Enrollment
311
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chico, CA
Chapman Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Chapman 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 060837000813
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 38
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chapman Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #14 of 19
- elementary schools in Chico · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.9:1
- large classes for California
- 84.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Chapman Elementary has class sizes larger than 85% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chapman Elementary ranks #14 of 19 elementary schools in Chico, CA.
School address
District: Chico Unified · California
NCES ID 060837000813 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chapman Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chapman Elementary
Chapman Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Chico, California, enrolling 311 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.9:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 84.3% of students qualify for free meals, 52% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 311 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,125 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #747.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 311 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Chico's elementary schools, it stands alongside Shasta Elementary (621 students): Chapman Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.9:1 vs 21.4:1).
Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students) and Chico High (1,804 students) alongside Chapman 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 Chapman Elementary compares
Chapman 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 | 25.9:1 | ▲ 20% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.3% | ▲ 52% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 311 | top 73% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.9:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
311
Bigger than 34% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
84.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% 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
25.9:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 85% in California - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
28.9%
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
$15,280
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 311 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 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 44.1%
White 25.7%
Two or More 11.3%
Asian 7.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.5%
African American 5.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.5, Chapman Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chico Unified, which includes Chapman Elementary.
$15,280
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.8%
State 51.0%
Federal 13.3%
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 Chapman Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chico High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bidwell Junior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chico Junior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chapman Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,978
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,804
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,012
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 861
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 716
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar elementary schools in Chico
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Shasta Elementary
Standard public school
621 students 21.4:1 students per teacher
Emma Wilson Elementary
Standard public school
597 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Chico Country Day
Standard public school
585 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Marigold Elementary
Standard public school
571 students 27.2:1 students per teacher
Rosedale Elementary
Standard public school
563 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Little Chico Creek Elementary
Standard public school
471 students 21.4:1 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 (~311 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chapman Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Chapman Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Chico 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 Chapman Elementary
How many students attend Chapman Elementary?
Chapman Elementary has 311 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chico, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chapman Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Chapman Elementary is 25.9:1, which is 20% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 65% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Chapman Elementary?
84.3% of students at Chapman Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chapman Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Chapman Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 44.1% of enrollment, in Chico, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chapman Elementary?
Chapman 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 Chapman Elementary rank among elementary schools in Chico?
By Resource Investment Index, Chapman Elementary ranks #14 of 19 elementary schools in Chico, 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 Chico on the city page.
Is Chapman Elementary a good school?
Chapman Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of California schools. It is also more 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 Chico Unified?
Besides Chapman Elementary, Chico Unified also operates Pleasant Valley High (1,978 students), Chico High (1,804 students), and Bidwell Junior High (1,012 students). See the Chico 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.