- Enrollment
- 1,177
- Students per teacher
- 29.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Santa Maria, CA
El Camino Junior High
Federal NCES profile for El Camino Junior High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060558009315
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
El Camino Junior High earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #1 of 6
- middle schools in Santa Maria · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.4:1
- small classes for California
- 86.1%
- free-lunch eligible
El Camino Junior High has class sizes smaller than 77% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, El Camino Junior High ranks #1 of 6 middle schools in Santa Maria, CA.
School address
District: Santa Maria-Bonita · California
NCES ID 060558009315 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+54 students YoY
El Camino Junior High grew from 779 students in 2022-23 to 833 in 2023-24 (+6.9%).
Teacher FTE held 45.4 → 45.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+54 students YoY 060558009315 · Santa Maria, CA Middle · MID · TRAD
830 enr · 18.4:1 · 86.1% lunch · RII 32
Nearest enrollment peer: Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary (1,177 students)
El Camino Junior High grew from 779 students in 2022-23 to 833 in 2023-24 (+6.9%). Teacher FTE held 45.4 → 45.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
El Camino Junior High in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Jimenez Robert
Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary
1,177 students
- Bruce (Robert)
Bruce (Robert) Elementary
1,050 students
- Alvin Elementa
Alvin Elementary
998 students
- Fesler (Isaac)
Fesler (Isaac) Junior High
974 students
- Tunnell (Marti
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
917 students
- This school
El Camino Junior High
830 students
What this shows El Camino Junior High reports 830 students on the CCD universe file.
How El Camino Junior High compares
El Camino Junior High 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 | 18.4:1 | ▼ 14% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.1% | ▲ 55% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 830 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
830
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
86.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 23% in California - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$16,207
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 415 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 58 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 98.8%
White 0.5%
Asian 0.5%
African American 0.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 98.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 2.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 2.4, El Camino Junior High is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Santa Maria-Bonita reports $16,207 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How El Camino Junior High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bruce (Robert) Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alvin Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fesler (Isaac) Junior High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to El Camino Junior High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,050
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 998
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 974
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 917
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar middle schools in Santa Maria
5 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Fesler (Isaac) Junior High
Standard public school
974 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Kunst (Tommie) Junior High
Standard public school
912 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Arellanes Junior High
Standard public school
668 students 22.3:1 students per teacher
Orcutt Junior High
Standard public school
464 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Lakeview Junior High
Standard public school
463 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Nationwide middle 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 (~830 students)
Frequently asked questions about El Camino Junior High
How many students attend El Camino Junior High?
El Camino Junior High has 830 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Santa Maria, CA. CCD year-over-year: 779 (2022-23) → 833 (2023-24), up 54.
What is the student-teacher ratio at El Camino Junior High?
The student-teacher ratio at El Camino Junior High is 18.4:1, which is 14% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 17% 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 El Camino Junior High?
86.1% of students at El Camino Junior High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of El Camino Junior High?
The largest demographic group at El Camino Junior High is Hispanic or Latino at 98.8% of enrollment, in Santa Maria, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for El Camino Junior High?
El Camino Junior High has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does El Camino Junior High rank among middle schools in Santa Maria?
By Resource Investment Index, El Camino Junior High ranks #1 of 6 middle schools in Santa Maria, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Santa Maria on the city page.
What other schools are in Santa Maria-Bonita?
Besides El Camino Junior High, Santa Maria-Bonita also operates Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary (1,177 students), Bruce (Robert) Elementary (1,050 students), and Alvin Elementary (998 students). See the Santa Maria-Bonita district page for the complete list.