- Enrollment
- 1,678
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · San Luis Obispo, CA
Hawthorne Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Hawthorne Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 14/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063480005871
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hawthorne Elementary earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of California schools.
- #8 of 8
- elementary schools in San Luis Obispo · Resource Index
- 14
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.7:1
- large classes for California
- 46.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Hawthorne Elementary has class sizes larger than 84% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hawthorne Elementary ranks #8 of 8 elementary schools in San Luis Obispo, CA.
School address
District: San Luis Coastal Unified · California
NCES ID 063480005871 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-15 students YoY
Hawthorne Elementary held near 415 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-15 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 17.5 → 19.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-15 students YoY 063480005871 · San Luis Obispo, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
437 enr · 25.7:1 · 46.3% lunch · RII 14
Nearest enrollment peer: San Luis Obispo High (1,678 students)
Hawthorne Elementary held near 415 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-15 headcount). Teacher FTE added 17.5 → 19.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Hawthorne Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- San Luis Obisp
San Luis Obispo High
1,678 students
- Laguna Middle
Laguna Middle
780 students
- Morro Bay High
Morro Bay High
751 students
- C L Smith Elem 528
C L Smith Elementary
528 students
- Los Ranchos El 521
Los Ranchos Elementary
521 students
- This school 437
Hawthorne Elementary
437 students
What this shows Hawthorne Elementary reports 437 students on the CCD universe file.
How Hawthorne Elementary compares
Hawthorne Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25.7:1 | ▲ 20% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.3% | ▼ 17% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 437 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.7:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
437
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
46.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
25.7:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 84% in California - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
34.6%
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
$18,117
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 437 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 44.2%
Hispanic or Latino 40.0%
Two or More 11.0%
Asian 3.7%
African American 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 44.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.1, Hawthorne Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for San Luis Coastal Unified reports $18,117 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Hawthorne Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Laguna Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Morro Bay High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| C L Smith Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Los Ranchos Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hawthorne Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 780
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 751
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 528
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 521
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar elementary schools in San Luis Obispo
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
C L Smith Elementary
Standard public school
528 students 24:1 students per teacher
Los Ranchos Elementary
Standard public school
521 students 27.4:1 students per teacher
Pacheco Elementary
Standard public school
488 students 23.2:1 students per teacher
Sinsheimer Elementary
Standard public school
401 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Bishop's Peak Elementary
Standard public school
358 students 22.4:1 students per teacher
Teach Elementary
Standard public school
193 students 32.2:1 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 (~437 students)
Frequently asked questions about Hawthorne Elementary
How many students attend Hawthorne Elementary?
Hawthorne Elementary has 437 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in San Luis Obispo, CA. CCD year-over-year: 430 (2022-23) → 415 (2023-24), nearly flat (-15).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hawthorne Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Hawthorne Elementary is 25.7:1, which is 20% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 64% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hawthorne Elementary?
46.3% of students at Hawthorne Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hawthorne Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Hawthorne Elementary is White at 44.2% of enrollment, in San Luis Obispo, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hawthorne Elementary?
Hawthorne Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 14/100 (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 Hawthorne Elementary rank among elementary schools in San Luis Obispo?
By Resource Investment Index, Hawthorne Elementary ranks #8 of 8 elementary schools in San Luis Obispo, 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 San Luis Obispo on the city page.
What other schools are in San Luis Coastal Unified?
Besides Hawthorne Elementary, San Luis Coastal Unified also operates San Luis Obispo High (1,678 students), Laguna Middle (780 students), and Morro Bay High (751 students). See the San Luis Coastal Unified district page for the complete list.