- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · East Palo Alto, CA
Costano Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Costano Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063186004915
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Costano Elementary earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in East Palo Alto · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.5:1
- students per teacher
- 81.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Costano Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Costano Elementary ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in East Palo Alto, CA.
School address
District: Ravenswood City Elementary · California
NCES ID 063186004915 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-30 students YoY
Costano Elementary shrank from 348 students in 2022-23 to 318 in 2023-24 (-8.6%).
Teacher FTE lost 19.0 → 18.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-30 students YoY 063186004915 · East Palo Alto, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
369 enr · 20.5:1 · 81.6% lunch · RII 16
Nearest enrollment peer: Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle (488 students)
Costano Elementary shrank from 348 students in 2022-23 to 318 in 2023-24 (-8.6%). Teacher FTE lost 19.0 → 18.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Costano Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Cesar Chavez R
Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle
488 students
- This school
Costano Elementary
369 students
- Belle Haven El
Belle Haven Elementary
312 students
- Los Robles-Ron
Los Robles-Ronald Mcnair Academy
276 students
What this shows Costano Elementary reports 369 students on the CCD universe file.
How Costano Elementary compares
Costano Elementary is a shrinking 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 | 20.5:1 | ▼ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.6% | ▲ 47% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 369 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.5:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
369
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
81.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
20.5:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 39% in California - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
67.5%
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
$33,564
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
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 + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 72.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 12.5%
African American 7.3%
Two or More 3.8%
White 2.4%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 72.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.6, Costano Elementary is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Ravenswood City Elementary reports $33,564 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Costano Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Belle Haven Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Los Robles-Ronald Mcnair Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Costano Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 312
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 276
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in East Palo Alto
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~369 students)
Frequently asked questions about Costano Elementary
How many students attend Costano Elementary?
Costano Elementary has 369 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in East Palo Alto, CA. CCD year-over-year: 348 (2022-23) → 318 (2023-24), down 30.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Costano Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Costano Elementary is 20.5:1, which is 5% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 31% 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 Costano Elementary?
81.6% of students at Costano Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Costano Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Costano Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 72.9% of enrollment, in East Palo Alto, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Costano Elementary?
Costano Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Costano Elementary rank among elementary schools in East Palo Alto?
By Resource Investment Index, Costano Elementary ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in East Palo Alto, 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 East Palo Alto on the city page.
What other schools are in Ravenswood City Elementary?
Besides Costano Elementary, Ravenswood City Elementary also operates Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle (488 students), Belle Haven Elementary (312 students), and Los Robles-Ronald Mcnair Academy (276 students). See the Ravenswood City Elementary district page for the complete list.