- Enrollment
- 412
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Descanso, CA
Descanso Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Descanso Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062610003902
👥 S:T ratio 6
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 9
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Descanso Elementary earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.5:1
- students per teacher
- 31.5%
- free-lunch eligible
- 188
- students enrolled
Descanso Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Mountain Empire Unified · California
NCES ID 062610003902 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+14 students YoY
Descanso Elementary grew from 200 students in 2022-23 to 214 in 2023-24 (+7.0%).
Teacher FTE added 8.2 → 9.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+14 students YoY 062610003902 · Descanso, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
188 enr · 23.5:1 · 31.5% lunch · RII 15
Nearest enrollment peer: Mountain Empire High (412 students)
Descanso Elementary grew from 200 students in 2022-23 to 214 in 2023-24 (+7.0%). Teacher FTE added 8.2 → 9.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Descanso Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Mountain Empir
Mountain Empire High
412 students
- Campo Elementa
Campo Elementary
359 students
- Potrero Elemen
Potrero Elementary
300 students
- Camp Lockett M
Camp Lockett Middle
245 students
- Clover Flat El
Clover Flat Elementary
190 students
- This school
Descanso Elementary
188 students
What this shows Descanso Elementary reports 188 students on the CCD universe file.
How Descanso Elementary compares
Descanso 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 | 23.5:1 | ▲ 9% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.5% | ▼ 43% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 188 | top 84% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.5:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
188
Bigger than 18% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
31.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
23.5:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 67% in California - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
36.2%
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
$18,521
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
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
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 54.3%
Hispanic or Latino 39.4%
Two or More 5.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: White at 54.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.7, Descanso Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Mountain Empire Unified reports $18,521 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Descanso Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Empire High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Campo Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Potrero Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Camp Lockett Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clover Flat Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Descanso Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 359
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 300
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 245
- Students per teacher
- 40.8:1
- Resource Index
- 11/100
- Enrollment
- 190
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
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 (~188 students)
Frequently asked questions about Descanso Elementary
How many students attend Descanso Elementary?
Descanso Elementary has 188 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Descanso, CA. CCD year-over-year: 200 (2022-23) → 214 (2023-24), up 14.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Descanso Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Descanso Elementary is 23.5:1, which is 9% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 50% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Descanso Elementary?
31.5% of students at Descanso Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Descanso Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Descanso Elementary is White at 54.3% of enrollment, in Descanso, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Descanso Elementary?
Descanso Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (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).
What other schools are in Mountain Empire Unified?
Besides Descanso Elementary, Mountain Empire Unified also operates Mountain Empire High (412 students), Campo Elementary (359 students), and Potrero Elementary (300 students). See the Mountain Empire Unified district page for the complete list.