Enrollment
622
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Coachella, CA
Cesar Chavez Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cesar Chavez Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060907009764
👥 S:T ratio 25
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cesar Chavez Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 74% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 7
- elementary schools in Coachella · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.8:1
- small classes for California
- 83.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cesar Chavez Elementary has class sizes smaller than 74% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cesar Chavez Elementary ranks #2 of 7 elementary schools in Coachella, CA.
School address
District: Coachella Valley Unified · California
NCES ID 060907009764 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
83.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
+51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cesar Chavez Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cesar Chavez Elementary
Cesar Chavez Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Coachella, California, enrolling 622 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 83.9% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 622 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,862 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,375, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (99% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 3/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Coachella's elementary schools, it stands alongside Imagine Schools Riverside County (1,454 students): Cesar Chavez Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.8:1 vs 26.4:1).
Coachella Valley Unified also operates Coachella Valley High (2,300 students) and Desert Mirage High (1,875 students) alongside Cesar Chavez 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 Cesar Chavez Elementary compares
Cesar Chavez 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 | 18.8:1 | ▼ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 83.9% | ▲ 51% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 622 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
622
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
83.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 26% in California - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
49.7%
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
$18,466
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 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 98.6%
White 0.8%
Two or More 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 98.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 2.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 2.8, Cesar Chavez Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Coachella Valley Unified, which includes Cesar Chavez Elementary.
$18,466
Per student
+12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.5%
State 62.1%
Federal 15.5%
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 Cesar Chavez Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coachella Valley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Mirage High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Toro Canyon Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Saul Martinez Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coral Mountain Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cesar Chavez Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,300
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,875
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 989
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 961
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 815
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
Similar elementary schools in Coachella
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Imagine Schools Riverside County
Standard public school
1,454 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Coral Mountain Academy
Standard public school
815 students 20.4:1 students per teacher
Valle Del Sol Elementary
Standard public school
649 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Valley View Elementary
Standard public school
603 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Palm View Elementary
Standard public school
561 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Peter Pendleton Elementary
Standard public school
499 students 22.7:1 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 (~622 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cesar Chavez Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cesar Chavez Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Coachella Valley 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 Cesar Chavez Elementary
How many students attend Cesar Chavez Elementary?
Cesar Chavez Elementary has 622 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Coachella, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cesar Chavez Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cesar Chavez Elementary is 18.8:1, which is 13% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cesar Chavez Elementary?
83.9% of students at Cesar Chavez Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cesar Chavez Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cesar Chavez Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 98.6% of enrollment, in Coachella, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cesar Chavez Elementary?
Cesar Chavez Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (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 Cesar Chavez Elementary rank among elementary schools in Coachella?
By Resource Investment Index, Cesar Chavez Elementary ranks #2 of 7 elementary schools in Coachella, 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 Coachella on the city page.
Is Cesar Chavez Elementary a good school?
Cesar Chavez Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 74% of California schools. It is also less 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 Coachella Valley Unified?
Besides Cesar Chavez Elementary, Coachella Valley Unified also operates Coachella Valley High (2,300 students), Desert Mirage High (1,875 students), and Toro Canyon Middle (989 students). See the Coachella Valley 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.