Enrollment
238
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Atascadero, CA
Fine Arts Academy
Federal NCES profile for Fine Arts Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060330008624
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fine Arts Academy earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of California schools.
- #3 of 5
- elementary schools in Atascadero · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 29.8:1
- large classes for California
- 23.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Fine Arts Academy has class sizes larger than 95% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fine Arts Academy ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Atascadero, CA.
School address
District: Atascadero Unified · California
NCES ID 060330008624 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
29.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+39% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fine Arts Academy compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fine Arts Academy
Fine Arts Academy is a mid-sized elementary school in Atascadero, California, enrolling 238 students.
Class loads run heavy: 29.8:1 is larger than about 95% of California schools and 39% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.0% free-meal eligibility runs 59% below the California average.
Enrollment of 238 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 321 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #303, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (68%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1190 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Atascadero Unified spends $13,091 per pupil, 21% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Atascadero's elementary schools, it stands alongside San Benito Elementary (403 students): Fine Arts Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (29.8:1 vs 26.9:1).
Atascadero Unified also operates Atascadero High (1,157 students) and Atascadero Middle (845 students) alongside Fine Arts Academy.
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 Fine Arts Academy compares
Fine Arts Academy on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 29.8:1 | ▲ 39% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.0% | ▼ 59% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 238 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
29.8:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
238
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
29.8:1
students per teacher
- 39% above state mean
Top 95% in California - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
26.5%
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
$13,091
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.2 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.8 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 68.4%
Hispanic or Latino 19.8%
Two or More 4.6%
Asian 3.8%
African American 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: White at 68.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.9, Fine Arts Academy is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Atascadero Unified, which includes Fine Arts Academy.
$13,091
Per student
-21%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 63.5%
State 30.2%
Federal 6.3%
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 Fine Arts Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atascadero High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Atascadero Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| San Benito Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Monterey Road Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Santa Rosa Road Academic Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fine Arts Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,157
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 845
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 403
- Students per teacher
- 26.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 382
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 377
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
Similar elementary schools in Atascadero
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
San Benito Elementary
Standard public school
403 students 26.9:1 students per teacher
Monterey Road Elementary
Standard public school
382 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Santa Rosa Road Academic Academy
Standard public school
377 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
San Gabriel Elementary
Standard public school
360 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 (~238 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~29.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fine Arts Academy's federal record.
- Compare Fine Arts Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Atascadero 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 Fine Arts Academy
How many students attend Fine Arts Academy?
Fine Arts Academy has 238 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Atascadero, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fine Arts Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Fine Arts Academy is 29.8:1, which is 39% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 90% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fine Arts Academy?
23.0% of students at Fine Arts Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fine Arts Academy?
The largest demographic group at Fine Arts Academy is White at 68.4% of enrollment, in Atascadero, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fine Arts Academy?
Fine Arts Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Fine Arts Academy rank among elementary schools in Atascadero?
By Resource Investment Index, Fine Arts Academy ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Atascadero, 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 Atascadero on the city page.
Is Fine Arts Academy a good school?
Fine Arts Academy earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% 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 Atascadero Unified?
Besides Fine Arts Academy, Atascadero Unified also operates Atascadero High (1,157 students), Atascadero Middle (845 students), and San Benito Elementary (403 students). See the Atascadero 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.