Enrollment
486
California · 2024-25 NCES data
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 →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John E. Steinbeck Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at John E. Steinbeck Elementary
John E. Steinbeck Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Salinas, California, enrolling 486 students.
At 21.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 63.2% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 486 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,961 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,742, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (90% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 19/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 486 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 53.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Salinas's elementary schools, it stands alongside Sherwood Elementary (859 students): John E. Steinbeck Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.1:1 vs 22:1).
Alisal Union also operates Monte Bella Elementary (812 students) and Fremont Elementary (711 students) alongside John E. Steinbeck 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 John E. Steinbeck Elementary compares
John E. Steinbeck 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 | 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 (what these measure)
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
$15,875
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
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.
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 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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alisal Union, which includes John E. Steinbeck Elementary.
$15,875
Per student
-4%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.0%
State 69.9%
Federal 13.1%
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 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
- 812
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- 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
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 (~486 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John E. Steinbeck Elementary's federal record.
- Compare John E. Steinbeck Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Alisal Union'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 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.
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, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is John E. Steinbeck Elementary a good school?
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. 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 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.
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.