Enrollment
229
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Selma, CA
James Garfield Elementary
Federal NCES profile for James Garfield 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 063627006183
👥 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
James Garfield Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #4 of 7
- elementary schools in Selma · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 25.4:1
- large classes for California
- 82.4%
- free-lunch eligible
James Garfield Elementary has class sizes larger than 82% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Garfield Elementary ranks #4 of 7 elementary schools in Selma, CA.
School address
District: Selma Unified · California
NCES ID 063627006183 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
9.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
+48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Garfield Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Garfield Elementary
James Garfield Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Selma, California, enrolling 229 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.4:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 82.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 229 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 668 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #648, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (91% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 17/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Selma's elementary schools, it stands alongside Andrew Jackson Elementary (640 students): James Garfield Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.4:1 vs 23.7:1).
Selma Unified also operates Selma High (1,721 students) and Abraham Lincoln Middle (892 students) alongside James Garfield 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 James Garfield Elementary compares
James Garfield 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 | 25.4:1 | ▲ 18% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.4% | ▲ 48% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 229 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.4:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
229
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.4%
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
25.4:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 82% in California - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
45.0%
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
$16,523
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
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 + 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 90.8%
White 6.6%
Asian 1.7%
African American 0.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.1, James Garfield Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Selma Unified, which includes James Garfield Elementary.
$16,523
Per student
+0%
vs California
Avg $16,509
0%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 11.7%
State 71.7%
Federal 16.6%
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 James Garfield Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selma High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Abraham Lincoln Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Andrew Jackson Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Theodore Roosevelt Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eric White Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Garfield Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,721
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 892
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 640
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 634
- Students per teacher
- 27.6:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 630
- Students per teacher
- 25.2:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
Similar elementary schools in Selma
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Andrew Jackson Elementary
Standard public school
640 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Theodore Roosevelt Elementary
Standard public school
634 students 27.6:1 students per teacher
Eric White Elementary
Standard public school
630 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Indianola Elementary
Standard public school
420 students 24.7:1 students per teacher
Woodrow Wilson Elementary
Standard public school
335 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Terry Elementary
Standard public school
224 students 28:1 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 (~229 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Garfield Elementary's federal record.
- Compare James Garfield Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Selma 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 James Garfield Elementary
How many students attend James Garfield Elementary?
James Garfield Elementary has 229 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Selma, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Garfield Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at James Garfield Elementary is 25.4:1, which is 18% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 62% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Garfield Elementary?
82.4% of students at James Garfield Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Garfield Elementary?
The largest demographic group at James Garfield Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 90.8% of enrollment, in Selma, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Garfield Elementary?
James Garfield Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (lower 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 James Garfield Elementary rank among elementary schools in Selma?
By Resource Investment Index, James Garfield Elementary ranks #4 of 7 elementary schools in Selma, 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 Selma on the city page.
Is James Garfield Elementary a good school?
James Garfield Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Selma Unified?
Besides James Garfield Elementary, Selma Unified also operates Selma High (1,721 students), Abraham Lincoln Middle (892 students), and Andrew Jackson Elementary (640 students). See the Selma 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.