Enrollment
283
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Berkeley, CA
Emerson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Emerson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060474000436
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 51
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Emerson Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #10 of 12
- elementary schools in Berkeley · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.2:1
- students per teacher
- 26.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Emerson Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Emerson Elementary ranks #10 of 12 elementary schools in Berkeley, CA.
School address
District: Berkeley Unified · California
NCES ID 060474000436 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-53% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Emerson Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Emerson Elementary
Emerson Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Berkeley, California, enrolling 283 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 20.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 26.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 283 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 513 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #242.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and African American (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Berkeley Unified spends $21,454 per pupil, 30% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Berkeley's elementary schools, it stands alongside Malcolm X Elementary (469 students): Emerson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.2:1 vs 17.4:1).
Berkeley Unified also operates Berkeley High (3,218 students) and Martin Luther King Middle (851 students) alongside Emerson 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 Emerson Elementary compares
Emerson 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 | 20.2:1 | ▼ 6% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.3% | ▼ 53% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 283 | top 76% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.2:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
283
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% 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
20.2:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 36% in California - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
19.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$21,454
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 + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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
White 45.4%
African American 16.7%
Two or More 15.2%
Hispanic or Latino 14.9%
Asian 7.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 45.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.5, Emerson Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Berkeley Unified, which includes Emerson Elementary.
$21,454
Per student
+30%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 64.6%
State 29.0%
Federal 6.4%
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 Emerson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Martin Luther King Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Willard Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Malcolm X Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Longfellow Arts and Technology Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Emerson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,218
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 851
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 469
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 462
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar elementary schools in Berkeley
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Malcolm X Elementary
Standard public school
469 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Ruth Acty Elementary
Standard public school
410 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier
Standard public school
407 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Washington Elementary
Standard public school
401 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Rosa Parks Environmental Science
Standard public school
393 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Sylvia Mendez Elementary
Standard public school
379 students 18:1 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 (~283 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Emerson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Emerson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Berkeley 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 Emerson Elementary
How many students attend Emerson Elementary?
Emerson Elementary has 283 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Berkeley, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary is 20.2:1, which is 6% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 29% 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 Emerson Elementary?
26.3% of students at Emerson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Emerson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Emerson Elementary is White at 45.4% of enrollment, in Berkeley, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Emerson Elementary?
Emerson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Emerson Elementary rank among elementary schools in Berkeley?
By Resource Investment Index, Emerson Elementary ranks #10 of 12 elementary schools in Berkeley, 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 Berkeley on the city page.
Is Emerson Elementary a good school?
Emerson Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Berkeley Unified?
Besides Emerson Elementary, Berkeley Unified also operates Berkeley High (3,218 students), Martin Luther King Middle (851 students), and Willard Middle (596 students). See the Berkeley 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.