Enrollment
297
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Orangevale, CA
Golden Valley River
Federal NCES profile for Golden Valley River, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060166911902Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 9
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Golden Valley River earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #4 of 9
- elementary schools in Orangevale · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 22.8:1
- students per teacher
- 30.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Golden Valley River has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Golden Valley River ranks #4 of 9 elementary schools in Orangevale, CA.
School address
District: Golden Valley River District · California
NCES ID 060166911902 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
What stands out at Golden Valley River
Golden Valley River is a mid-sized charter elementary school in Orangevale, California, enrolling 297 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 22.8:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 297 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 619 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #517, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 49/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Golden Valley River District spends $12,576 per pupil, 24% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Orangevale's elementary schools, it stands alongside Pershing Elementary (494 students): Golden Valley River is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.8:1 vs 24.7:1).
Golden Valley River District is a single-school charter district, so Golden Valley River operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Golden Valley River compares
Golden Valley River on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.8:1 | ▲ 6% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.6% | ▼ 45% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 297 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.8:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
297
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
22.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 61% in California - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
28.3%
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
$12,576
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 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
White 67.3%
Hispanic or Latino 19.2%
Two or More 12.8%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 67.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.4, Golden Valley River is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Golden Valley River District, which includes Golden Valley River.
$12,576
Per student
-24%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.5%
State 71.5%
Federal 1.0%
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.
Similar elementary schools in Orangevale
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Pershing Elementary
Standard public school
494 students 24.7:1 students per teacher
Twin Lakes Elementary
Standard public school
494 students 27.4:1 students per teacher
Oakview Community Elementary
Standard public school
407 students 23.9:1 students per teacher
Trajan Elementary
Standard public school
391 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Green Oaks Fundamental Elementary
Standard public school
307 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Golden Valley Orchard
Standard public school
292 students 26.5:1 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 (~297 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Golden Valley River's federal record.
- Compare Golden Valley River against another school. Compare schools
- Golden Valley River District'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 Golden Valley River
How many students attend Golden Valley River?
Golden Valley River has 297 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Orangevale, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Golden Valley River?
The student-teacher ratio at Golden Valley River is 22.8:1, which is 6% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 45% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Golden Valley River?
30.6% of students at Golden Valley River are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Golden Valley River?
The largest demographic group at Golden Valley River is White at 67.3% of enrollment, in Orangevale, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Golden Valley River?
Golden Valley River has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Golden Valley River rank among elementary schools in Orangevale?
By Resource Investment Index, Golden Valley River ranks #4 of 9 elementary schools in Orangevale, 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 Orangevale on the city page.
Is Golden Valley River a good school?
Golden Valley River earns 23/100 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 Golden Valley River District?
None; Golden Valley River District is a single-school charter district, and Golden Valley River is its only campus.
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.