Enrollment
303
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Goleta, CA
Ellwood Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ellwood Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061551001969
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ellwood Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% of California schools.
- #3 of 6
- elementary schools in Goleta · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.8:1
- small classes for California
- 34.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Ellwood Elementary has class sizes smaller than 84% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ellwood Elementary ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Goleta, CA.
School address
District: Goleta Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 061551001969 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ellwood Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ellwood Elementary
Ellwood Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Goleta, California, enrolling 303 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 16.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 303 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 705 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #31, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and White (32%) (diversity index 60/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Goleta Union Elementary spends $22,500 per pupil, 36% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Goleta's elementary schools, it stands alongside Brandon Elementary (429 students): Ellwood Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.8:1 vs 18.7:1).
Goleta Union Elementary also operates Brandon Elementary (429 students) and Isla Vista Elementary (418 students) alongside Ellwood 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 Ellwood Elementary compares
Ellwood 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 | 16.8:1 | ▼ 22% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.3% | ▼ 38% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 303 | top 73% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
303
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% 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
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 16% in California - lower ratio than 84% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
21.1%
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
$22,500
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
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 + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 53.3%
White 32.1%
Two or More 7.6%
Asian 6.6%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 53.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.3, Ellwood Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Goleta Union Elementary, which includes Ellwood Elementary.
$22,500
Per student
+36%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 70.3%
State 19.6%
Federal 10.1%
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 Ellwood Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Isla Vista Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Foothill Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hollister Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kellogg Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ellwood Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 429
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 418
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 393
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
Similar elementary schools in Goleta
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Brandon Elementary
Standard public school
429 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Isla Vista Elementary
Standard public school
418 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Kellogg Elementary
Standard public school
369 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
La Patera Elementary
Standard public school
369 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Santa Barbara Charter
Standard public school
269 students 22.4:1 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 (~303 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ellwood Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Ellwood Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Goleta Union 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 Ellwood Elementary
How many students attend Ellwood Elementary?
Ellwood Elementary has 303 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Goleta, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ellwood Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ellwood Elementary is 16.8:1, which is 22% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 7% 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 Ellwood Elementary?
34.3% of students at Ellwood Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ellwood Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ellwood Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 53.3% of enrollment, in Goleta, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ellwood Elementary?
Ellwood Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ellwood Elementary rank among elementary schools in Goleta?
By Resource Investment Index, Ellwood Elementary ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Goleta, 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 Goleta on the city page.
Is Ellwood Elementary a good school?
Ellwood Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% of California schools. 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 Goleta Union Elementary?
Besides Ellwood Elementary, Goleta Union Elementary also operates Brandon Elementary (429 students), Isla Vista Elementary (418 students), and Foothill Elementary (413 students). See the Goleta Union 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.