Enrollment
354
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Oakland, CA
Emerson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Emerson 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 062805004260
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Emerson Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #59 of 67
- elementary schools in Oakland · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.2:1
- large classes for California
- 61.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Emerson Elementary has class sizes larger than 90% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Emerson Elementary ranks #59 of 67 elementary schools in Oakland, CA.
School address
District: Oakland Unified · California
NCES ID 062805004260 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
+11% 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 higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Oakland, California, enrolling 354 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.2:1 is larger than about 90% of California schools and 27% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 61.7% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 354 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
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 1,437 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,368, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (30%) and White (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 76/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Oakland Unified spends $20,552 per pupil, 24% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Oakland's elementary schools, it stands alongside Yu Ming Charter (959 students): Emerson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (27.2:1 vs 24:1).
Oakland Unified also operates Oakland Technical High (1,812 students) and Oakland High (1,579 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 | 27.2:1 | ▲ 27% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.7% | ▲ 11% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 354 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.2:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
354
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
27.2:1
students per teacher
- 27% above state mean
Top 90% in California - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
41.0%
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
$20,552
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
1
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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
African American 29.7%
White 27.4%
Hispanic or Latino 22.5%
Two or More 17.0%
Asian 3.5%
Largest group: African American at 29.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.6, Emerson Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Oakland Unified, which includes Emerson Elementary.
$20,552
Per student
+24%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.8%
State 42.5%
Federal 14.7%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland Technical High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oakland High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Skyline High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fremont High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Coliseum College Prep Academy | 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
- 1,812
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,579
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,250
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,166
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 861
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Oakland
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Yu Ming Charter
Standard public school
959 students 24:1 students per teacher
Melrose Leadership Academy
Standard public school
722 students 21.9:1 students per teacher
Lockwood Steam Academy Elementary
Standard public school
678 students 27.1:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Elementary
Standard public school
664 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
American Indian Public Charter School Ii
Standard public school
617 students 36.3:1 students per teacher
Greenleaf
Standard public school
613 students 21.9:1 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 (~354 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~27.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Emerson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Emerson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Oakland 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 354 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Oakland, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary is 27.2:1, which is 27% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 73% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Emerson Elementary?
61.7% 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 African American at 29.7% of enrollment, in Oakland, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Emerson Elementary?
Emerson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (lower 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 Oakland?
By Resource Investment Index, Emerson Elementary ranks #59 of 67 elementary schools in Oakland, 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 Oakland on the city page.
Is Emerson Elementary a good school?
Emerson Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of California schools. 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 Oakland Unified?
Besides Emerson Elementary, Oakland Unified also operates Oakland Technical High (1,812 students), Oakland High (1,579 students), and Skyline High (1,250 students). See the Oakland 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.