Enrollment
310
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Madera, CA
Hillside Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Hillside Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060011614261
👥 S:T ratio 5
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hillside Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #9 of 24
- elementary schools in Madera · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.8:1
- large classes for California
- 23.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Hillside Elementary has class sizes larger than 70% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hillside Elementary ranks #9 of 24 elementary schools in Madera, CA.
School address
District: Chawanakee Unified · California
NCES ID 060011614261 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
-58% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hillside Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hillside Elementary
Hillside Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Madera, California, enrolling 310 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 23.8:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 23.5% free-meal eligibility runs 58% below the California average.
Enrollment of 310 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 631 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #569, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and Hispanic or Latino (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Chawanakee Unified spends $13,012 per pupil, 21% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Madera's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lincoln Elementary (816 students): Hillside Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.8:1 vs 22.7:1).
Chawanakee Unified also operates Minarets High (265 students) and Spring Valley Elementary (230 students) alongside Hillside Elementary.
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 Hillside Elementary compares
Hillside Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.8:1 | ▲ 11% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.5% | ▼ 58% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 310 | top 73% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.8:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
310
Bigger than 34% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 58% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
23.8:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 70% in California - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
28.4%
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
$13,012
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
Counselors0.1 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.5 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 39.7%
Hispanic or Latino 38.7%
Two or More 11.6%
Asian 7.7%
African American 2.3%
Largest group: White at 39.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.3, Hillside Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chawanakee Unified, which includes Hillside Elementary.
$13,012
Per student
-21%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.3%
State 56.8%
Federal 6.9%
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.
How Hillside Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minarets High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spring Valley Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Fork Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chawanakee Academy Charter | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Minarets Charter High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hillside Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 265
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 230
- Students per teacher
- 25.6:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 227
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 187
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 165
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in Madera
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lincoln Elementary
Standard public school
816 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
John J. Pershing Elementary
Standard public school
788 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Sierra Vista Elementary
Standard public school
740 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
James Madison Elementary
Standard public school
739 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
John Adams Elementary
Standard public school
736 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Alpha Elementary
Standard public school
735 students 25.3:1 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 (~310 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hillside Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Hillside Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Chawanakee Unified'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 Hillside Elementary
How many students attend Hillside Elementary?
Hillside Elementary has 310 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Madera, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hillside Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Hillside Elementary is 23.8:1, which is 11% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 52% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hillside Elementary?
23.5% of students at Hillside Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hillside Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Hillside Elementary is White at 39.7% of enrollment, in Madera, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hillside Elementary?
Hillside Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (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 Hillside Elementary rank among elementary schools in Madera?
By Resource Investment Index, Hillside Elementary ranks #9 of 24 elementary schools in Madera, 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 Madera on the city page.
Is Hillside Elementary a good school?
Hillside Elementary earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. 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 Chawanakee Unified?
Besides Hillside Elementary, Chawanakee Unified also operates Minarets High (265 students), Spring Valley Elementary (230 students), and North Fork Elementary (227 students). See the Chawanakee Unified district page for the complete list.
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.