Enrollment
299
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ventura, CA
E. P. Foster Elementary
Federal NCES profile for E. P. Foster Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064098006751
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
E. P. Foster Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #7 of 18
- elementary schools in Ventura · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23:1
- students per teacher
- 64.4%
- free-lunch eligible
E. P. Foster Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, E. P. Foster Elementary ranks #7 of 18 elementary schools in Ventura, CA.
School address
District: Ventura Unified · California
NCES ID 064098006751 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How E. P. Foster Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at E. P. Foster Elementary
E. P. Foster Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Ventura, California, enrolling 299 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 64.4% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 299 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,137 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #476.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (88% of enrollment) (diversity index 22/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 299 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Ventura's elementary schools, it stands alongside Citrus Glen Elementary (491 students): E. P. Foster Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (23:1 vs 27.3:1).
Ventura Unified also operates Ventura High (1,939 students) and Buena High (1,585 students) alongside E. P. Foster 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 E. P. Foster Elementary compares
E. P. Foster 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 | 23:1 | ▲ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.4% | ▲ 16% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 299 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
299
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
23:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 62% in California - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
45.5%
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
$14,481
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 299 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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 88.0%
White 9.0%
Asian 1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
Two or More 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.7, E. P. Foster Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ventura Unified, which includes E. P. Foster Elementary.
$14,481
Per student
-12%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.6%
State 48.9%
Federal 10.4%
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 E. P. Foster Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ventura High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Buena High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Foothill Technology High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cabrillo Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Balboa Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to E. P. Foster Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,585
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 951
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 936
- Students per teacher
- 33.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Ventura
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Citrus Glen Elementary
Standard public school
491 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Mound Elementary
Standard public school
490 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Academy of Technology & Leadership at Saticoy
Standard public school
461 students 27.1:1 students per teacher
Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Standard public school
455 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Portola Elementary
Standard public school
444 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Will Rogers Elementary
Standard public school
426 students 26.6:1 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 (~299 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on E. P. Foster Elementary's federal record.
- Compare E. P. Foster Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Ventura Unified'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 E. P. Foster Elementary
How many students attend E. P. Foster Elementary?
E. P. Foster Elementary has 299 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ventura, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at E. P. Foster Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at E. P. Foster Elementary is 23:1, which is 7% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 46% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at E. P. Foster Elementary?
64.4% of students at E. P. Foster Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of E. P. Foster Elementary?
The largest demographic group at E. P. Foster Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 88.0% of enrollment, in Ventura, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for E. P. Foster Elementary?
E. P. Foster Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 E. P. Foster Elementary rank among elementary schools in Ventura?
By Resource Investment Index, E. P. Foster Elementary ranks #7 of 18 elementary schools in Ventura, 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 Ventura on the city page.
Is E. P. Foster Elementary a good school?
E. P. Foster Elementary earns 30/100 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 Ventura Unified?
Besides E. P. Foster Elementary, Ventura Unified also operates Ventura High (1,939 students), Buena High (1,585 students), and Foothill Technology High (951 students). See the Ventura Unified 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.