Enrollment
372
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fullerton, CA
Fern Drive Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Fern Drive Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061473001792
👥 S:T ratio 7
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fern Drive Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #4 of 18
- elementary schools in Fullerton · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.3:1
- students per teacher
- 38.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Fern Drive Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fern Drive Elementary ranks #4 of 18 elementary schools in Fullerton, CA.
School address
District: Fullerton Elementary · California
NCES ID 061473001792 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fern Drive Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fern Drive Elementary
Fern Drive Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Fullerton, California, enrolling 372 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23.3:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 372 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 1,030 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #43, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (51%) and White (25%) (diversity index 65/100).
12.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 16.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Fullerton's elementary schools, it stands alongside Robert C. Fisler Elementary (892 students): Fern Drive Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (23.3:1 vs 27:1).
Fullerton Elementary also operates Robert C. Fisler Elementary (892 students) and Beechwood Elementary (872 students) alongside Fern Drive 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 Fern Drive Elementary compares
Fern Drive 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 | 23.3:1 | ▲ 8% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.3% | ▼ 31% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 372 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.3:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
372
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
23.3:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 65% in California - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
12.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$15,836
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
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: 0.3 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 51.1%
White 24.5%
Asian 13.4%
Two or More 8.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.6%
African American 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.3, Fern Drive Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fullerton Elementary, which includes Fern Drive Elementary.
$15,836
Per student
-4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.1%
State 43.6%
Federal 16.2%
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 Fern Drive Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert C. Fisler Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beechwood Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| D. Russell Parks Junior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ladera Vista Junior High School of the Arts | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sunset Lane Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fern Drive Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 892
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 872
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 854
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 820
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 700
- Students per teacher
- 28:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Fullerton
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Robert C. Fisler Elementary
Standard public school
892 students 27:1 students per teacher
Beechwood Elementary
Standard public school
872 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Sunset Lane Elementary
Standard public school
700 students 28:1 students per teacher
Acacia Elementary
Standard public school
661 students 30:1 students per teacher
Laguna Road Elementary
Standard public school
623 students 31.1:1 students per teacher
Golden Hill School for Creative & Performing Arts
Standard public school
610 students 27.7:1 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 (~372 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fern Drive Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Fern Drive Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Fullerton 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 Fern Drive Elementary
How many students attend Fern Drive Elementary?
Fern Drive Elementary has 372 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fullerton, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fern Drive Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Fern Drive Elementary is 23.3:1, which is 8% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 48% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fern Drive Elementary?
38.3% of students at Fern Drive Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fern Drive Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Fern Drive Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 51.1% of enrollment, in Fullerton, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fern Drive Elementary?
Fern Drive Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Fern Drive Elementary rank among elementary schools in Fullerton?
By Resource Investment Index, Fern Drive Elementary ranks #4 of 18 elementary schools in Fullerton, 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 Fullerton on the city page.
Is Fern Drive Elementary a good school?
Fern Drive Elementary earns 48/100 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 Fullerton Elementary?
Besides Fern Drive Elementary, Fullerton Elementary also operates Robert C. Fisler Elementary (892 students), Beechwood Elementary (872 students), and D. Russell Parks Junior High (854 students). See the Fullerton 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.