Enrollment
501
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Merced, CA
Don Stowell Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Don Stowell Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 10/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062460007539
👥 S:T ratio 9
🌟 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
Don Stowell Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #16 of 19
- elementary schools in Merced · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.8:1
- students per teacher
- 95.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Don Stowell Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Don Stowell Elementary ranks #16 of 19 elementary schools in Merced, CA.
School address
District: Merced City Elementary · California
NCES ID 062460007539 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
95.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Don Stowell Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Don Stowell Elementary
Don Stowell Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Merced, California, enrolling 501 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 22.8:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 95.2% of students qualify for free meals, 72% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 501 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,027 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #981, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 501 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Merced's elementary schools, it stands alongside Pioneer Elementary (1,055 students): Don Stowell Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.8:1 vs 19.9:1).
Merced City Elementary also operates Rudolph Rivera Elementary (917 students) and Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary (722 students) alongside Don Stowell 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 Don Stowell Elementary compares
Don Stowell 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 | 22.8:1 | ▲ 6% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 95.2% | ▲ 72% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 501 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.8:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
501
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
95.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% 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
22.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 61% in California - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
40.7%
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
$13,984
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 501 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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 87.2%
African American 5.0%
White 3.4%
Asian 2.4%
Two or More 2.0%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 87.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.5, Don Stowell Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Merced City Elementary, which includes Don Stowell Elementary.
$13,984
Per student
-15%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 11.4%
State 74.4%
Federal 14.2%
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 Don Stowell Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rudolph Rivera Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Luther Burbank Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Allan Peterson Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Joe Stefani | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Don Stowell Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 917
- Students per teacher
- 29.6:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 722
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 716
- Students per teacher
- 28.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 690
- Students per teacher
- 28.8:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 641
- Students per teacher
- 27.9:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Merced
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Pioneer Elementary
Standard public school
1,055 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Farmdale Elementary
Standard public school
919 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Rudolph Rivera Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 29.6:1 students per teacher
Mcswain Elementary
Standard public school
912 students 22.8:1 students per teacher
Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary
Standard public school
722 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Luther Burbank Elementary
Standard public school
716 students 28.6:1 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 (~501 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Don Stowell Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Don Stowell Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Merced City Elementary'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 Don Stowell Elementary
How many students attend Don Stowell Elementary?
Don Stowell Elementary has 501 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Merced, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Don Stowell Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Don Stowell Elementary is 22.8:1, which is 6% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 45% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Don Stowell Elementary?
95.2% of students at Don Stowell Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Don Stowell Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Don Stowell Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 87.2% of enrollment, in Merced, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Don Stowell Elementary?
Don Stowell Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (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 Don Stowell Elementary rank among elementary schools in Merced?
By Resource Investment Index, Don Stowell Elementary ranks #16 of 19 elementary schools in Merced, 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 Merced on the city page.
Is Don Stowell Elementary a good school?
Don Stowell Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Merced City Elementary?
Besides Don Stowell Elementary, Merced City Elementary also operates Rudolph Rivera Elementary (917 students), Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary (722 students), and Luther Burbank Elementary (716 students). See the Merced City Elementary 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.