Enrollment
654
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Brawley, CA
J. W. Oakley Elementary
Federal NCES profile for J. W. Oakley Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060579000522
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
J. W. Oakley Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 6
- elementary schools in Brawley · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.8:1
- students per teacher
- 85.4%
- free-lunch eligible
J. W. Oakley Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, J. W. Oakley Elementary ranks #4 of 6 elementary schools in Brawley, CA.
School address
District: Brawley Elementary · California
NCES ID 060579000522 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
85.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
+54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How J. W. Oakley Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at J. W. Oakley Elementary
J. W. Oakley Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Brawley, California, enrolling 654 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 19.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 85.4% of students qualify for free meals, 54% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 654 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,696 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #968.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (97% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 7/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 654 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 75.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Brawley's elementary schools, it stands alongside Myron D. Witter Elementary (741 students): J. W. Oakley Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19.8:1 vs 21.8:1).
Brawley Elementary also operates Barbara Worth Junior High (881 students) and Myron D. Witter Elementary (741 students) alongside J. W. Oakley 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 J. W. Oakley Elementary compares
J. W. Oakley 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 | 19.8:1 | ▼ 8% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.4% | ▲ 54% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 654 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.8:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
654
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% 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
19.8:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 33% in California - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
75.2%
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
$15,299
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 654 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.1 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 96.5%
White 1.5%
Two or More 0.8%
African American 0.6%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 96.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 6.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 6.8, J. W. Oakley Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Brawley Elementary, which includes J. W. Oakley Elementary.
$15,299
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 9.3%
State 77.4%
Federal 13.2%
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 J. W. Oakley Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbara Worth Junior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Myron D. Witter Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Phil D. Swing Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Miguel Hidalgo Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to J. W. Oakley Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 881
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 741
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 725
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Brawley
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Myron D. Witter Elementary
Standard public school
741 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Phil D. Swing Elementary
Standard public school
725 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Miguel Hidalgo Elementary
Standard public school
437 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Magnolia Union Elementary
Standard public school
128 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Mulberry Elementary
Standard public school
61 students 15.3:1 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 (~654 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on J. W. Oakley Elementary's federal record.
- Compare J. W. Oakley Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Brawley 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 J. W. Oakley Elementary
How many students attend J. W. Oakley Elementary?
J. W. Oakley Elementary has 654 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Brawley, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at J. W. Oakley Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at J. W. Oakley Elementary is 19.8:1, which is 8% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 26% 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 J. W. Oakley Elementary?
85.4% of students at J. W. Oakley Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of J. W. Oakley Elementary?
The largest demographic group at J. W. Oakley Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 96.5% of enrollment, in Brawley, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for J. W. Oakley Elementary?
J. W. Oakley Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower 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 J. W. Oakley Elementary rank among elementary schools in Brawley?
By Resource Investment Index, J. W. Oakley Elementary ranks #4 of 6 elementary schools in Brawley, 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 Brawley on the city page.
Is J. W. Oakley Elementary a good school?
J. W. Oakley Elementary earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Brawley Elementary?
Besides J. W. Oakley Elementary, Brawley Elementary also operates Barbara Worth Junior High (881 students), Myron D. Witter Elementary (741 students), and Phil D. Swing Elementary (725 students). See the Brawley 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.