Enrollment
477
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · National City, CA
Central Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062667004042
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 5
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #10 of 11
- elementary schools in National City · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.7:1
- students per teacher
- 77.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary ranks #10 of 11 elementary schools in National City, CA.
School address
District: National Elementary · California
NCES ID 062667004042 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary
Central Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in National City, California, enrolling 477 students.
At 21.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 77.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 477 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 2,161 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #1,327.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 29/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 477 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 56.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among National City's elementary schools, it stands alongside Las Palmas (458 students): Central Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.7:1 vs 20.8:1).
National Elementary also operates Las Palmas (458 students) and Olivewood (424 students) alongside Central 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 Central Elementary compares
Central 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 | 21.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.2% | ▲ 39% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 477 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
477
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.2%
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
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 50% in California - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
56.2%
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
$18,648
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 477 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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 83.4%
Asian 11.7%
African American 1.7%
White 1.5%
Two or More 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 83.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 29.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 29.0, Central Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for National Elementary, which includes Central Elementary.
$18,648
Per student
+13%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.9%
State 64.8%
Federal 14.3%
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 Central Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Palmas | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Olivewood | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Acres | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ira Harbison | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Palmer Way | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 458
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 423
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 393
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 387
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in National City
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Las Palmas
Standard public school
458 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Olivewood
Standard public school
424 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Acres
Standard public school
423 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Integrity Charter
Standard public school
393 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Ira Harbison
Standard public school
393 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Palmer Way
Standard public school
387 students 21.5:1 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 (~477 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- National 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 Central Elementary
How many students attend Central Elementary?
Central Elementary has 477 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in National City, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary is 21.7:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elementary?
77.2% of students at Central Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 83.4% of enrollment, in National City, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary?
Central Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (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 Central Elementary rank among elementary schools in National City?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary ranks #10 of 11 elementary schools in National City, 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 National City on the city page.
Is Central Elementary a good school?
Central Elementary earns 22/100 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 National Elementary?
Besides Central Elementary, National Elementary also operates Las Palmas (458 students), Olivewood (424 students), and Lincoln Acres (423 students). See the National 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.