- Enrollment
- 812
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
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 →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-36 students YoY
Joe Nightingale Elementary shrank from 720 students in 2022-23 to 684 in 2023-24 (-5.0%).
Teacher FTE lost 26.0 → 25.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-36 students YoY 062871004464 · Santa Maria, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
695 enr · 26.7:1 · 39.4% lunch · RII 14
Nearest enrollment peer: Orcutt Academy Charter (812 students)
Joe Nightingale Elementary shrank from 720 students in 2022-23 to 684 in 2023-24 (-5.0%). Teacher FTE lost 26.0 → 25.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Joe Nightingale Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Orcutt Academy
Orcutt Academy Charter
812 students
- This school
Joe Nightingale Elementary
695 students
- Patterson Road
Patterson Road Elementary
662 students
- Pine Grove Ele
Pine Grove Elementary
569 students
- Alice Shaw Ele
Alice Shaw Elementary
530 students
- Ralph Dunlap E
Ralph Dunlap Elementary
502 students
What this shows Joe Nightingale Elementary reports 695 students on the CCD universe file.
How Joe Nightingale Elementary compares
Joe Nightingale Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs 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 methodology
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
$14,143
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints 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.
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
District finance for Orcutt Union Elementary reports $14,143 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
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
- 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
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~695 students)
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. CCD year-over-year: 720 (2022-23) → 684 (2023-24), down 36.
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, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. 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.
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.