Enrollment
641
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Merced, CA
Joe Stefani
Federal NCES profile for Joe Stefani, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062460011688
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joe Stefani earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of California schools.
- #9 of 19
- elementary schools in Merced · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.9:1
- large classes for California
- 81.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Joe Stefani has class sizes larger than 92% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joe Stefani ranks #9 of 19 elementary schools in Merced, CA.
School address
District: Merced City Elementary · California
NCES ID 062460011688 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.9:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.5%
vs 55.5% California avg
+47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joe Stefani compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joe Stefani
Joe Stefani is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Merced, California, enrolling 641 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.9:1 is larger than about 92% of California schools and 30% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 81.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 641 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,929 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,452, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (63%) and Asian (19%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 641 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Merced's elementary schools, it stands alongside Pioneer Elementary (1,055 students): Joe Stefani is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (27.9:1 vs 19.9:1).
Merced City Elementary also operates Rudolph Rivera Elementary (917 students) and Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary (722 students) alongside Joe Stefani.
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 Stefani compares
Joe Stefani on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 27.9:1 | ▲ 30% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.5% | ▲ 47% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 641 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.9:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
641
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
27.9:1
students per teacher
- 30% above state mean
Top 92% in California - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
54.3%
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
$13,984
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 641 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.1 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 63.3%
Asian 18.9%
White 9.2%
Two or More 4.4%
African American 3.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 63.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.2, Joe Stefani is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Merced City Elementary, which includes Joe Stefani.
$13,984
Per student
-15%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 11.4%
State 74.4%
Federal 14.2%
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 Stefani Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rudolph Rivera Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Luther Burbank Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Allan Peterson Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Herbert Hoover Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joe Stefani's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 917
- Students per teacher
- 29.6:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 722
- Students per teacher
- 25.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 716
- Students per teacher
- 28.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 690
- Students per teacher
- 28.8:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 629
- Students per teacher
- 28.6:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Merced
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Pioneer Elementary
Standard public school
1,055 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Farmdale Elementary
Standard public school
919 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Rudolph Rivera Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 29.6:1 students per teacher
Mcswain Elementary
Standard public school
912 students 22.8:1 students per teacher
Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary
Standard public school
722 students 25.8:1 students per teacher
Luther Burbank Elementary
Standard public school
716 students 28.6:1 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 (~641 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~27.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joe Stefani's federal record.
- Compare Joe Stefani against another school. Compare schools
- Merced City 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 Stefani
How many students attend Joe Stefani?
Joe Stefani has 641 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Merced, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joe Stefani?
The student-teacher ratio at Joe Stefani is 27.9:1, which is 30% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 78% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Joe Stefani?
81.5% of students at Joe Stefani are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joe Stefani?
The largest demographic group at Joe Stefani is Hispanic or Latino at 63.3% of enrollment, in Merced, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joe Stefani?
Joe Stefani has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (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 Stefani rank among elementary schools in Merced?
By Resource Investment Index, Joe Stefani ranks #9 of 19 elementary schools in Merced, 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 Merced on the city page.
Is Joe Stefani a good school?
Joe Stefani earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% 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 Merced City Elementary?
Besides Joe Stefani, Merced City Elementary also operates Rudolph Rivera Elementary (917 students), Donn B. Chenoweth Elementary (722 students), and Luther Burbank Elementary (716 students). See the Merced City 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.