Enrollment
477
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Huntington Beach, CA
John R. Peterson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for John R. Peterson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 061803007190
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John R. Peterson Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #12 of 20
- elementary schools in Huntington Beach · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.7:1
- students per teacher
- 35.4%
- free-lunch eligible
John R. Peterson Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John R. Peterson Elementary ranks #12 of 20 elementary schools in Huntington Beach, CA.
School address
District: Huntington Beach City Elementary · California
NCES ID 061803007190 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John R. Peterson Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at John R. Peterson Elementary
John R. Peterson Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Huntington Beach, California, enrolling 477 students.
At 21.7:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 477 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,307 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #386.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1193 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Huntington Beach's elementary schools, it stands alongside Harbour View Elementary (677 students): John R. Peterson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.7:1 vs 30.8:1).
Huntington Beach City Elementary also operates Ethel Dwyer Middle (884 students) and Isaac L. Sowers Middle (771 students) alongside John R. Peterson 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 R. Peterson Elementary compares
John R. Peterson 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 | 21.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.4% | ▼ 36% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 477 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
477
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% 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
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 50% in California - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
15.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,654
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
Counselors0.4 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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
White 45.5%
Hispanic or Latino 30.6%
Two or More 17.2%
Asian 6.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 45.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.6, John R. Peterson Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Huntington Beach City Elementary, which includes John R. Peterson Elementary.
$14,654
Per student
-11%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 79.5%
State 14.1%
Federal 6.5%
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 R. Peterson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethel Dwyer Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Isaac L. Sowers Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Agnes L. Smith Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ralph E. Hawes Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Huntington Seacliff Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John R. Peterson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 884
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 591
- Students per teacher
- 24.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 495
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools in Huntington Beach
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Harbour View Elementary
Standard public school
677 students 30.8:1 students per teacher
Agnes L. Smith Elementary
Standard public school
591 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Circle View Elementary
Standard public school
582 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Hope View Elementary
Standard public school
546 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Newland (William T.) Elementary
Standard public school
531 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Ralph E. Hawes Elementary
Standard public school
516 students 22.4:1 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 (~477 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John R. Peterson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare John R. Peterson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Huntington Beach 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 John R. Peterson Elementary
How many students attend John R. Peterson Elementary?
John R. Peterson Elementary has 477 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Huntington Beach, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John R. Peterson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at John R. Peterson Elementary is 21.7:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John R. Peterson Elementary?
35.4% of students at John R. Peterson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John R. Peterson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at John R. Peterson Elementary is White at 45.5% of enrollment, in Huntington Beach, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John R. Peterson Elementary?
John R. Peterson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical 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 R. Peterson Elementary rank among elementary schools in Huntington Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, John R. Peterson Elementary ranks #12 of 20 elementary schools in Huntington Beach, 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 Huntington Beach on the city page.
Is John R. Peterson Elementary a good school?
John R. Peterson Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. It is also more 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 Huntington Beach City Elementary?
Besides John R. Peterson Elementary, Huntington Beach City Elementary also operates Ethel Dwyer Middle (884 students), Isaac L. Sowers Middle (771 students), and Agnes L. Smith Elementary (591 students). See the Huntington Beach City Elementary district page for the complete list.
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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.