- Enrollment
- 605
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · El Centro, CA
Harding Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Harding Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061203001334
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harding Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #2 of 13
- elementary schools in El Centro · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 26.1:1
- large classes for California
- 60.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Harding Elementary has class sizes larger than 86% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harding Elementary ranks #2 of 13 elementary schools in El Centro, CA.
School address
District: El Centro Elementary · California
NCES ID 061203001334 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+34 students YoY
Harding Elementary grew from 551 students in 2022-23 to 585 in 2023-24 (+6.2%).
Teacher FTE added 23.0 → 25.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+34 students YoY 061203001334 · El Centro, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
601 enr · 26.1:1 · 60.1% lunch · RII 37
Nearest enrollment peer: Wilson Jr. High (605 students)
Harding Elementary grew from 551 students in 2022-23 to 585 in 2023-24 (+6.2%). Teacher FTE added 23.0 → 25.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Harding Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Wilson Jr. Hig
Wilson Jr. High
605 students
- This school
Harding Elementary
601 students
- De Anza Magnet
De Anza Magnet
504 students
- Mckinley Eleme
Mckinley Elementary
456 students
- Margaret Hedri
Margaret Hedrick Elementary
446 students
- Martin Luther
Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
445 students
What this shows Harding Elementary reports 601 students on the CCD universe file.
How Harding Elementary compares
Harding 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 | 26.1:1 | ▲ 21% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.1% | ▲ 8% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 601 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.1:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
601
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
60.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% 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
26.1:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 86% in California - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
24.0%
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
$17,901
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
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.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 93.2%
White 3.8%
Two or More 1.8%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 93.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 13.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 13.0, Harding Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for El Centro Elementary reports $17,901 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Harding Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson Jr. High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| De Anza Magnet | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mckinley Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Margaret Hedrick Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harding Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 504
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 456
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 446
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 445
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar elementary schools in El Centro
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mccabe Elementary
Standard public school
1,109 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
De Anza Magnet
Standard public school
504 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Mckinley Elementary
Standard public school
456 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Margaret Hedrick Elementary
Standard public school
446 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 26.2:1 students per teacher
Sunflower Elementary
Standard public school
427 students 28.5:1 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 (~601 students)
Frequently asked questions about Harding Elementary
How many students attend Harding Elementary?
Harding Elementary has 601 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in El Centro, CA. CCD year-over-year: 551 (2022-23) → 585 (2023-24), up 34.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harding Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Harding Elementary is 26.1:1, which is 21% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 66% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Harding Elementary?
60.1% of students at Harding Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harding Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Harding Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 93.2% of enrollment, in El Centro, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harding Elementary?
Harding Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Harding Elementary rank among elementary schools in El Centro?
By Resource Investment Index, Harding Elementary ranks #2 of 13 elementary schools in El Centro, 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 El Centro on the city page.
What other schools are in El Centro Elementary?
Besides Harding Elementary, El Centro Elementary also operates Wilson Jr. High (605 students), De Anza Magnet (504 students), and Mckinley Elementary (456 students). See the El Centro Elementary district page for the complete list.