- Enrollment
- 4,051
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Downey, CA
Imperial Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Imperial Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 10/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061146001269
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Imperial Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #11 of 13
- elementary schools in Downey · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.1:1
- large classes for California
- 60.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Imperial Elementary has class sizes larger than 80% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Imperial Elementary ranks #11 of 13 elementary schools in Downey, CA.
School address
District: Downey Unified · California
NCES ID 061146001269 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+99 students YoY
Imperial Elementary grew from 585 students in 2022-23 to 684 in 2023-24 (+16.9%).
Teacher FTE added 26.0 → 29.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+99 students YoY 061146001269 · Downey, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
653 enr · 25.1:1 · 60.9% lunch · RII 10
Nearest enrollment peer: Downey High (4,051 students)
Imperial Elementary grew from 585 students in 2022-23 to 684 in 2023-24 (+16.9%). Teacher FTE added 26.0 → 29.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Imperial Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Downey High
Downey High
4,051 students
- Warren (Earl)
Warren (Earl) High
3,609 students
- Stauffer (Mary 1,329
Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle
1,329 students
- Doty (Wendy Lo 1,304
Doty (Wendy Lopour) Middle
1,304 students
- Griffiths (Gor 1,264
Griffiths (Gordon) Middle
1,264 students
- This school 653
Imperial Elementary
653 students
What this shows Imperial Elementary reports 653 students on the CCD universe file.
How Imperial Elementary compares
Imperial 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 | 25.1:1 | ▲ 17% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.9% | ▲ 10% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 653 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.1:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
653
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
60.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% 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
25.1:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 80% in California - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
44.1%
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
$18,148
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 + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 89.0%
White 6.1%
Asian 2.6%
African American 1.4%
Two or More 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 89.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.3, Imperial Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Downey Unified reports $18,148 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Imperial Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downey High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Warren (Earl) High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Doty (Wendy Lopour) Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Griffiths (Gordon) Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Imperial Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,609
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,329
- Students per teacher
- 24.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,304
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,264
- Students per teacher
- 25.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar elementary schools in Downey
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Rio Hondo Elementary
Standard public school
838 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary
Standard public school
810 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Carpenter (C. C.) Elementary
Standard public school
796 students 39.8:1 students per teacher
Gallatin Elementary
Standard public school
788 students 27.2:1 students per teacher
Price (Maude) Elementary
Standard public school
757 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Rio San Gabriel Elementary
Standard public school
747 students 24.1:1 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 (~653 students)
Frequently asked questions about Imperial Elementary
How many students attend Imperial Elementary?
Imperial Elementary has 653 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Downey, CA. CCD year-over-year: 585 (2022-23) → 684 (2023-24), up 99.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Imperial Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Imperial Elementary is 25.1:1, which is 17% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 60% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Imperial Elementary?
60.9% of students at Imperial Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Imperial Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Imperial Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 89.0% of enrollment, in Downey, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Imperial Elementary?
Imperial Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (lower 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 Imperial Elementary rank among elementary schools in Downey?
By Resource Investment Index, Imperial Elementary ranks #11 of 13 elementary schools in Downey, 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 Downey on the city page.
What other schools are in Downey Unified?
Besides Imperial Elementary, Downey Unified also operates Downey High (4,051 students), Warren (Earl) High (3,609 students), and Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle (1,329 students). See the Downey Unified district page for the complete list.