Enrollment
713
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Modesto, CA
Freedom Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Freedom Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063867010695
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Freedom Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #35 of 53
- elementary schools in Modesto · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.5:1
- large classes for California
- 33.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Freedom Elementary has class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Freedom Elementary ranks #35 of 53 elementary schools in Modesto, CA.
School address
District: Sylvan Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 063867010695 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.7%
vs 55.5% California avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Freedom Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Freedom Elementary
Freedom Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Modesto, California, enrolling 713 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.5:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 713 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,310 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,080, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (41%) and White (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Modesto's elementary schools, it stands alongside Great Valley Academy (972 students): Freedom Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (25.5:1 vs 27.8:1).
Sylvan Union Elementary also operates Elizabeth Ustach Middle (1,016 students) and Somerset Middle (947 students) alongside Freedom 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 Freedom Elementary compares
Freedom 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 | 25.5:1 | ▲ 19% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.7% | ▼ 39% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 713 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.5:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
713
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
25.5:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 82% in California - lower ratio than 18% 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
$14,126
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 40.7%
White 24.1%
Asian 19.8%
Two or More 10.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.7%
African American 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 40.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.4, Freedom Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sylvan Union Elementary, which includes Freedom Elementary.
$14,126
Per student
-14%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.7%
State 63.6%
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 Freedom Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Ustach Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Somerset Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Daniel J. Savage Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Crossroads Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Orchard Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Freedom Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,016
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 947
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 906
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 752
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 579
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar elementary schools in Modesto
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Great Valley Academy
Standard public school
972 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Great Valley Academy - Salida
Standard public school
927 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Bret Harte Elementary
Standard public school
867 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Fairview Elementary
Standard public school
786 students 27.1:1 students per teacher
Franklin Elementary
Standard public school
777 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Hart-Ransom Elementary
Standard public school
705 students 21.4:1 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 (~713 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Freedom Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Freedom Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Sylvan 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 Freedom Elementary
How many students attend Freedom Elementary?
Freedom Elementary has 713 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Modesto, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Freedom Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Freedom Elementary is 25.5:1, which is 19% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 62% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Freedom Elementary?
33.7% of students at Freedom Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Freedom Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Freedom Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 40.7% of enrollment, in Modesto, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Freedom Elementary?
Freedom Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Freedom Elementary rank among elementary schools in Modesto?
By Resource Investment Index, Freedom Elementary ranks #35 of 53 elementary schools in Modesto, 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 Modesto on the city page.
Is Freedom Elementary a good school?
Freedom Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Sylvan Union Elementary?
Besides Freedom Elementary, Sylvan Union Elementary also operates Elizabeth Ustach Middle (1,016 students), Somerset Middle (947 students), and Daniel J. Savage Middle (906 students). See the Sylvan 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.