- Enrollment
- 631
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Wasco, CA
James a. Forrest Elementary
Federal NCES profile for James a. Forrest Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 13/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064140014394
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James a. Forrest Elementary earns 13/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #5 of 6
- elementary schools in Wasco · Resource Index
- 13
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.3:1
- students per teacher
- 82.3%
- free-lunch eligible
James a. Forrest Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James a. Forrest Elementary ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Wasco, CA.
School address
District: Wasco Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 064140014394 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+7 students YoY
James a. Forrest Elementary held near 578 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+7 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 27.6 → 25.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+7 students YoY 064140014394 · Wasco, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
576 enr · 21.3:1 · 82.3% lunch · RII 13
Nearest enrollment peer: Palm Avenue Middle (631 students)
James a. Forrest Elementary held near 578 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+7 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 27.6 → 25.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
James a. Forrest Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Palm Avenue Mi
Palm Avenue Middle
631 students
- John L. Prueit
John L. Prueitt Elementary
621 students
- Thomas Jeffers
Thomas Jefferson Middle
591 students
- This school
James a. Forrest Elementary
576 students
- Karl F. Clemen
Karl F. Clemens Elementary
551 students
- Teresa Burke E
Teresa Burke Elementary
503 students
What this shows James a. Forrest Elementary reports 576 students on the CCD universe file.
How James a. Forrest Elementary compares
James a. Forrest Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.3:1 | ▼ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.3% | ▲ 48% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 576 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.3:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
576
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
82.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% 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
21.3:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 46% in California - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
36.6%
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
$20,518
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $18,665
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 576 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 96.7%
White 1.7%
African American 0.9%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 96.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 6.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 6.5, James a. Forrest Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Wasco Union Elementary reports $20,518 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How James a. Forrest Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Avenue Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John L. Prueitt Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Karl F. Clemens Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Teresa Burke Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James a. Forrest Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 621
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 591
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 551
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 503
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar elementary schools in Wasco
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
John L. Prueitt Elementary
Standard public school
621 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
Karl F. Clemens Elementary
Standard public school
551 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Teresa Burke Elementary
Standard public school
503 students 21:1 students per teacher
Pond Elementary
Standard public school
175 students 19.4:1 students per teacher
Semitropic Elementary
Standard public school
140 students 14:1 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 (~576 students)
Frequently asked questions about James a. Forrest Elementary
How many students attend James a. Forrest Elementary?
James a. Forrest Elementary has 576 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Wasco, CA. CCD year-over-year: 571 (2022-23) → 578 (2023-24), nearly flat (+7).
What is the student-teacher ratio at James a. Forrest Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at James a. Forrest Elementary is 21.3:1, which is 1% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% 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 James a. Forrest Elementary?
82.3% of students at James a. Forrest Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James a. Forrest Elementary?
The largest demographic group at James a. Forrest Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 96.7% of enrollment, in Wasco, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James a. Forrest Elementary?
James a. Forrest Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 13/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does James a. Forrest Elementary rank among elementary schools in Wasco?
By Resource Investment Index, James a. Forrest Elementary ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Wasco, 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 Wasco on the city page.
What other schools are in Wasco Union Elementary?
Besides James a. Forrest Elementary, Wasco Union Elementary also operates Palm Avenue Middle (631 students), John L. Prueitt Elementary (621 students), and Thomas Jefferson Middle (591 students). See the Wasco Union Elementary district page for the complete list.