Enrollment
695
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Santa Maria, CA
Joe Nightingale Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Joe Nightingale Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 14/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062871004464
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joe Nightingale Elementary earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of California schools.
- #24 of 24
- elementary schools in Santa Maria · Resource Index
- 14
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.7:1
- large classes for California
- 39.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Joe Nightingale Elementary has class sizes larger than 88% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joe Nightingale Elementary ranks #24 of 24 elementary schools in Santa Maria, CA.
School address
District: Orcutt Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 062871004464 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joe Nightingale Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joe Nightingale Elementary
Joe Nightingale Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Santa Maria, California, enrolling 695 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.7:1 is larger than about 88% of California schools and 24% 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 39.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 695 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,316 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,200, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (64%) and White (21%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1390 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Orcutt Union Elementary spends $12,686 per pupil, 23% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Santa Maria's elementary schools, it stands alongside Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary (1,177 students): Joe Nightingale Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (26.7:1 vs 29.4:1).
Orcutt Union Elementary also operates Orcutt Academy Charter (812 students) and Patterson Road Elementary (662 students) alongside Joe Nightingale 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 Joe Nightingale Elementary compares
Joe Nightingale 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 | 26.7:1 | ▲ 24% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.4% | ▼ 29% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 695 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.7:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
695
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
26.7:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 88% in California - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
29.6%
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
$12,686
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 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 64.3%
White 21.3%
Two or More 10.2%
Asian 2.6%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.0, Joe Nightingale Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Orcutt Union Elementary, which includes Joe Nightingale Elementary.
$12,686
Per student
-23%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.2%
State 55.5%
Federal 7.4%
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 Joe Nightingale Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orcutt Academy Charter | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Patterson Road Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Grove Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alice Shaw Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ralph Dunlap Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joe Nightingale Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 812
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 662
- Students per teacher
- 30.1:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 569
- Students per teacher
- 28.4:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 530
- Students per teacher
- 26.5:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 502
- Students per teacher
- 27.9:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Santa Maria
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Jimenez Roberto and Dr. Francisco Elementary
Standard public school
1,177 students 29.4:1 students per teacher
Bruce (Robert) Elementary
Standard public school
1,050 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Alvin Elementary
Standard public school
998 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Rice (William) Elementary
Standard public school
887 students 24:1 students per teacher
Miller (Isaac) Elementary
Standard public school
883 students 25.2:1 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 (~695 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~26.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joe Nightingale Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Joe Nightingale Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Orcutt Union Elementary'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 Joe Nightingale Elementary
How many students attend Joe Nightingale Elementary?
Joe Nightingale Elementary has 695 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Santa Maria, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joe Nightingale Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Joe Nightingale Elementary is 26.7:1, which is 24% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 70% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Joe Nightingale Elementary?
39.4% of students at Joe Nightingale Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joe Nightingale Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Joe Nightingale Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 64.3% of enrollment, in Santa Maria, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joe Nightingale Elementary?
Joe Nightingale Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 14/100 (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 Joe Nightingale Elementary rank among elementary schools in Santa Maria?
By Resource Investment Index, Joe Nightingale Elementary ranks #24 of 24 elementary schools in Santa Maria, 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 Santa Maria on the city page.
Is Joe Nightingale Elementary a good school?
Joe Nightingale Elementary earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% 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 Orcutt Union Elementary?
Besides Joe Nightingale Elementary, Orcutt Union Elementary also operates Orcutt Academy Charter (812 students), Patterson Road Elementary (662 students), and Pine Grove Elementary (569 students). See the Orcutt Union Elementary 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.