Enrollment
555
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fountain Valley, CA
James Monroe Elementary
Federal NCES profile for James Monroe Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061488001863
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Monroe Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of California schools.
- #6 of 8
- elementary schools in Fountain Valley · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25.2:1
- large classes for California
- 55.8%
- free-lunch eligible
James Monroe Elementary has class sizes larger than 81% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Monroe Elementary ranks #6 of 8 elementary schools in Fountain Valley, CA.
School address
District: Garden Grove Unified · California
NCES ID 061488001863 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Monroe Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Monroe Elementary
James Monroe Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Fountain Valley, California, enrolling 555 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 25.2:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 55.8% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 555 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,723 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #280.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 21/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Fountain Valley's elementary schools, it stands alongside Ethan B. Allen Elementary (637 students): James Monroe Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25.2:1 vs 24.5:1).
Garden Grove Unified also operates Garden Grove High (2,148 students) and La Quinta High (2,041 students) alongside James Monroe 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 Monroe Elementary compares
James Monroe 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 | 25.2:1 | ▲ 17% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.8% | ▲ 1% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 555 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25.2:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
555
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% 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
25.2:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 81% in California - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
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
$16,783
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 + 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.
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 88.5%
White 5.0%
Asian 3.1%
Two or More 3.1%
African American 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.2, James Monroe Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Garden Grove Unified, which includes James Monroe Elementary.
$16,783
Per student
+2%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.3%
State 56.8%
Federal 12.9%
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 Monroe Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Grove High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| La Quinta High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bolsa Grande High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Santiago High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pacifica High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Monroe Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,148
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,041
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,701
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,664
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,634
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Fountain Valley
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Ethan B. Allen Elementary
Standard public school
637 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Courreges (Roch) Elementary
Standard public school
631 students 25.2:1 students per teacher
Cox (James H.) Elementary
Standard public school
607 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Plavan (Urbain H.) Elementary
Standard public school
530 students 27.9:1 students per teacher
Tamura (Hisamatsu) Elementary
Standard public school
526 students 26.3:1 students per teacher
Gisler (Robert) Elementary
Standard public school
470 students 24.7:1 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 (~555 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~25.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Monroe Elementary's federal record.
- Compare James Monroe Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Garden Grove 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 Monroe Elementary
How many students attend James Monroe Elementary?
James Monroe Elementary has 555 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fountain Valley, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Monroe Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at James Monroe Elementary is 25.2:1, which is 17% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 61% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Monroe Elementary?
55.8% of students at James Monroe Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Monroe Elementary?
The largest demographic group at James Monroe Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 88.5% of enrollment, in Fountain Valley, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Monroe Elementary?
James Monroe Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 James Monroe Elementary rank among elementary schools in Fountain Valley?
By Resource Investment Index, James Monroe Elementary ranks #6 of 8 elementary schools in Fountain Valley, 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 Fountain Valley on the city page.
Is James Monroe Elementary a good school?
James Monroe Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of 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 Garden Grove Unified?
Besides James Monroe Elementary, Garden Grove Unified also operates Garden Grove High (2,148 students), La Quinta High (2,041 students), and Bolsa Grande High (1,701 students). See the Garden Grove 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.