Enrollment
505
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Modesto, CA
Christine Sipherd Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Christine Sipherd Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 8/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061269001432
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Christine Sipherd Elementary earns 8/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools.
- #53 of 53
- elementary schools in Modesto · Resource Index
- 8
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.3:1
- large classes for California
- 59.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Christine Sipherd Elementary has class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Christine Sipherd Elementary ranks #53 of 53 elementary schools in Modesto, CA.
School address
District: Empire Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 061269001432 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Christine Sipherd Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Christine Sipherd Elementary
Christine Sipherd Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Modesto, California, enrolling 505 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.3:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 59.8% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 505 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,849 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,825, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (58%) and White (24%) (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 505 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 52.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Modesto's elementary schools, it stands alongside Great Valley Academy (972 students): Christine Sipherd Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (25.3:1 vs 27.8:1).
Empire Union Elementary also operates Norman N. Glick Middle (602 students) and Capistrano Elementary (469 students) alongside Christine Sipherd 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 Christine Sipherd Elementary compares
Christine Sipherd 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 | 25.3:1 | ▲ 18% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.8% | ▲ 8% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 505 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.3:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
505
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
25.3:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 81% in California - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
52.1%
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
$15,755
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 505 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 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 57.6%
White 24.2%
Asian 6.3%
African American 6.1%
Two or More 5.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 57.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.9, Christine Sipherd Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Empire Union Elementary, which includes Christine Sipherd Elementary.
$15,755
Per student
-5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.3%
State 58.5%
Federal 11.2%
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 Christine Sipherd Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norman N. Glick Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Capistrano Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bernard L. Hughes Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Empire Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Alice N. Stroud Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Christine Sipherd Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 602
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 469
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 9/100
- Enrollment
- 455
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 379
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Modesto
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Great Valley Academy
Standard public school
972 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Great Valley Academy - Salida
Standard public school
927 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Bret Harte Elementary
Standard public school
867 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Fairview Elementary
Standard public school
786 students 27.1:1 students per teacher
Franklin Elementary
Standard public school
777 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Freedom Elementary
Standard public school
713 students 25.5:1 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 (~505 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Christine Sipherd Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Christine Sipherd Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Empire Union 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 Christine Sipherd Elementary
How many students attend Christine Sipherd Elementary?
Christine Sipherd Elementary has 505 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Modesto, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Christine Sipherd Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Christine Sipherd Elementary is 25.3:1, which is 18% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Christine Sipherd Elementary?
59.8% of students at Christine Sipherd Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Christine Sipherd Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Christine Sipherd Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 57.6% of enrollment, in Modesto, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Christine Sipherd Elementary?
Christine Sipherd Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 8/100 (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 Christine Sipherd Elementary rank among elementary schools in Modesto?
By Resource Investment Index, Christine Sipherd Elementary ranks #53 of 53 elementary schools in Modesto, 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 Modesto on the city page.
Is Christine Sipherd Elementary a good school?
Christine Sipherd Elementary earns 8/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of 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 Empire Union Elementary?
Besides Christine Sipherd Elementary, Empire Union Elementary also operates Norman N. Glick Middle (602 students), Capistrano Elementary (469 students), and Bernard L. Hughes Elementary (455 students). See the Empire Union 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.