2024-25 NCES data Elementary school (grades K-5) NCES 061653002087
Happy Camp Union Elementary — Happy Camp, CA
Federal NCES profile for Happy Camp Union Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 20/100.
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
The verdict
Happy Camp Union Elementary earns an F Resource Investment Index (20/100), even as it posts class sizes smaller than 84% of California schools.
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the
NCES CCD record.
Enrollment
79
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Teachers (FTE)
6.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.8:1
vs 21.6:1 California avg
▲-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.9%
vs 55.5% California avg
▲+4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Happy Camp Union Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
Smaller classes than state median
21.6:1 California median15.7:1 U.S. median
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Happy Camp Union Elementary reports 79 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 6.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 17.8:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 18% below the California state mean of 21.6:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.7:1, it is 13% higher, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 57.9% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 4% above the California average and 12% above the national baseline. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 63.3% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Happy Camp Union Elementary spends $26,471 per pupil district-wide, above the California average of $16,509 and above the national average of $16,593. Revenue comes 23.4% from local sources (property taxes), 47.4% from the state, and 29.2% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (F), calculated from 3 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against California state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
Metric
This school
vs California
California avg
U.S. avg
Students per teacher
17.8:1
▼ 18%
21.6:1
15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible
57.9%
▲ 4%
55.5%
51.8%
Enrollment
79
top 9%
—
—
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
Class size vs. every US school
Students per teacher (lower means more individual attention)
18smaller classes than 26% of 92,598 US schools
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US schools. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25
School size vs. every US school
Total enrollment — where this school sits by size (neither large nor small is 'better')
79larger than 8% of 95,891 US schools
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US schools. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
57.9%
free-lunch eligible
— 4% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold — federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.8:1
students per teacher
— 18% below state mean
Top 16% in California — lower ratio than 84% of state schools
Between 15:1 and 20:1 — in line with the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
63.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$26,471
per pupil, district-wide
— above California avg of $16,509
Above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
Enrollment79 Top 9% in California — larger than 91% of 10,006 state schools
Teachers (FTE)6.0
Students per teacher 17.8:1 -18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 57.9% +4% vs state
NCES ID061653002087
Student demographics
American Indian / Alaska Native
38.0% · ≈30 students
White
34.2% · ≈27 students
Two or More
20.3% · ≈16 students
Hispanic or Latino
7.6% · ≈6 students
American Indian / Alaska Native38.0%
White34.2%
Two or More20.3%
Hispanic or Latino7.6%
Largest group: American Indian / Alaska Native at 38.0% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE)0.0
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent63.3%
In-school suspensions0
Out-of-school suspensions0
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Happy Camp Union Elementary, which includes Happy Camp Union Elementary.
$26,471
Per student
+60%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+60%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local23.4%
State47.4%
Federal29.2%
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.
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Frequently asked questions about Happy Camp Union Elementary
How many students attend Happy Camp Union Elementary?
Happy Camp Union Elementary has 79 students enrolled. It is a elementary school in Happy Camp, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Happy Camp Union Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Happy Camp Union Elementary is 17.8:1, which is 18% lower than the California average of 21.6:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Happy Camp Union Elementary?
57.9% of students at Happy Camp Union Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Happy Camp Union Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Happy Camp Union Elementary is American Indian / Alaska Native at 38.0%. The school serves a diverse student body in Happy Camp, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Happy Camp Union Elementary?
Happy Camp Union Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 20/100 (F) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.
Is Happy Camp Union Elementary a good school?
Happy Camp Union Elementary earns an F Resource Investment Index (20/100), even as it posts class sizes smaller than 84% of California schools. The Resource Investment Index reflects staffing, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance reported to NCES, not test scores or academic outcomes, so treat it as a resource snapshot rather than an overall rating.