Enrollment
406
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sacramento, CA
James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary
Federal NCES profile for James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063462005766
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #68 of 124
- elementary schools in Sacramento · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.1:1
- large classes for California
- 41.3%
- free-lunch eligible
James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary has class sizes larger than 90% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary ranks #68 of 124 elementary schools in Sacramento, CA.
School address
District: San Juan Unified · California
NCES ID 063462005766 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary
James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Sacramento, California, enrolling 406 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.1:1 is larger than about 90% of California schools and 26% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 406 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 1,197 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #790.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Sacramento's elementary schools, it stands alongside Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences (1,091 students): James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (27.1:1 vs 23.7:1).
San Juan Unified also operates Bella Vista High (1,939 students) and Rio Americano High (1,891 students) alongside James R. Cowan Fundamental 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 R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary compares
James R. Cowan Fundamental 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 | 27.1:1 | ▲ 26% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.3% | ▼ 26% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 406 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.1:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
406
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
27.1:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 90% in California - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
22.7%
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
$15,338
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
White 49.0%
Hispanic or Latino 22.4%
Two or More 10.8%
Asian 9.6%
African American 6.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 49.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.5, James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for San Juan Unified, which includes James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary.
$15,338
Per student
-7%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.7%
State 54.0%
Federal 14.3%
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 R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bella Vista High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rio Americano High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mira Loma High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Del Campo High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| El Camino Fundamental High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,891
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,655
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,548
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,226
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Sacramento
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences
Standard public school
1,091 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Las Palmas Elementary
Standard public school
1,001 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Mary Tsukamoto Elementary
Standard public school
989 students 26:1 students per teacher
Heron
Standard public school
977 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Arnold Adreani Elementary
Standard public school
944 students 27:1 students per teacher
Paso Verde
Standard public school
897 students 23.6:1 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 (~406 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~27.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary's federal record.
- Compare James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- San Juan 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 R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary
How many students attend James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary?
James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary has 406 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sacramento, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary is 27.1:1, which is 26% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 73% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary?
41.3% of students at James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary?
The largest demographic group at James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary is White at 49.0% of enrollment, in Sacramento, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary?
James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (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 R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary rank among elementary schools in Sacramento?
By Resource Investment Index, James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary ranks #68 of 124 elementary schools in Sacramento, 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 Sacramento on the city page.
Is James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary a good school?
James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of California schools. It is also more 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 San Juan Unified?
Besides James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary, San Juan Unified also operates Bella Vista High (1,939 students), Rio Americano High (1,891 students), and Mira Loma High (1,655 students). See the San Juan 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.