- Enrollment
- 812
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Salinas, CA
John E. Steinbeck Elementary
Federal NCES profile for John E. Steinbeck Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 12/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060195009694
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John E. Steinbeck Elementary earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #25 of 39
- elementary schools in Salinas · Resource Index
- 12
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.1:1
- students per teacher
- 63.2%
- free-lunch eligible
John E. Steinbeck Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John E. Steinbeck Elementary ranks #25 of 39 elementary schools in Salinas, CA.
School address
District: Alisal Union · California
NCES ID 060195009694 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-11 students YoY
John E. Steinbeck Elementary held near 500 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 23.0 → 22.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-11 students YoY 060195009694 · Salinas, CA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
486 enr · 21.1:1 · 63.2% lunch · RII 12
Nearest enrollment peer: Monte Bella Elementary (812 students)
John E. Steinbeck Elementary held near 500 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 23.0 → 22.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
John E. Steinbeck Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Monte Bella El
Monte Bella Elementary
812 students
- Fremont Elemen
Fremont Elementary
711 students
- Jesse G. Sanch
Jesse G. Sanchez Elementary
646 students
- Frank Paul Ele
Frank Paul Elementary
638 students
- Cesar E. Chave
Cesar E. Chavez Elementary
628 students
- This school
John E. Steinbeck Elementary
486 students
What this shows John E. Steinbeck Elementary reports 486 students on the CCD universe file.
How John E. Steinbeck Elementary compares
John E. Steinbeck Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.1:1 | ▼ 2% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.2% | ▲ 14% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 486 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.1:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
486
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
63.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
21.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 44% in California - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
53.7%
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
$17,675
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 486 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 90.1%
Asian 3.7%
Two or More 2.7%
White 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
African American 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 90.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.5, John E. Steinbeck Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Alisal Union reports $17,675 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How John E. Steinbeck Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monte Bella Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fremont Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jesse G. Sanchez Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Frank Paul Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cesar E. Chavez Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John E. Steinbeck Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 711
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 646
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 638
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 628
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
Similar elementary schools in Salinas
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sherwood Elementary
Standard public school
859 students 22:1 students per teacher
Monte Bella Elementary
Standard public school
812 students 25.4:1 students per teacher
Henry F. Kammann Elementary
Standard public school
743 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Fremont Elementary
Standard public school
711 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Natividad Elementary
Standard public school
705 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Mission Park Elementary
Standard public school
657 students 27.4:1 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 (~486 students)
Frequently asked questions about John E. Steinbeck Elementary
How many students attend John E. Steinbeck Elementary?
John E. Steinbeck Elementary has 486 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Salinas, CA. CCD year-over-year: 511 (2022-23) → 500 (2023-24), nearly flat (-11).
What is the student-teacher ratio at John E. Steinbeck Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at John E. Steinbeck Elementary is 21.1:1, which is 2% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John E. Steinbeck Elementary?
63.2% of students at John E. Steinbeck Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John E. Steinbeck Elementary?
The largest demographic group at John E. Steinbeck Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 90.1% of enrollment, in Salinas, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John E. Steinbeck Elementary?
John E. Steinbeck Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 12/100 (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 John E. Steinbeck Elementary rank among elementary schools in Salinas?
By Resource Investment Index, John E. Steinbeck Elementary ranks #25 of 39 elementary schools in Salinas, 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 Salinas on the city page.
What other schools are in Alisal Union?
Besides John E. Steinbeck Elementary, Alisal Union also operates Monte Bella Elementary (812 students), Fremont Elementary (711 students), and Jesse G. Sanchez Elementary (646 students). See the Alisal Union district page for the complete list.