Enrollment
350
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sunnyvale, CA
Chester W. Nimitz Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Chester W. Nimitz 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 061029001146
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chester W. Nimitz Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 70% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #12 of 13
- elementary schools in Sunnyvale · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.4:1
- small classes for California
- 37.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Chester W. Nimitz Elementary has class sizes smaller than 70% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chester W. Nimitz Elementary ranks #12 of 13 elementary schools in Sunnyvale, CA.
School address
District: Cupertino Union · California
NCES ID 061029001146 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chester W. Nimitz Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chester W. Nimitz Elementary
Chester W. Nimitz Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Sunnyvale, California, enrolling 350 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 37.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 350 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 947 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #627.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (38%) and Asian (35%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Sunnyvale's elementary schools, it stands alongside Louis E. Stocklmeir Elementary (840 students): Chester W. Nimitz Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.4:1 vs 25.5:1).
Cupertino Union also operates Cupertino Middle (1,067 students) and Joaquin Miller Middle (1,067 students) alongside Chester W. Nimitz 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 Chester W. Nimitz Elementary compares
Chester W. Nimitz 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 | 19.4:1 | ▼ 10% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.5% | ▼ 32% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 350 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.4:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
350
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.4:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 30% in California - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.7%
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
$14,632
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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: 0.3 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 38.3%
Asian 34.9%
White 13.1%
Two or More 10.6%
African American 2.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.2, Chester W. Nimitz Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cupertino Union, which includes Chester W. Nimitz Elementary.
$14,632
Per student
-11%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 60.6%
State 33.6%
Federal 5.9%
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 Chester W. Nimitz Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cupertino Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Joaquin Miller Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John F. Kennedy Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sam H. Lawson Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Louis E. Stocklmeir Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chester W. Nimitz Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,067
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 880
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 841
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 840
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Sunnyvale
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Louis E. Stocklmeir Elementary
Standard public school
840 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Ellis Elementary
Standard public school
768 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Cherry Chase Elementary
Standard public school
622 students 21.4:1 students per teacher
Cumberland Elementary
Standard public school
586 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Ponderosa Elementary
Standard public school
524 students 23.8:1 students per teacher
Bishop Elementary
Standard public school
465 students 21.1:1 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 (~350 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chester W. Nimitz Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Chester W. Nimitz Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Cupertino Union'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 Chester W. Nimitz Elementary
How many students attend Chester W. Nimitz Elementary?
Chester W. Nimitz Elementary has 350 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sunnyvale, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chester W. Nimitz Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Chester W. Nimitz Elementary is 19.4:1, which is 10% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 24% 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 Chester W. Nimitz Elementary?
37.5% of students at Chester W. Nimitz Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chester W. Nimitz Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Chester W. Nimitz Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 38.3% of enrollment, in Sunnyvale, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chester W. Nimitz Elementary?
Chester W. Nimitz Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (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 Chester W. Nimitz Elementary rank among elementary schools in Sunnyvale?
By Resource Investment Index, Chester W. Nimitz Elementary ranks #12 of 13 elementary schools in Sunnyvale, 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 Sunnyvale on the city page.
Is Chester W. Nimitz Elementary a good school?
Chester W. Nimitz Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 70% 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 Cupertino Union?
Besides Chester W. Nimitz Elementary, Cupertino Union also operates Cupertino Middle (1,067 students), Joaquin Miller Middle (1,067 students), and John F. Kennedy Middle (880 students). See the Cupertino Union 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.