Enrollment
322
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · El Monte, CA
Cortada Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cortada Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061209001348
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cortada Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 79% of California schools.
- #19 of 21
- elementary schools in El Monte · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.9:1
- small classes for California
- 68.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Cortada Elementary has class sizes smaller than 79% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cortada Elementary ranks #19 of 21 elementary schools in El Monte, CA.
School address
District: El Monte City · California
NCES ID 061209001348 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cortada Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cortada Elementary
Cortada Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in El Monte, California, enrolling 322 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 322 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,344 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #967, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 27/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 920 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.1% 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): Cortada Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.9:1 vs 22.9:1).
El Monte City also operates Durfee Elementary (1,120 students) and Columbia Elementary (706 students) alongside Cortada 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 Cortada Elementary compares
Cortada 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 | 17.9:1 | ▼ 17% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.3% | ▲ 23% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 322 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
322
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 21% in California - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
30.1%
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
$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
1
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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 84.2%
Asian 14.9%
White 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 84.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 26.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 26.9, Cortada Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for El Monte City, which includes Cortada 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 Cortada Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durfee Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Columbia Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rio Hondo Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Potrero Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wright Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cortada 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
- 706
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- 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
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
Columbia Elementary
Standard public school
706 students 22.1:1 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
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 (~322 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cortada Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cortada 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 Cortada Elementary
How many students attend Cortada Elementary?
Cortada Elementary has 322 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in El Monte, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cortada Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cortada Elementary is 17.9:1, which is 17% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cortada Elementary?
68.3% of students at Cortada Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cortada Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cortada Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 84.2% of enrollment, in El Monte, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cortada Elementary?
Cortada Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Cortada Elementary rank among elementary schools in El Monte?
By Resource Investment Index, Cortada Elementary ranks #19 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 Cortada Elementary a good school?
Cortada Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 79% 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 El Monte City?
Besides Cortada Elementary, El Monte City also operates Durfee Elementary (1,120 students), Columbia Elementary (706 students), and Rio Hondo Elementary (636 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.