Enrollment
689
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fresno, CA
John Steinbeck Elementary
Federal NCES profile for John Steinbeck Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060797004485
👥 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
John Steinbeck Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of California schools.
- #75 of 115
- elementary schools in Fresno · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 28.7:1
- large classes for California
- 79.1%
- free-lunch eligible
John Steinbeck Elementary has class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Steinbeck Elementary ranks #75 of 115 elementary schools in Fresno, CA.
School address
District: Central Unified · California
NCES ID 060797004485 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
79.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Steinbeck Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Steinbeck Elementary
John Steinbeck Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Fresno, California, enrolling 689 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.7:1 is larger than about 94% of California schools and 33% 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 79.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 689 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 1,896 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,407, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (66%) and Asian (16%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 689 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Fresno's elementary schools, it stands alongside Harvest Elementary (1,010 students): John Steinbeck Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (28.7:1 vs 29.7:1).
Central Unified also operates Justin Garza High (2,095 students) and Central East High (1,741 students) alongside John 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 Steinbeck Elementary compares
John 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 | 28.7:1 | ▲ 33% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 79.1% | ▲ 43% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 689 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.7:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
689
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
79.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% 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
28.7:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 94% in California - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
46.0%
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
$14,150
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 689 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
44
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.2 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 65.9%
Asian 15.5%
White 8.0%
African American 7.5%
Two or More 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 65.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.9, John Steinbeck Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Central Unified, which includes John Steinbeck Elementary.
$14,150
Per student
-14%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.2%
State 65.7%
Federal 12.0%
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 Steinbeck Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Garza High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central East High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harvest Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Glacier Point Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rio Vista Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Steinbeck Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,095
- Students per teacher
- 29.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,741
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,010
- Students per teacher
- 29.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 947
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 851
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Fresno
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Harvest Elementary
Standard public school
1,010 students 29.7:1 students per teacher
James S. Fugman Elementary
Standard public school
893 students 28.8:1 students per teacher
Roger S. Oraze Elementary
Standard public school
868 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Thomas Elementary
Standard public school
859 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
Ewing Elementary
Standard public school
842 students 20.5:1 students per teacher
John S. Wash Elementary
Standard public school
838 students 27.9:1 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 (~689 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~28.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Steinbeck Elementary's federal record.
- Compare John Steinbeck Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Central Unified'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 Steinbeck Elementary
How many students attend John Steinbeck Elementary?
John Steinbeck Elementary has 689 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fresno, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Steinbeck Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at John Steinbeck Elementary is 28.7:1, which is 33% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 83% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at John Steinbeck Elementary?
79.1% of students at John Steinbeck Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Steinbeck Elementary?
The largest demographic group at John Steinbeck Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 65.9% of enrollment, in Fresno, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Steinbeck Elementary?
John Steinbeck Elementary 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 John Steinbeck Elementary rank among elementary schools in Fresno?
By Resource Investment Index, John Steinbeck Elementary ranks #75 of 115 elementary schools in Fresno, 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 Fresno on the city page.
Is John Steinbeck Elementary a good school?
John Steinbeck Elementary earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 Central Unified?
Besides John Steinbeck Elementary, Central Unified also operates Justin Garza High (2,095 students), Central East High (1,741 students), and Harvest Elementary (1,010 students). See the Central Unified 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.