- Enrollment
- 2,183
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Orange, CA
Handy Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Handy Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062865004430
👥 S:T ratio 6
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Handy Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 17
- elementary schools in Orange · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.6:1
- students per teacher
- 82.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Handy Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Handy Elementary ranks #2 of 17 elementary schools in Orange, CA.
School address
District: Orange Unified · California
NCES ID 062865004430 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-37 students YoY
Handy Elementary shrank from 410 students in 2022-23 to 373 in 2023-24 (-9.0%).
Teacher FTE lost 16.6 → 15.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-37 students YoY 062865004430 · Orange, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
377 enr · 23.6:1 · 82.9% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Canyon High (2,183 students)
Handy Elementary shrank from 410 students in 2022-23 to 373 in 2023-24 (-9.0%). Teacher FTE lost 16.6 → 15.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Handy Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Canyon High
Canyon High
2,183 students
- Villa Park Hig
Villa Park High
2,023 students
- El Modena High
El Modena High
1,795 students
- Orange High
Orange High
1,728 students
- El Rancho Char
El Rancho Charter
1,144 students
- This school 377
Handy Elementary
377 students
What this shows Handy Elementary reports 377 students on the CCD universe file.
How Handy Elementary compares
Handy Elementary is a shrinking 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 | 23.6:1 | ▲ 10% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.9% | ▲ 49% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 377 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.6:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
377
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
82.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
23.6:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 68% in California - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
24.7%
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
$15,133
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 377 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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: 0.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 90.2%
White 5.6%
Asian 1.9%
Two or More 1.9%
African American 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.3, Handy Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Orange Unified reports $15,133 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Handy Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Villa Park High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| El Modena High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Orange High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| El Rancho Charter | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Handy Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,023
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,795
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,728
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,144
- Students per teacher
- 29.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Orange
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mcpherson Magnet
Standard public school
863 students 27:1 students per teacher
California Iinspire Academy
Standard public school
699 students 33.3:1 students per teacher
Fletcher Mandarin Language & Gate Academy
Standard public school
493 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
Jordan Academy of Language and Computer Science
Standard public school
430 students 30.7:1 students per teacher
Palmyra Elementary
Standard public school
429 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Cambridge Elementary
Standard public school
415 students 23.1:1 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 (~377 students)
Frequently asked questions about Handy Elementary
How many students attend Handy Elementary?
Handy Elementary has 377 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Orange, CA. CCD year-over-year: 410 (2022-23) → 373 (2023-24), down 37.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Handy Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Handy Elementary is 23.6:1, which is 10% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 50% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Handy Elementary?
82.9% of students at Handy Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Handy Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Handy Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 90.2% of enrollment, in Orange, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Handy Elementary?
Handy Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 Handy Elementary rank among elementary schools in Orange?
By Resource Investment Index, Handy Elementary ranks #2 of 17 elementary schools in Orange, 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 Orange on the city page.
What other schools are in Orange Unified?
Besides Handy Elementary, Orange Unified also operates Canyon High (2,183 students), Villa Park High (2,023 students), and El Modena High (1,795 students). See the Orange Unified district page for the complete list.