 31.5:1 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 (~415 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cambridge Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cambridge Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Orange Unified'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 Cambridge Elementary
How many students attend Cambridge Elementary?
Cambridge Elementary has 415 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Orange, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cambridge Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cambridge Elementary is 23.1:1, which is 7% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 47% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cambridge Elementary?
77.1% of students at Cambridge Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cambridge Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cambridge Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 88.0% of enrollment, in Orange, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cambridge Elementary?
Cambridge Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cambridge Elementary rank among elementary schools in Orange?
By Resource Investment Index, Cambridge Elementary ranks #15 of 17 elementary schools in Orange, 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 Orange on the city page.
Is Cambridge Elementary a good school?
Cambridge Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Orange Unified?
Besides Cambridge Elementary, Orange Unified also operates Canyon High (2,183 students), Villa Park High (2,023 students), and El Modena High (1,795 students). See the Orange Unified 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.