- Enrollment
- 1,536
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ridgecrest, CA
Gateway Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Gateway Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 17/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063680000434
👥 S:T ratio 8
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gateway Elementary earns 17/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #5 of 6
- elementary schools in Ridgecrest · Resource Index
- 17
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.1:1
- students per teacher
- 44.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Gateway Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gateway Elementary ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Ridgecrest, CA.
School address
District: Sierra Sands Unified · California
NCES ID 063680000434 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+23 students YoY
Gateway Elementary grew from 348 students in 2022-23 to 371 in 2023-24 (+6.6%).
Teacher FTE held 15.0 → 15.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+23 students YoY 063680000434 · Ridgecrest, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
346 enr · 23.1:1 · 44.0% lunch · RII 17
Nearest enrollment peer: Burroughs High (1,536 students)
Gateway Elementary grew from 348 students in 2022-23 to 371 in 2023-24 (+6.6%). Teacher FTE held 15.0 → 15.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Gateway Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Burroughs High
Burroughs High
1,536 students
- Murray Middle
Murray Middle
643 students
- Las Flores Ele 526
Las Flores Elementary
526 students
- Faller Element 516
Faller Elementary
516 students
- James Monroe M 490
James Monroe Middle
490 students
- This school 346
Gateway Elementary
346 students
What this shows Gateway Elementary reports 346 students on the CCD universe file.
How Gateway Elementary compares
Gateway Elementary is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.1:1 | ▲ 7% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.0% | ▼ 21% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 346 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.1:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
346
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
44.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
23.1:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 63% in California - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
40.8%
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
$15,165
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 346 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 46.5%
Hispanic or Latino 33.8%
African American 8.4%
Two or More 7.2%
Asian 2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 46.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.7, Gateway Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Sierra Sands Unified reports $15,165 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Gateway Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burroughs High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Murray Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Las Flores Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Faller Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James Monroe Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gateway Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 643
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 526
- Students per teacher
- 25:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 490
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in Ridgecrest
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Las Flores Elementary
Standard public school
526 students 25:1 students per teacher
Faller Elementary
Standard public school
516 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Richmond Elementary
Standard public school
364 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Pierce Elementary
Standard public school
297 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Ridgecrest Elem Acad for Language Music and Sci
Standard public school
239 students 26.6:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~346 students)
Frequently asked questions about Gateway Elementary
How many students attend Gateway Elementary?
Gateway Elementary has 346 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ridgecrest, CA. CCD year-over-year: 348 (2022-23) → 371 (2023-24), up 23.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gateway Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Gateway Elementary is 23.1:1, which is 7% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 47% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gateway Elementary?
44.0% of students at Gateway Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gateway Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Gateway Elementary is White at 46.5% of enrollment, in Ridgecrest, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gateway Elementary?
Gateway Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 17/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Gateway Elementary rank among elementary schools in Ridgecrest?
By Resource Investment Index, Gateway Elementary ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Ridgecrest, 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 Ridgecrest on the city page.
What other schools are in Sierra Sands Unified?
Besides Gateway Elementary, Sierra Sands Unified also operates Burroughs High (1,536 students), Murray Middle (643 students), and Las Flores Elementary (526 students). See the Sierra Sands Unified district page for the complete list.