Enrollment
706
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · El Monte, CA
Columbia Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Columbia Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061209001347
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbia Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #7 of 21
- elementary schools in El Monte · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.1:1
- students per teacher
- 62.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbia Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Elementary ranks #7 of 21 elementary schools in El Monte, CA.
School address
District: El Monte City · California
NCES ID 061209001347 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbia Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbia Elementary
Columbia Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in El Monte, California, enrolling 706 students.
At 22.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 62.1% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 706 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,702 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #195.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (90% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 18/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding El Monte City spends $21,213 per pupil, 28% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among El Monte's elementary schools, it stands alongside Durfee Elementary (1,120 students): Columbia Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.1:1 vs 22.9:1).
El Monte City also operates Durfee Elementary (1,120 students) and Rio Hondo Elementary (636 students) alongside Columbia 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 Columbia Elementary compares
Columbia 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 | 22.1:1 | ▲ 3% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.1% | ▲ 12% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 706 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.1:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
706
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
22.1:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 54% in California - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
28.5%
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
$21,213
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
Counselors0.3 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: 0.6 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 90.4%
Asian 8.5%
African American 0.4%
White 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.6, Columbia Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for El Monte City, which includes Columbia Elementary.
$21,213
Per student
+28%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.2%
State 61.0%
Federal 13.8%
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 Columbia Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durfee Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rio Hondo Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Potrero Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wright Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Legore Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbia Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,120
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 636
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 562
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in El Monte
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Durfee Elementary
Standard public school
1,120 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Parkview Elementary
Standard public school
920 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Monte Vista Elementary
Standard public school
785 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Baker Elementary
Standard public school
601 students 20:1 students per teacher
Potrero Elementary
Standard public school
596 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Wright Elementary
Standard public school
562 students 20.1:1 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 (~706 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbia Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Columbia Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- El Monte 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 Columbia Elementary
How many students attend Columbia Elementary?
Columbia Elementary has 706 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in El Monte, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbia Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbia Elementary is 22.1:1, which is 3% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbia Elementary?
62.1% 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 90.4% of enrollment, in El Monte, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbia Elementary?
Columbia Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical 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 Columbia Elementary rank among elementary schools in El Monte?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbia Elementary ranks #7 of 21 elementary schools in El Monte, 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 El Monte on the city page.
Is Columbia Elementary a good school?
Columbia Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less 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 El Monte City?
Besides Columbia Elementary, El Monte City also operates Durfee Elementary (1,120 students), Rio Hondo Elementary (636 students), and Potrero Elementary (596 students). See the El Monte 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.