Enrollment
702
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bell Gardens, CA
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cesar E. Chavez Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062547003793
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 6
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 76% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 4
- elementary schools in Bell Gardens · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.5:1
- small classes for California
- 75.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary has class sizes smaller than 76% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cesar E. Chavez Elementary ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Bell Gardens, CA.
School address
District: Montebello Unified · California
NCES ID 062547003793 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
+36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cesar E. Chavez Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cesar E. Chavez Elementary
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Bell Gardens, California, enrolling 702 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 75.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 702 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.
Against 1,890 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #769.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (100% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 0/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 468 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Montebello Unified spends $20,966 per pupil, 27% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 24.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Bell Gardens's elementary schools, it stands alongside Bell Gardens Elementary (624 students): Cesar E. Chavez Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.5:1 vs 15.6:1).
Montebello Unified also operates Schurr High (2,121 students) and Bell Gardens High (2,046 students) alongside Cesar E. 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 E. Chavez Elementary compares
Cesar E. 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 | 18.5:1 | ▼ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.6% | ▲ 36% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 702 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.5:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
702
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
18.5:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 24% in California - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
43.7%
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
$20,966
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 468 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: 0.1 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 99.9%
Two or More 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 99.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 0.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 0.2, Cesar E. Chavez Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montebello Unified, which includes Cesar E. Chavez Elementary.
$20,966
Per student
+27%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.8%
State 57.9%
Federal 24.4%
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 E. Chavez Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schurr High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bell Gardens High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Montebello High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bell Gardens Intermediate | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Greenwood Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cesar E. Chavez Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,121
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,046
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,907
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 746
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Bell Gardens
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~702 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cesar E. Chavez Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cesar E. Chavez Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Montebello 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 E. Chavez Elementary
How many students attend Cesar E. Chavez Elementary?
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary has 702 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bell Gardens, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cesar E. Chavez Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cesar E. Chavez Elementary is 18.5:1, which is 14% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 18% 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 E. Chavez Elementary?
75.6% of students at Cesar E. Chavez Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cesar E. Chavez Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cesar E. Chavez Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 99.9% of enrollment, in Bell Gardens, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cesar E. Chavez Elementary?
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Cesar E. Chavez Elementary rank among elementary schools in Bell Gardens?
By Resource Investment Index, Cesar E. Chavez Elementary ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Bell Gardens, 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 Bell Gardens on the city page.
Is Cesar E. Chavez Elementary a good school?
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 76% 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 Montebello Unified?
Besides Cesar E. Chavez Elementary, Montebello Unified also operates Schurr High (2,121 students), Bell Gardens High (2,046 students), and Montebello High (1,907 students). See the Montebello 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.