Enrollment
430
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Colusa, CA
James M. Burchfield Primary
Federal NCES profile for James M. Burchfield Primary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060957000968
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James M. Burchfield Primary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Colusa · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.5:1
- students per teacher
- 63.2%
- free-lunch eligible
James M. Burchfield Primary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James M. Burchfield Primary ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Colusa, CA.
School address
District: Colusa Unified · California
NCES ID 060957000968 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.5:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James M. Burchfield Primary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at James M. Burchfield Primary
James M. Burchfield Primary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Colusa, California, enrolling 430 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 20.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 63.2% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 430 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,843 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #919.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (72%) and White (19%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 430 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Colusa Unified spends $12,834 per pupil, 22% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Colusa's elementary schools, it stands alongside George T. Egling Middle (553 students): James M. Burchfield Primary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.5:1 vs 19.8:1).
Colusa Unified also operates George T. Egling Middle (553 students) and Colusa High (431 students) alongside James M. Burchfield Primary.
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 M. Burchfield Primary compares
James M. Burchfield Primary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.5:1 | ▼ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.2% | ▲ 14% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 430 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.5:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
430
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
20.5:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 39% in California - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
24.9%
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
$12,834
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 430 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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: 0.5 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 71.9%
White 18.6%
Two or More 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.8%
Asian 0.7%
African American 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 71.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.4, James M. Burchfield Primary is about as mixed as the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Colusa Unified, which includes James M. Burchfield Primary.
$12,834
Per student
-22%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.1%
State 67.5%
Federal 7.5%
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 M. Burchfield Primary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| George T. Egling Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Colusa High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Colusa Alternative Home | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Colusa Alternative High (Continuation) | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James M. Burchfield Primary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 553
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 431
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 29
- Students per teacher
- 29:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 27
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Colusa
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~430 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James M. Burchfield Primary's federal record.
- Compare James M. Burchfield Primary against another school. Compare schools
- Colusa 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 M. Burchfield Primary
How many students attend James M. Burchfield Primary?
James M. Burchfield Primary has 430 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Colusa, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James M. Burchfield Primary?
The student-teacher ratio at James M. Burchfield Primary is 20.5:1, which is 5% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 31% 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 M. Burchfield Primary?
63.2% of students at James M. Burchfield Primary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James M. Burchfield Primary?
The largest demographic group at James M. Burchfield Primary is Hispanic or Latino at 71.9% of enrollment, in Colusa, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James M. Burchfield Primary?
James M. Burchfield Primary has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (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 James M. Burchfield Primary rank among public schools in Colusa?
By Resource Investment Index, James M. Burchfield Primary ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Colusa, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Colusa on the city page.
Is James M. Burchfield Primary a good school?
James M. Burchfield Primary earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Colusa Unified?
Besides James M. Burchfield Primary, Colusa Unified also operates George T. Egling Middle (553 students), Colusa High (431 students), and Colusa Alternative Home (29 students). See the Colusa 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.