Enrollment
344
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Torrance, CA
Howard Wood Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Howard Wood Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063942006581
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Howard Wood Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #1 of 20
- elementary schools in Torrance · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.2:1
- students per teacher
- 31.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Howard Wood Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Howard Wood Elementary ranks #1 of 20 elementary schools in Torrance, CA.
School address
District: Torrance Unified · California
NCES ID 063942006581 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
-44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Howard Wood Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Howard Wood Elementary
Howard Wood Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Torrance, California, enrolling 344 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 20.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 31.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 344 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 847 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #85, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and Asian (20%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 344 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
16.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Torrance Unified spends $13,194 per pupil, 20% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Torrance's elementary schools, it stands alongside Victor Elementary (965 students): Howard Wood Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (20.2:1 vs 24.7:1).
Torrance Unified also operates Torrance High (1,879 students) and North High (1,812 students) alongside Howard Wood 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 Howard Wood Elementary compares
Howard Wood 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 | 20.2:1 | ▼ 6% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.2% | ▼ 44% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 344 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.2:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
344
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
20.2:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 36% in California - lower ratio than 64% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
16.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,194
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 344 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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 52.6%
Asian 19.8%
White 14.5%
Two or More 9.9%
African American 2.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.3, Howard Wood Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Torrance Unified, which includes Howard Wood Elementary.
$13,194
Per student
-20%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.0%
State 52.3%
Federal 9.8%
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 Howard Wood Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Torrance High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Victor Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Howard Wood Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,879
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,812
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,775
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,734
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 965
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Torrance
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Victor Elementary
Standard public school
965 students 24.7:1 students per teacher
Hickory Elementary
Standard public school
847 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Walteria Elementary
Standard public school
650 students 26:1 students per teacher
Joseph Arnold Elementary
Standard public school
628 students 25.1:1 students per teacher
Anza Elementary
Standard public school
613 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Riviera Elementary
Standard public school
611 students 24.4:1 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 (~344 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Howard Wood Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Howard Wood Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Torrance 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 Howard Wood Elementary
How many students attend Howard Wood Elementary?
Howard Wood Elementary has 344 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Torrance, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Howard Wood Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Howard Wood Elementary is 20.2:1, which is 6% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 29% 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 Howard Wood Elementary?
31.2% of students at Howard Wood Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Howard Wood Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Howard Wood Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 52.6% of enrollment, in Torrance, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Howard Wood Elementary?
Howard Wood Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Howard Wood Elementary rank among elementary schools in Torrance?
By Resource Investment Index, Howard Wood Elementary ranks #1 of 20 elementary schools in Torrance, 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 Torrance on the city page.
Is Howard Wood Elementary a good school?
Howard Wood Elementary earns 45/100 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 Torrance Unified?
Besides Howard Wood Elementary, Torrance Unified also operates Torrance High (1,879 students), North High (1,812 students), and West High (1,775 students). See the Torrance 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.