Enrollment
393
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Barbara, CA
Hollister Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Hollister Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061551001971
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hollister Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #6 of 20
- elementary schools in Santa Barbara · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.8:1
- students per teacher
- 36.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Hollister Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hollister Elementary ranks #6 of 20 elementary schools in Santa Barbara, CA.
School address
District: Goleta Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 061551001971 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hollister Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hollister Elementary
Hollister Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Santa Barbara, California, enrolling 393 students.
At 21.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 393 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 1,116 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #48, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (52%) and White (32%) (diversity index 62/100).
15.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Goleta Union Elementary spends $22,500 per pupil, 36% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Santa Barbara's elementary schools, it stands alongside Peabody Charter (780 students): Hollister Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.8:1 vs 24.4:1).
Goleta Union Elementary also operates Brandon Elementary (429 students) and Isla Vista Elementary (418 students) alongside Hollister 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 Hollister Elementary compares
Hollister 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 | 21.8:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.3% | ▼ 35% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 393 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.8:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
393
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 51% in California - lower ratio than 49% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
15.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$22,500
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially 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
- 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
Hispanic or Latino 51.8%
White 31.6%
Two or More 8.7%
Asian 7.1%
African American 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 51.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.9, Hollister Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Goleta Union Elementary, which includes Hollister Elementary.
$22,500
Per student
+36%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 70.3%
State 19.6%
Federal 10.1%
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 Hollister Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Isla Vista Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Foothill Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kellogg Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| La Patera Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hollister Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 429
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 418
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Barbara
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Peabody Charter
Standard public school
780 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Washington Elementary
Standard public school
477 students 17:1 students per teacher
Adams Elementary
Standard public school
469 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Roosevelt Elementary
Standard public school
463 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Franklin Elementary
Standard public school
424 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Foothill Elementary
Standard public school
413 students 24.3:1 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 (~393 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hollister Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Hollister Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Goleta Union Elementary'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 Hollister Elementary
How many students attend Hollister Elementary?
Hollister Elementary has 393 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Barbara, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hollister Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Hollister Elementary is 21.8:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hollister Elementary?
36.3% of students at Hollister Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hollister Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Hollister Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 51.8% of enrollment, in Santa Barbara, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hollister Elementary?
Hollister Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical 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 Hollister Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santa Barbara?
By Resource Investment Index, Hollister Elementary ranks #6 of 20 elementary schools in Santa Barbara, 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 Santa Barbara on the city page.
Is Hollister Elementary a good school?
Hollister Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Goleta Union Elementary?
Besides Hollister Elementary, Goleta Union Elementary also operates Brandon Elementary (429 students), Isla Vista Elementary (418 students), and Foothill Elementary (413 students). See the Goleta Union Elementary 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.