- Enrollment
- 697
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lancaster, CA
Columbia Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Columbia Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 9/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061191009131
👥 S:T ratio 5
🌟 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
Columbia Elementary earns 9/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of California schools.
- #27 of 28
- elementary schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 9
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.8:1
- large classes for California
- 87.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbia Elementary has class sizes larger than 70% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Elementary ranks #27 of 28 elementary schools in Lancaster, CA.
School address
District: Eastside Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 061191009131 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+34 students YoY
Columbia Elementary grew from 644 students in 2022-23 to 678 in 2023-24 (+5.3%).
Teacher FTE added 26.0 → 28.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+34 students YoY 061191009131 · Lancaster, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
620 enr · 23.8:1 · 87.4% lunch · RII 9
Nearest enrollment peer: Gifford C. Cole Middle (697 students)
Columbia Elementary grew from 644 students in 2022-23 to 678 in 2023-24 (+5.3%). Teacher FTE added 26.0 → 28.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Columbia Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Gifford C. Col
Gifford C. Cole Middle
697 students
- Enterprise Ele
Enterprise Elementary
646 students
- Tierra Bonita
Tierra Bonita Elementary
636 students
- This school
Columbia Elementary
620 students
- Eastside Eleme
Eastside Elementary
423 students
- Eastside Acade 10
Eastside Academy/Transitional Learning Center
10 students
What this shows Columbia Elementary reports 620 students on the CCD universe file.
How Columbia Elementary compares
Columbia Elementary is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.8:1 | ▲ 11% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 87.4% | ▲ 57% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 620 | top 30% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.8:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
620
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
87.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% 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
23.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 70% in California - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
57.1%
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
$18,574
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 620 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 66.8%
African American 24.2%
White 4.4%
Two or More 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 66.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.2, Columbia Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Eastside Union Elementary reports $18,574 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Columbia Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gifford C. Cole Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Enterprise Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Tierra Bonita Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eastside Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eastside Academy/Transitional Learning Center | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Columbia Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 646
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 636
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 9/100
- Enrollment
- 423
- Students per teacher
- 28.2:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 10
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 64/100
Similar elementary schools in Lancaster
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sundown Elementary
Standard public school
941 students 29.4:1 students per teacher
Monte Vista Elementary
Standard public school
788 students 26.3:1 students per teacher
Ilead Lancaster Charter
Standard public school
771 students 26.6:1 students per teacher
El Dorado Elementary
Standard public school
766 students 26.4:1 students per teacher
Del Sur Senior Elementary
Standard public school
763 students 28.3:1 students per teacher
West Wind Elementary
Standard public school
757 students 29.1:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~620 students)
Frequently asked questions about Columbia Elementary
How many students attend Columbia Elementary?
Columbia Elementary has 620 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lancaster, CA. CCD year-over-year: 644 (2022-23) → 678 (2023-24), up 34.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Elementary is 23.8:1, which is 11% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 52% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbia Elementary?
87.4% of students at Columbia Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbia Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Columbia Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 66.8% of enrollment, in Lancaster, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia Elementary?
Columbia Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 9/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Columbia Elementary rank among elementary schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Elementary ranks #27 of 28 elementary schools in Lancaster, 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 Lancaster on the city page.
What other schools are in Eastside Union Elementary?
Besides Columbia Elementary, Eastside Union Elementary also operates Gifford C. Cole Middle (697 students), Enterprise Elementary (646 students), and Tierra Bonita Elementary (636 students). See the Eastside Union Elementary district page for the complete list.