Enrollment
960
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bakersfield, CA
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060363000311
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of California schools.
- #67 of 97
- elementary schools in Bakersfield · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24:1
- large classes for California
- 75.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary has class sizes larger than 71% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary ranks #67 of 97 elementary schools in Bakersfield, CA.
School address
District: Bakersfield City · California
NCES ID 060363000311 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary is a high-poverty, large elementary school in Bakersfield, California, enrolling 960 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 75.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 960 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 1,091 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #507.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Bakersfield's elementary schools, it stands alongside Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8 (1,151 students): Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24:1 vs 25.6:1).
Bakersfield City also operates Curran Middle (973 students) and Voorhies Elementary (915 students) alongside Colonel Howard Nichols 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 Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary compares
Colonel Howard Nichols 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 | 24:1 | ▲ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.1% | ▲ 35% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 960 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
960
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
24:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 71% in California - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
51.1%
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
$17,295
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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: 0.4 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 84.0%
White 9.8%
African American 4.0%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Two or More 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 84.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.3, Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bakersfield City, which includes Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary.
$17,295
Per student
+5%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 6.5%
State 77.8%
Federal 15.7%
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 Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curran Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Voorhies Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Walter Stiern Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horace Mann Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bessie E. Owens Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 973
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 915
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 891
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 870
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 867
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in Bakersfield
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Dolores S. Whitley Tk-8
Standard public school
1,151 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Veterans Elementary
Standard public school
1,002 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Douglas J. Miller Elementary
Standard public school
994 students 29.2:1 students per teacher
Berkshire Elementary
Standard public school
932 students 28.2:1 students per teacher
Patriot Elementary
Standard public school
931 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Bill L. Williams Elementary
Standard public school
926 students 25.7:1 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 (~960 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Bakersfield City'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 Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary
How many students attend Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary?
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary has 960 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bakersfield, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary is 24:1, which is 12% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 53% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary?
75.1% of students at Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 84.0% of enrollment, in Bakersfield, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary?
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary rank among elementary schools in Bakersfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary ranks #67 of 97 elementary schools in Bakersfield, 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 Bakersfield on the city page.
Is Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary a good school?
Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Bakersfield City?
Besides Colonel Howard Nichols Elementary, Bakersfield City also operates Curran Middle (973 students), Voorhies Elementary (915 students), and Walter Stiern Middle (891 students). See the Bakersfield City 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.