Enrollment
418
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · South Gate, CA
Independence Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Independence Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062271007120
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #5 of 18
- elementary schools in South Gate · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.7:1
- small classes for California
- 91.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence Elementary has class sizes smaller than 85% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Elementary ranks #5 of 18 elementary schools in South Gate, CA.
School address
District: Los Angeles Unified · California
NCES ID 062271007120 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
91.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
+65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence Elementary
Independence Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in South Gate, California, enrolling 418 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 16.7:1, Independence Elementary is leaner than roughly 85% of California schools and 22% under the state's 21.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 91.3% of students qualify for free meals, 65% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 418 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,199 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #226.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (98% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 4/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 63.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Los Angeles Unified spends $21,940 per pupil, 33% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among South Gate's elementary schools, it stands alongside Kipp Corazon Academy (1,070 students): Independence Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.7:1 vs 24.3:1).
Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students) and North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students) alongside Independence 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 Independence Elementary compares
Independence 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 | 16.7:1 | ▼ 22% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 91.3% | ▲ 65% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 418 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
418
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
91.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% above the California average of 55.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 15% in California - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
63.6%
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
$21,940
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 98.1%
Two or More 1.2%
White 0.5%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 98.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 3.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 3.7, Independence Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Los Angeles Unified, which includes Independence Elementary.
$21,940
Per student
+33%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 54.5%
Federal 19.2%
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 Independence Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grover Cleveland Charter High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Hollywood Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Phineas Banning Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| San Pedro Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Venice Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,719
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,444
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,398
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,293
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in South Gate
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Kipp Corazon Academy
Standard public school
1,070 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Hollydale
Standard public school
794 students 21.5:1 students per teacher
Bryson Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
706 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
San Miguel Elementary
Standard public school
677 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Montara Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
554 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Madison Elementary
Standard public school
482 students 17.9:1 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 (~418 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Independence Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Los Angeles 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 Independence Elementary
How many students attend Independence Elementary?
Independence Elementary has 418 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in South Gate, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence Elementary is 16.7:1, which is 22% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 6% 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 Independence Elementary?
91.3% of students at Independence Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Independence Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 98.1% of enrollment, in South Gate, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence Elementary?
Independence Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Independence Elementary rank among elementary schools in South Gate?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Elementary ranks #5 of 18 elementary schools in South Gate, 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 South Gate on the city page.
Is Independence Elementary a good school?
Independence Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of California schools. It is also less 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 Los Angeles Unified?
Besides Independence Elementary, Los Angeles Unified also operates Grover Cleveland Charter High (2,719 students), North Hollywood Senior High (2,444 students), and Phineas Banning Senior High (2,422 students). See the Los Angeles 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.