Enrollment
533
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Francisco, CA
Clarendon Alternative Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Clarendon Alternative Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063441005666
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Clarendon Alternative Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #24 of 83
- elementary schools in San Francisco · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 28.1:1
- large classes for California
- 16.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Clarendon Alternative Elementary has class sizes larger than 93% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Clarendon Alternative Elementary ranks #24 of 83 elementary schools in San Francisco, CA.
School address
District: San Francisco Unified · California
NCES ID 063441005666 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
16.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Clarendon Alternative Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Clarendon Alternative Elementary
Clarendon Alternative Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in San Francisco, California, enrolling 533 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.1:1 is larger than about 93% of California schools and 31% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 16.1% free-meal eligibility runs 71% below the California average.
With 533 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,193 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #842.
Its student body is led by Asian (32%) and Two or More (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
15.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding San Francisco Unified spends $23,654 per pupil, 43% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among San Francisco's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary (673 students): Clarendon Alternative Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (28.1:1 vs 23.2:1).
San Francisco Unified also operates Lowell High (2,571 students) and Lincoln (Abraham) High (2,074 students) alongside Clarendon Alternative 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 Clarendon Alternative Elementary compares
Clarendon Alternative 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 | 28.1:1 | ▲ 31% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 16.1% | ▼ 71% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 533 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.1:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
533
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
16.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
28.1:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 93% in California - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
15.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$23,654
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
Asian 32.1%
Two or More 28.0%
White 25.0%
Hispanic or Latino 10.9%
African American 4.1%
Largest group: Asian at 32.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.2, Clarendon Alternative Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Francisco Unified, which includes Clarendon Alternative Elementary.
$23,654
Per student
+43%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+43%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.8%
State 31.2%
Federal 12.0%
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 Clarendon Alternative Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln (Abraham) High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Washington (George) High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Galileo High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Balboa High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Clarendon Alternative Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,571
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,074
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 2,068
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,750
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,238
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
Similar elementary schools in San Francisco
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary
Standard public school
673 students 23.2:1 students per teacher
Lau (Gordon J.) Elementary
Standard public school
653 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Lawton Alternative
Standard public school
600 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Yu (Alice Fong) Elementary
Standard public school
594 students 29.7:1 students per teacher
West Portal Elementary
Standard public school
588 students 26.7:1 students per teacher
Buena Vista/ Horace Mann K-8
Standard public school
586 students 18.9:1 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 (~533 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~28.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Clarendon Alternative Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Clarendon Alternative Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- San Francisco 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 Clarendon Alternative Elementary
How many students attend Clarendon Alternative Elementary?
Clarendon Alternative Elementary has 533 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Francisco, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Clarendon Alternative Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Clarendon Alternative Elementary is 28.1:1, which is 31% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 79% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Clarendon Alternative Elementary?
16.1% of students at Clarendon Alternative Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Clarendon Alternative Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Clarendon Alternative Elementary is Asian at 32.1% of enrollment, in San Francisco, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Clarendon Alternative Elementary?
Clarendon Alternative Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Clarendon Alternative Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Francisco?
By Resource Investment Index, Clarendon Alternative Elementary ranks #24 of 83 elementary schools in San Francisco, 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 San Francisco on the city page.
Is Clarendon Alternative Elementary a good school?
Clarendon Alternative Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 San Francisco Unified?
Besides Clarendon Alternative Elementary, San Francisco Unified also operates Lowell High (2,571 students), Lincoln (Abraham) High (2,074 students), and Washington (George) High (2,068 students). See the San Francisco 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.